04/28/05 Oregon land closure

Oregon Land Closure Some Oregon ranchers are going to close their lands to hunting. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back after this to tell you why. Nearly 40,000 acres of private land will be closed to hunting in Baker County, Oregon as a protest to the wolf management plan adopted by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission this February. The plan was approved after much testimony and comment by many different groups and individuals with just as many different points of view. The seven livestock producers felt their telephone calls, letters, and meeting attendance did little to get their concerns addressed in the final plan. These ranchers have always allowed hunting on their properties in the past, but now they will be closed for "any purpose, by anyone who has purchased a license or paid a fee to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife." While the livestock producers aren't happy to close their lands and aren't trying to make it difficult for hunters, they feel they need to make a point. By closing these lands, they hope to preserve wildlife numbers to help protect their livestock if wolves arrive from the neighboring state of Idaho. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife district biologist, George Keister, says the ranchers have his attention, but maybe not the state office. ODFW says since the wolf is listed as an endangered it is a federal problem until the species is down-listed. I think when the wolves do migrate from Idaho the ranchers will be impacted the most by their presence and should have had more input on the wolf plan. I'm Jeff Keane. Capital Press 4/15/05