Wallowa County has become a hot spot of wolf activity in Northeast Oregon, with two-thirds of the state’s 39 confirmed livestock kills this year by the apex predator as of July 8.

The area around Lostine, Ore., population 250, has 19 of Wallowa County’s 26 kills. Wolves are probably the cause of four additional livestock deaths near the small town, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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Ranchers said those wolf depredations indicate population saturation and that more proactive and aggressive wolf management is needed.

“We need to take a keen look at where wolves need to be and survive. But we need to put an emphasis on where wolves shouldn’t be,” said Todd Nash, Wallowa County Commissioner and past president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association.

He added that as wolves spread throughout the state, wolf depredations will occur at small farms near cities along the Interstate 5 corridor.

“People in Lostine never thought this would happen to them. We’re going to see this happen and repeat in all sorts of areas,” Nash said.

John Williams of Enterprise, the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association wolf committee co-chairman for Eastern Oregon, said one wolf depredation occurred a quarter-mile from downtown Lostine.

In another instance, wolves killed livestock 25 feet from a woman sleeping on her back porch to protect her sheep, Williams said.

Kill permits issued

According to ODFW, there have been 29 wolf depredation events in Oregon as of early July, and 14 of those were from Wallowa County.

“Most of the depredations in Wallowa County have been on sheep. Unlike cattle, wolf-sheep conflict often results in a greater number of dead and injured animals,” said Michelle Dennehy, ODFW spokeswoman.

She added in an email that sheep are smaller in size than cattle and tend to be more concentrated.

ODFW issued a kill permit that’s good until July 31 for two wolves in the Lostine area and USDA Wildlife Services is working to remove the wolves.

Residents formed the Lostine Livestock and Community Protection Association in response to the wolf attacks.

ODFW noted that ranchers have been patrolling day and night, removing attractants, penning livestock at night within electromesh and in barns, and using scare devices to try to ward off wolves.

Dennehy said electromesh fencing can be an effective tool against wolves. “We are hopeful that eventually we can get permanent fencing installed around these small pastures to provide permanent security for these vulnerable flocks,” she added.

Nash and Williams said ranchers are frustrated, but ODFW is trying hard.

“They’re working and thinking outside the box right now,” Williams said.

He added that nonlethal methods haven’t been successful because of the canines’ intelligence, and methods that have success at large ranches aren’t suited for small producers close to towns on small plots.

June Colony, a Lostine resident who had two rams killed, spoke at a meeting and said shooting a firearm at wolves on her property would be irresponsible as she’s surrounded by neighbors, according to the Wallowa County Chieftain.

Wolf numbers

ODFW listed the state’s minimum number of wolves at the end of 2023 at 178, nearly triple the population 10 years prior.

Williams said the state lists 62 wolves in Wallowa County, and minimum counts only represent a third to half of wolves.

“We have to rethink wolf management, because If you go outside and you see a wolf, you’re not surprised because they’re everywhere,” Williams said.

Oregon had 73 confirmed livestock killings by wolves during 2023, and 62 of those were in Eastern Oregon.

Early July update

Wolves killed six lambs, probably killed another and injured a livestock protection dog in three separate incidents in Union County where investigations started the first week of July, according to ODFW.

Another agency investigation started that week was a case where wolves killed a 4-month-old calf in Wallowa County.

Union County, which borders Wallowa County, had four more sheep that were probably killed by the canines this year, all within the past month.