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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2017)
10 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017 Local County tackles wolf depredation issues BY TODD ARRIOLA Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com A Baker County Wolf Depredation Compensation Committee meeting was held on Wednesday, Febru- ary 8, 2017, 3 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Court- house, which underscored the continuing issues live- stock producers face with managing wolf predation in northeast Oregon. Present from the com- mittee were Chair Mark Bennett, Tom Van Diepen, Mike Durgan, Mike Colton, and Martin Arrito- la, with Steve Edwards and Curt Jacobs via telephone. Also present were Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Baker District Assistant Wildlife Biologist Justin Primus, Senator Jeff Merkley Field Representative Karen Wag- ner, Chad Del Curto, Jake Rowen, Deven Thompson, and Dean Tucker. Bennett began the meeting by saying that surplus funds from the Range Rider program was recently used to purchase two direction-finding radio receivers, for the pur- pose of locating collared wolves. He said that the County will now have those two radios (pur- chased for $1,732.27, plus an antenna, for $313.74, according to County re- cords), and that the Baker County Soil and Water Conservation District (BCSWCD) also has one. “Obviously, they’re only good for collared wolves, but...as we see that there’s a movement of wolves down towards Lookout Mountain and other places, this way, we have two or three options...” Bennett said. General radio collar beacon signals fall within the 140 megahertz (MHz) to 230 MHz range, part of the very high frequency (VHF) band, 30 MHz to 300 MHz. Wagner provided an update regarding fund- ing of wolf depredation compensation. She said, “We’ve been working with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), to see if we can find ways to meet the demands and the needs, especially...the project for wolf compensation,non-le- thal, and this year, we had a really, really insignificant amount funded to Oregon, which was $6,000, for the whole state...” She said that, after further discus- sion, another $65,000 was obtained for the com- pensation package, and that she would like to see some rules changed, and categories for reimburse- ment supported in different ways, especially regarding claims of missing animals. ODA Program Area Director Jason Barber said, in a letter dated January 25, 2017, “...I would like to thank Senator Merkley’s office for assisting ODA in successfully acquiring $70,00 through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Wolf Grant Program for 2017, and for working to get more funds appropriated to this federal grant program, and sug- gesting ways to USFWS that would allow Oregon to maximize/leverage the amount of federal funds in the future.” In that same letter, Barber said that about $145,000 in awards will be available this year statewide, with the grant application opening on January 27, and closing on February 21; review of applications and making of awards from February 22, through March 3; and award notifications and grant agreements mailed to counties on March 6. Ac- cording to County records, $23,806 in Wolf Grant funding was awarded to Baker County for the 2016 season. Primus provided an update regarding Areas of Known Wolf Activity (AKWA, derived from GPS, or Global Positioning System, tracking points), referencing a map of Baker County with that informa- tion. Primus said, “We have five collars (collared wolves) for Baker Coun- ty...OR 37 (a male in the Lookout Mountain area), the collar for this individu- al quit working last spring, so, we don’t have any new data from it, throughout the summer and fall, and for right now; OR 29 and OR 36 (a pair in the Halfway area), the male’s (OR 29) collar quit last spring or early summer, and they were both re-collared this fall, and OR 29 was re- collared today, because of collar failure, so, both of those have working GPS collars; as far as I know, the Catherine Creek pair’s (OR 24, a male, and OR 27, a female) collars were fine, since they’ve been put on...” General GPS signals fall within the 300 mega- hertz (MHz) to 3 gigahertz (GHz) range, or ultra high frequency (UHF) band, 1.57542 GHz and 1.22760 GHz being two examples. Telonics, Inc., and Lotek Wireless, Inc. are two examples of GPS and VHF radio collar and tracking system suppliers (Lotek developed the first animal- based tracking device, in 1994).. Bennett asked Primus whether the wolf seen along I-84, around Mile Post 238 several times was OR 37, and Primus said he believes so, though, that wasn’t confirmed. Primus said that OR 36, a female, dispersed from the South Snake River Pack a few years ago, and ODFW hasn’t been able to locate the pack or to place a col- lar on one of the wolves, but attempts are being made to complete that task. Colton asked Primus about the estimated number of wolves, and Primus said probably around 100 in the state. Colton said that there are probably at least that many just in Baker County (according to ODFW information, at the end of 2015, the estimated state minimum was 110). Bennett asked Primus asked Primus whether the eastern region of the state is still stuck in Phase 2, of the Oregon Wolf Conser- vation and Management Plan (the western region is in Phase 1), and Primus said yes, depending on breeding pair numbers and pup survival through the winter. If the criteria are met, Phase 3 is a possibil- ity, he said. Van Diepen said, “So, it’s not until we get to the Phase 3 part, can you consider hunting tags, or even just depredation permits...Right now, we’re in a phase that really says we’re going to buy those wolves feed, from the ranches, is what we’re do- ing...Funding is fine. I per- sonally don’t like funding; what I’d like to do is solve the problem...” Primus said that, in areas of known wolf activity with depreda- tion losses, he believes that if the Plan is shifted into Phase 3, which “...could happen any day...” it would help livestock producers better manage those losses. The first application for compensation the com- mittee reviewed was from Ontario-based Carlton and Earl Andersen, who claimed a loss of nine unregistered calves of mixed breed, estimated at seven months old, and 550 pounds each, with no noted pregnancies, on leased Durkee-based 32 Ranch land, owned by Deward and Kathy Thompson. The Andersens estimated the loss at $7,177.0, using the value of $1.45 per pound. Edwards said, “Is there a standard we’re using, for price per pound?” He said that the Andersens’s estimated value per pound is different than other ap- plications, which varied, but, it was explained by Martin that the commit- tee’s policy is to use rates from La Grande-based Intermountain Livestock, which, at the time, showed nine calves, seven months old, and 650 pounds each, priced at $1.30 per pound, for example. Tucker, rep- resenting applicant George Rollins of Halfway-based Pine Valley Ranch, said that, through a contract with Brush, Colorado- based Superior Livestock Auction, Pine Valley sold its calves at $1.72 per pound last year. Martin and Arritola said that, in the case of a contract, the value could vary, and that documentation would be reviewed, and a determi- nation made individually. Without documentation, determination of the value would be in accordance with Intermountain Live- stock’s (IML) guidance, he said. Primus said that one wolf, OR 37, occupies the area in the vicinity of the livestock losses, and the group continued to try to determine what percentage of the herd turned out was lost, which would be a fac- tor in specifying the level of loss, whether it was normal, at one per-cent, Colton said, or above what would be considered the normal mortality rate. The group waited, while Jacobs called Deward, to ask him about the number of head turned out, versus what was recovered. Jacobs said that there were 280 pair, turned out on April 15, 2016, the calves were weaned during late Oc- tober, and the cows were removed in late November. After further discussion, the group agreed that six calves is the loss above normal loss, at $1.45 per pound, which was submit- ted. The next application reviewed came from Richland-based Chad Del Curto, who claimed a loss of eleven unregistered Angus cows, estimated at three to eight years old, and 1,400 pounds each, with noted pregnancies; and forty-one unregistered Angus calves, estimated at eight months old, and 650 pounds each, all in the Fish Lake Area. Del Curto said he’d turned out over 200 pair initially. On June 27, 2016, Del Curto was awarded $7,923.05, for livestock missing in Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press The Wolf Depredation Compensation Committee. 2015, according to County records. Primus said that OR 29 and OR 36 were known to be in that area during that time period, and Edwards asked Primus whether fifty-two head is a “reason- able” mortality rate, which prompted a lengthy discus- sion. Primus said that people haven’t reported carcasses found associated with that pair recently, and the amount of beef would be large, for two wolves to consume, and Edwards agreed, but Martin coun- tered that the consumed beef would be less, if the animals were younger, and Del Curto said, “It’s not what they’re eating; it’s what they’re killing... One problem is, we’ve got three, four wolves, suppos- edly, in this whole region. I guarantee you, there are a lot more than that...” as he noted the difficulty of find- ing carcasses in the rough terrain of the area where his losses were incurred, contrasted with the large number of wolf tracks which have been seen. Del Curto said that he knew he unfortunately wouldn’t compensated for the total loss, Edwards remained skeptical about the number of head actu- ally killed by wolves, and Van Diepen said that the claim is that the loss could be contributed to kills, not necessarily the consump- tion of the beef. Edwards said that the process should be to listen to arguments, and then to have committee discussions in an executive session-type setting, and Bennett reminded Edwards that deliberations need to be conducted in an open meeting, by law, as there is no legal justification for an executive session. Durgan, agreeing with Edwards, and stating that he understood the diffi- culty of finding anything in the rough terrain, said that he thought the number of head claimed lost to wolf depredation is excessive, and the lack of carcasses or other evidence bothered him also. Del Curto said he understood that, and he remained firm in his claim, and Tucker, speak- ing on behalf of Del Curto, explained the difficulty he experienced himself, with attempting to locate wolves, or evidence of wolf depredation, in the same type of country, even when he knew, from notifi- cation, of wolf presence in the area. Edwards said that, even with the application ap- proved to be submitted, Del Curto wouldn’t be able to be fully compen- sated, since the amount of compensation statewide is only $148,000, a figure provided by Martin. Van Diepen said that the com- mittee’s job was to deter- mine the number lost, and what to approve to submit to the state, and, after further discussion, Arritola said, “When we started this committee...we knew we were going to get to a day, where the losses were going to far exceed the available money, and we were going to be standing around here, saying, ‘Well, what do we do, if there’s $300,000 worth in Baker County, and there’s only $100,000 coming from the state?’” Further discussion resulted in the applica- tion being approved to be submitted, with Durgan the sole dissenter. As Del Curto had not stated the estimated compensation expected, nor an associ- ated contract, Martin noted that IML’s values would be used, for nine cows, and thirty-nine calves, the number considered above normal loss. The next application reviewed was Pine Valley Ranch’s, with a claimed loss of four unregistered Angus cows, estimated at two at three years old, and two at seven years old, and 1,000 pounds and 1,200 pounds respectively; and one unregistered Angus steer, estimated at seven months old, and 525 pounds, all in the U.S. Forest Service East Pine allotment area. Rollins estimated the loss of the cows at $2,904, at $.66 per pound, and the loss of the calf at $903, using $1.72 per pound, for a total of $3,807. One June 27, 2016, Pine Valley Ranch was awarded $3,869.95, for livestock missing in 2015, according to County records. Arritola said that, since 470 pair were turned out, the normal mortality rate of 1% would mean that the threshold is 4.7 (or 5, rounded up), and that the claimed loss presented wouldn’t meet the criteria, in order to seek compensa- tion (Rollins noted on his application that he was not seeking compensation, indicating understanding of this point). Tucker said, “We didn’t figure we’d get any com- pensation, because of the 1% death loss, but, rather, solutions to the problem... Control is the key...” as he elaborated on the limita- tions of the Range Rider program. He said that a Range Rider might be aware of a collared wolf’s presence, but, with the difficult terrain, it may be impossible to get to it, and showing up after a signal shows the presence is too late. Tucker said, “In my mind, there are only two things that these wolves are going to be concerned with, in that country, and a helicopter is one, and an airplane is the other, and they’re going to put them on the move...We’ve got to do something to protect the ranchers throughout the season...” Van Diepen, Bennett and others desired to submit the application, even without a request for compensation, in order to better record and represent the losses incurred in the County, and the applica- tion was approved for that purpose. The next application reviewed was Richland- based Deven Thompson’s, with a claimed loss of three Angus cows, estimated at one at five years-old, one at seven, and one at nine, and 1,200 pounds each, with pregnancies noted; one Angus bull, estimated at three years old, and 1,800 pounds; two Angus steers, estimated at seven months old, and 550 pounds; and one Angus heifer, estimat- ed at seven months, and 500 pounds, all in the U.S. Forest Service North Pine and Double Pine allot- ments. His estimated loss was $3,600 for the cows, at $1.00 per pound, $3,500 for the bull, at $1.94 per pound, and $2,400 for the calves, at $1.45 per pound, for a total of $9,500. Van Diepen said that, according to the 1% policy, the criteria would be met, since two losses would be considered normal, and Thompson incurred seven losses. Edwards thanked Thompson for the thor- oughness of the documen- tation, and he, Martin, and Bennett suggested some amendments to the ap- plication form, in order to add details regarding head turnout and location time- table, and brand inspection and Sheriff’s Department contacts. SEE WOLF COMPENSATION PAGE 11
