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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 2017)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7 Outdoor Rec / Local ODFW approves incremental wolf kill in problem pack ODFW wildlife man- agers intend to remove some of the adult wolves in northeast Oregon’s Harl Butte pack to limit further livestock losses as non- lethal measures and hazing have not been successful in limiting wolf depredations. On July 28, ODFW re- ceived a lethal removal re- quest from several affected livestock producers from a local grazing associa- tion after two depredations were confirmed in a five- day period. They asked that the entire Harl Butte pack be removed due to chronic livestock depreda- tion. ODFW has decided to deny the request and will take an incremental ap- proach instead, removing two members of the pack and then evaluating the situation. “In this chronic situation, lethal control measures are warranted,” said Roblyn Brown, ODFW Acting Wolf Coordinator. “We will use incremental removal to give the remaining wolves the opportunity to change their behavior or move out of the area.” In the past 13 months, ODFW has confirmed seven depredations by the Harl Butte Pack in Wal- lowa County, which killed three and injured four calves. Six of the depreda- tions have occurred in an area that supports dis- persed livestock grazing in large forested pastures on private and public lands. ODFW believes that dep- redations may continue or escalate despite non-lethal deterrent measures in place due to the history of depre- dation by this pack. When non-lethal deter- rence measures are not sufficient, the state’s Wolf Management and Con- servation Plan allows for lethal control as a tool to address continuing depredation. At the request of a producer or permit- tee, ODFW can consider lethal control of wolves under these circumstances: if it confirms at least two depredations of livestock; if the requester documents unsuccessful attempts to solve the situation thru non-lethal means; if no identified circumstance exists that attracts wolf- livestock conflict; and if the requester has complied with applicable laws and the conditions of any ha- rassment or take permit. In this situation, the livestock producers have maintained a significant human presence in the area of the depredations. Human presence is rec- ognized as one of the best non-lethal methods to limit wolf-livestock conflict in dispersed grazing situa- tions because wolves tend to avoid people. The producers coordinate between themselves, their employees, a county- employed range rider and a volunteer to ensure daily human presence coverage of the area. They increase human activity in areas when they see wolf sign, learn (through telemetry of a radio-collared wolf) that wolf activity is in close proximity to livestock, or when livestock show be- havior that could indicate wolf presence. The increased human presence has given the livestock producers and the range rider multiple oppor- tunities to haze wolves that were chasing or in close proximity to livestock. On seven different occasions in June and July 2017, wolves have been hazed away from cattle by yell- ing, firing a pistol, shoot- ing at, walking towards, and riding horseback towards the wolves. Producers or their em- ployees have also been spending nights near their cattle. Several producers are keeping their stock dogs inside horse trailers at night (as wolves are territorial and may attack dogs). Other producers are changing their typical grazing management prac- tices including bunching cow/calf pairs in a herd (which enables cows to better protect themselves) or delaying pasture rota- tion to avoid putting cattle in an area where wolves have been. While investigating reported livestock depre- dations, ODFW looks for attractants to wolves such as a bone pile or carcass that may contribute to the conflict. Livestock producers have also been watching for vulnerable livestock and carcasses in order to keep them from becoming wolf attractants and have been quick to re- move them. Three injured or sick livestock were moved to home ranches for treatment and to protect them from predators. One dead domestic bull was removed from an area of concentrated cattle use (a pond). ODFW has not identified any circumstanc- es or attractants that could promote wolf-livestock conflict in this area. All these methods used by livestock producers have complied with Oregon’s applicable laws. The Harl Butte Pack’s first depredation of live- stock was confirmed in July of last year. ODFW received a request for lethal control in October 2016, after the fourth confirmed depredation. The department denied this request because most cattle were being removed from the large dispersed grazing pastures and out of the depredation area, so future depredation was unlikely. The situation is different now because cattle will be grazing in the area on pub- lic lands until October and private lands into Novem- ber, so ODFW expects the depredation will continue. “Based on the level of non-lethal measures already being used and the fact that wolves are likely to be in the presence of cattle in this area for several more months, there is a substantial risk that depredation will continue or escalate,” said Brown. ODFW intends to remove up to two adult uncollared wolves from the Harl Butte Pack by trapping or shooting from the ground or air. Once two wolves have been removed, the removal operation will stop. If two wolves have not been killed after two weeks, ODFW will assess whether removal efforts will con- tinue another two weeks. If a new depredation occurs after the removal of two wolves, lethal control may resume. About the Harl Butte Wolf Pack The Harl Butte wolf pack may have formed and bred as early as 2015 though they were not documented until 2016. ODFW counted 10 wolves at the end of last year and observed seven wolves in the pack in March. One wolf in the pack, OR50, was collared in February 2017 and is believed to be the breeding male of the pack. The pack is expected to have bred this year, and their weaned pups would now be about four months old, though the exact num- ber of pups is unknown. Sea lions nearly wipe out steelhead One of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest’s iconic fish, native steelhead trout, have been migrating over Willamette Falls in Portland to spawn in Cas- cade Mountain rivers for millennia. They are now at high risk of going extinct, based on a new analysis by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Listed for protection under the federal Endan- gered Species Act (ESA) in 1999 due primarily to the impacts of federal dams and habitat loss, wild na- tive Willamette steelhead have now slipped to high risk of extinction. Willa- mette steelhead now face a new and growing threat from male sea lions that have learned to exploit the fish as they congregate below Willamette Falls before navigating upriver to spawn. Continuing a decade- long downward trend, the number of wild steelhead returning to the upper Wil- lamette this year was the lowest on record, with only 512 fish passing above the Willamette Falls. ODFW scientists found that sea lions consumed at least one quarter of the wild steelhead run and warned that if sea lion predation continues at these levels, there is an up to 90 percent probability that at least one wild steelhead population will go extinct as a direct result of the predation. The near-term risk of wild steelhead extinction can be significantly reduced or avoided by limiting sea lion access to Willamette Falls. “We know what the problem is and have seen this coming for about a decade, we just couldn’t take action to prevent it,” said Dr. Shaun Clements from ODFW. California sea lions have expanded along the West Coast over the past four decades to a population of nearly 300,000 ani- mals coast-wide today. As numbers increased, a small proportion of sea lions – all males – have expanded their range into freshwater areas where migrating salmon and steelhead are especially vulner- able, including in places such as Ballard Locks in Washington, Bonneville Dam, and at the Willamette Falls, where fish tend to congregate before mov- ing upstream. At these locations, predation by sea lions is especially high and adversely impacts salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon. In the 1980s, sea lion preda- tion on winter steelhead at Ballard Locks in Seattle effectively destroyed the Lake Washington stock. “Removal of a few prob- lem individuals will have no impact on the overall sea lion population but can significantly benefit ESA- listed fish,” said Robin Brown, lead scientist for ODFW’s marine mammal program. Any solution toaddress the threats to wild fish populations will have to strike a balance between the recovery of imperiled salmon and steelhead pop- ulations and theongoing conservation of sea lions. Also at stake are signifi- cant regionalinvestments in recovery efforts, such as improvements in fish pas- sage at dams,restoration of fish habitat, and implemen- tation of fishing regula- tions that prohibit anglers from harvesting wild fish. ODFW scientists have determinedthat curtailing the immediate impact cre- ated by sea lion predation is essential to saving the steelhead from extinction to support the success of long-term recovery efforts. Sea lions are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). TheMMPA, unlike the ESA, has fewer tools for managers to use to balance the conservation of predators and prey and prevent these situations in locations where fish are most vulnerable. Sections of the MMPA were revised in 1994 to allow limited management ofsea lions for the purpose of protect- ing ESA-listed salmon and steelhead.Unfortunately, the revisions do not allow for proactive management and cannotaddress emer- gencies like that occurring at Willamette Falls. “We are in on-going discussions with state and tribal fishery managers and several stakeholder groups,” said Dr. Cle- ments, “Given the situa- tion at Willamette Falls, everyone is united in their call for swift action, and ODFW stands ready to provide expertise to the Northwest congres- sional delegation on a bipartisan,compromise bill to revise the MMPA to address these emer- gency situations without undermining the strength and importance of this law.” Bills in the House and Senate; H.R. 2083, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) and Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), and S 1702, sponsored by Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), represent the first steps toward that goal. “We are at a point where any more delays in the Willamette may condemn this run toextinction,” Cle- ments said. “We need to act now or extinction may be our legacy.” Upper Willamette wild steelhead have been listed as “threatened” under the federal ESA since March 1999. Bear Butte fire still held under 500 acres As of Wednesday, Firefighters continued to gain the upper hand in containing the Bear Butte fire, which began August 4. A specialized water system is being used on the north fire line. Water is collected at several points, including a creek, using pumps, water tenders and skidgines that transport water. This water is stored in portable tanks and then dispersed to firelines using pumps and hose lays. Skidgines are part skidder, a rubber-tired tractor used for building logging roads and retrieving downed timber, and part fire engine with a water tank, pump and hose mounted behind the cab. The skidgines transport water for use along the north fireline maneuvering along a dozer line too rough and soft for heavier equipment. This mechanized hybrid machine has been used for fire fight- ing since about 2000. The water has made fire suppression more effective and has enhanced firefighter safety. Water availability along the fireline has been used along with helicopters. The water system will reduce the need for aircraft to fight the fire. Helicopters will continue water drops as needed. Light north winds continue to aid fire management. A total of 488 personnel are working on the fire. The Anthony Lakes Highway (Hwy. 73) remains closed and the Anthony Lakes Resort area has been evacuated. The U.S. Forest Service also has an area closure order in effect. Current Size: 492 acres Percent Containment: 45% Location: 20 miles northwest of Baker City, Oregon near Anthony Lakes. National Forests increase use restrictions Due to continued hot temperatures, lack of moisture and extreme fire danger, National Forest officials have announced that effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 11, 2017, the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests will move to Phase C of public use restrictions (PURs). With concern for public safety and the increased potential for human caused wildfires, officials remind forest visitors to use extreme caution when visiting the forest; under current conditions, even a spark can rapidly become a large wildfire. Phase C PURs is the third level of restrictions and includes: Campfires are prohibited on the Forest. Use liquid and bottle (propane) gas stoves only. No internal combustion engine operation (including chainsaws), except for motorized vehicles. Electrical generators operated under the following conditions are allowed in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flam- mable material, or; when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is empty of all flammable material, or;· when factory installed in a recreational vehicle and the generator exhaust discharge is located in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. No off-road/off-trail vehicle travel or travel on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable mate- rial. Vehicle travel is never permitted on currently closed forest service roads where access has been impeded or blocked by earthen berms, logs, boulders, barriers, bar- ricades or gates, or as otherwise identified in a closure order. Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles and buildings, developed recreation sites, or in cleared areas. Please remember that it is your responsibility to know what restrictions are in place when visiting public lands. To report a wildfire call 911, or contact: Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center 541-963- 7171 John Day Interagency Dispatch Center 541-575-1321 Regulated closures are in effect on State and private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for public use restrictions on lands protected by ODF. For more complete information contact a local Oregon Department of Forestry office or visit one of the interagency dispatch center’s webpages: Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage: www. bmidc.org John Day Interagency Dispatch webpage: http://bicc- jdidc.org/index.shtml Similar restrictions may be in effect on State and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR). More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at: http://www.dnr. wa.gov/ For more information regarding Phase C Public Use Restrictions, please contact: Umatilla National Forest: Information Hotline: Toll-Free (877) 958-9663 www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF, Twitter: @UmatillaNF Wallowa-Whitman National Forest: Information Hotlines: Baker City (541) 523-1234; La Grande (541) 962-8679; Joseph (541) 426-5552 www.facebook.com/WallowaWhitmanNF Twitter: @WallowaWhitman
