STATE
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
A7
PLC awards public
lands grazing grants
Capital Press
The Public Lands Coun-
cil has awarded more than
$450,000 in grants to sup-
port research and educational
programs that strengthen the
future of public lands livestock
production.
The grant recipients for 2022
are the Western Resources Legal
Center, Idaho Cattle Associa-
tion, Oregon State University,
Foundation for Ranch Man-
agement, Oregon Cattlemen’s
Association and University of
Nevada-Reno.
“Part of PLC’s mission is
supporting external programs
that enhance the current work of
public lands ranchers and ensure
a strong, viable future for our
industry,” Niels Hansen, PLC
president, said in a press release.
The projects will bolster
PLC’s ability to advocate for
grazing as a necessary compo-
nent of conservation and federal
lands management, he said.
Western Resources Legal
Center will receive a grant to
expand its program that edu-
cates attorneys on natural
resource law and public lands
advocacy.
“Our relationship with PLC
allows our program to fulfi ll our
mission of teaching law students
legal skills and knowledge of nat-
ural resources and environmen-
tal laws,” said Caroline Lobdell,
WLRC executive director.
WRLC advocates on behalf
of grazing, public lands ranch-
ing and natural resources indus-
tries, she said.
The Idaho Cattle Association
will receive a grant to continue
a research project with the Uni-
versity of Idaho Rangeland Cen-
ter on the impact cattle grazing
has on sage grouse.
“This research will pro-
vide tangible evidence to guide
livestock production across
the West,” said Karen Launch-
baugh, director of the Range-
land Center.
“The Idaho Cattle Associa-
tion has supported the economic
viability and continual environ-
mental improvement of ranch-
ers for more than a century,”
said Karen Williams, ICA natu-
ral resources policy director.
Many of ICA’s priorities
overlap with the mission of
PLC, and ICA looks forward to
building further on that partner-
ship, she said.
Oregon State University
will receive a grant to conduct
research and extension educa-
tion programs on fi ne fuels man-
agement in the Northern Great
Basin.
“This funding will make a
meaningful diff erence in our
work to better understand and
educate people on western
rangeland fuel management,”
said Sergio Arispe, associate
professor of animal and range-
land science.
The Foundation for Ranch
Management will receive a
grant for creating and distribut-
ing a booklet on Western ranch-
ing to urban residents newly
arrived in rural communities.
“Too often, urban Americans
make decisions about ranch-
ing and public lands manage-
ment without understanding the
history, culture and present-day
impact of these communities,”
said Dan Leahy, the founda-
tion’s president.
Community Health Beat
What's new at BMHD?
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3D Mammography is now available at
Blue Mountain Hospital! 3D exams are
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the detection of breast cancers. Call to
schedule your appointment today.
541-575-4163
ODFW approves killing
wolves in Ukiah calf attack
Strawberry Wilderness
Community Clinic has
partnered with ChartSpan
to provide further access
and support for Medicare
patients with chronic
illnesses. For more
information visit our
website or call 541-575-
0404.
Upcoming walks:
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
UKIAH — Oregon wild-
life offi cials have authorized
killing up to two wolves in the
Ukiah Valley south of Pendle-
ton where eight calves were
attacked in a three-day span.
The fi rst depredation report
came on Sept. 25, when a ranch
hand discovered one dead and
six injured calves in a 200-acre
private pasture. All were about
six months old and weighed
between 450 and 550 pounds.
Two of the injured livestock
were later euthanized.
Another calf was also found
dead on Sept. 28 in the same
pasture. In each case, the ani-
mals had pre-mortem bite marks
suggesting they were attacked
by a predator. Their injuries con-
sisted of tooth scrapes, punc-
tures and tears that were consis-
tent with wolves.
The Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife issued a permit
on Oct. 1 allowing the rancher to
kill up to two wolves on a por-
tion of the private land, located
in the Heppner and Ukiah wild-
life management units.
The permit is restricted
to shooting wolves from the
ground, and expires Oct. 31,
when the two wolves are killed
or when the cattle are removed
from the area — whichever
comes fi rst.
While ODFW has chalked
up the depredations to wolves,
the agency does not know which
pack caused the injuries.
The Ukiah pack, which
roams parts of southern Uma-
tilla and Union counties, was
not in the area, according to
GPS collar data. ODFW is now
monitoring the nearby Fivemile
pack to see if it is utilizing terri-
tory farther east than biologists
originally thought.
In addition, the agency
says recent public reports
have indicated a new group of
wolves within 10 miles south-
east of where the depredations
happened.
“ODFW has identifi ed an
initial area around the presence
of the depredating wolves in the
Ukiah Valley area to address
associated risk to livestock,”
the agency said in a statement.
“ODFW staff are monitoring the
region to confi rm resident activ-
ity by new wolves as well as
confi rm the current movements
of the Fivemile pack.”
Under the state’s Wolf
Conservation and Manage-
ment Plan, wolves in East-
ern Oregon may be subject
to lethal control if they have
two confi rmed depredations
Chronic Care
Management
Saturday October 16th 8:00am
Seventh Street Complex
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Seventh Street Complex
October is Breast
Cancer Awareness
Month!
ODFW/Capital Press
Wolves attacked eight cattle
in the Ukiah Valley of north-
eastern Oregon. Wildlife man-
agers are attempting to deter-
mine which pack the wolves
were from.
in a nine-month period.
The plan also stipulates
that ranchers must be using
appropriate non-lethal deter-
rents before lethal control may
be considered. Prior to the fi rst
depredation, ODFW says the
rancher had removed dead ani-
mal carcasses from the land-
scape to avoid inadvertently lur-
ing wolves to the pasture, and
was continually monitoring the
health of the cow herd.
After the fi rst depredation,
the rancher has had employees
stay with the cattle each night,
adding a human presence to
further prevent wolves from
returning.
Already this year, ODFW
has issued three permits to kill
wolves for “chronic depreda-
tion” in Eastern Oregon.
The agency shot two wolf
pups from the Lookout Moun-
tain pack in Baker County in
August, and then killed three
more wolves from the pack —
including the alpha male — in
September after livestock depre-
dations did not stop.
ODFW also approved killing
one wolf from the OR-30 group
after the predators attacked two
calves and fi ve sheep in June
and July near Meacham, Ore.
That permit eventually expired
without any wolves being shot.
Rodger Huff man, a Union
County rancher and co-chair-
man of the Oregon Cattlemen’s
Association wolf committee,
said ranchers have long been
frustrated with the state’s man-
agement of wolves. He said the
number of depredations con-
fi rmed by the agency is lower
than the actual losses produc-
ers face.
“We have a wolf manage-
ment and conservation plan,
and conservation has clearly
been the fi rst and highest prior-
ity,” Huff man said. “We’re just
asking very respectfully that at
least management be 50% of the
equation in this.”
Viral Clinic
Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic is offering a viral clinic for
patients experiencing mild to moderate, non-emergent, viral and/or
COVID-19 symptoms to include:
fever or chills
new loss of taste or smell
cough
sore throat
mild respiratory or breathing
congestion or runny nose
issues
nausea
fatigue
vomiting
muscle or body aches
diarrhea
headache
SWCC Viral Clinic Hours:
Monday – Friday 9am - 3pm
(541)575-0404
Check in at the COVID-19 information tent in the upper hospital parking or
call SWCC at (541) 575-0404. Please do not enter the hospital with
symptoms. We will direct you where to go upon arrival to the information tent
or over the phone if you call.
Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
SWCC is now offering COVID-19 monoclonal antibody administration to
high-risk individuals who qualify. If you have mild to moderate symptoms,
have tested positive for COVID-19, are presumptively positive, or have a
known exposure and are a high risk individual, please contact your local
Primary Care Provider's office to discuss as you may be a good candidate
for these. Monoclonal antibodies are only authorized for non-hospitalized,
high-risk individuals, with mild to moderate symptoms. These antibodies
can help prevent progression to severe COVID-19 symptoms and
complications. It is best to receive treatment as soon as possible after
onset of illness.
Qualifications for monoclonal antibody treatment include:
age 65 or older
elevated body mass index
pregnant
chronic kidney disease
diabetes
immunosuppression
cardiovascular disease, including high blood
pressure
chronic lung disease such as COPD or
asthma
sickle cell disease
neurodevelopment disorders
having a permanent medical device in place
www.bluemountainhospital.org
S263267-1