Oregon Cattlemen Want Change to Wolf Management Plan

Hi everybody it's time for your Land and Livestock Report here on the Ag Information Network of the West-I'm Russell Nemetz.

Wolves are back in the news again. This time in Oregon. Currently, wolves are delisted in Eastern Oregon but recent sightings in Western Oregon where the predator remains federally protected has the Oregon Cattlemen's Association calling for a change in management.

This week I talked with rancher and OCA wolf committee member Veril Nelson of Oakland, Oregon.

"Right now, I would say our best bet is to work with our congressmen and that's going to be a hard pull because in Oregon most of our congressmen our liberals and in the environmental camp. So, it's going to be very difficult and probably a long time before we get them delisted."

And Nelson says these wolves are killing more livestock than what gets reported.

"They say for every two documented kills there are probably seven or eight that aren't documented. There are a lot of animals that are killed that are never found.

Fish & Wildlife biologists say Oregon's wolf population has grown to approximately 113, but they have reason to believe there are more than that in the state."

That's your Land and Livestock Report-I'm Russell Nemetz.