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