NEWS
MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
A5
OSP says 8 wolves poisoned
By DICK MASON
The Observer
UNION COUNTY —
Police are asking for the
public’s help in identifying
individuals responsible for
the poisoning of the wolves
in the Catherine Pack earlier
this year in Eastern Oregon.
Oregon State Police in a
press release reported Fish
and Wildlife Division troop-
ers received information in
February from the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wild-
life about a dead collared
wolf. Troopers responded
to the area and found fi ve
dead wolves — three males
and two females. It was later
determined the wolves were
from the Catherine Pack,
with all known members
present and deceased.
The wolves were south-
east of Mount Harris, within
Union County. Troopers and
ODFW personnel with the
assistance of a helicopter
searched the area for any-
thing of evidentiary value
and found a dead magpie
in the vicinity of the dead
wolves.
The fi ve wolves and mag-
pie were collected and trans-
ported to the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service Forensics
Lab in Ashland to determine
the cause of death.
Fish and Wildlife troop-
ers in March again received
information from ODFW
personnel of an additional
wolf collar emitting a mor-
tality signal in the same gen-
eral location. A search of
the area located a deceased
female wolf, plus a skunk
and a magpie close to the
scene. All animals were col-
lected and immediately sub-
mitted to the USFWS lab for
testing. The female wolf was
dispersing from the Keating
Pack.
Fish and Wildlife Troop-
ers were initially hampered
in investigating the scene due
to snow levels and inclem-
ent weather. Troopers contin-
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife/Contributed Photo, File
The Oregon State Police is seeking the public’s help in an inves-
tigation into the poisoning of eight wolves in Eastern Oregon.
ued searching over the next
few weeks as snow melted and
found evidence of suspected
poisoning. The evidence was
submitted for testing and
analysis.
In April, the USFWS sub-
mitted its examination reports
with fi ndings consistent with
poisoning as the cause of death
for all six wolves, the skunk
and two magpies. Lab results
also indicated the suspected
evidence confi rmed a poison-
ous substance.
It is unlikely that the two
magpies or the skunk died
from consuming fl esh from the
poisoned wolves, according to
OSP’s Stephanie Bigman, who
is captain of government and
media relations.
“I don’t believe they died
from eating the wolves. They
probably died from eating the
poison,” she said, adding that
there is information about the
case she cannot share with the
public.
Two more collared wolves
were found dead in Union
County after the initial inci-
dents. In April a deceased
adult male wolf from the Five
Points Pack was located west
of Elgin, and in July a young
female wolf from the Clark
Creek Pack was discovered in
northeast of La Grande.
In both cases, the cause of
death was not readily apparent.
Toxicology reports confi rmed
the presence of poison in each
wolf.
Based on the type of poison
and the locations, the death of
the young female wolf may be
related to the earlier six poison-
ings, according to OSP.
Bigman said the wolf from
the Five Points Pack died from
a poison not similar to the
type that killed the seven other
wolves.
“It is diff erent enough that
it could be a diff erent inci-
dent,” she said.
ODFW
spokesper-
son Michelle Dennehy said
the poisonings are “terrible
news,” and the agency hopes
someone from the public will
come forward with informa-
tion to help solve the case.
“The poisoning of an entire
pack is signifi cant,” she said.
“We’ll have a clearer picture
on how that aff ects the over-
all (wolf) population after we
complete our winter surveys
this year.”
There were 173 known
wolves in Oregon at the end of
2020. In addition to the eight
poisonings, another wolf was
poached in September in the
Skull Creek drainage of the
Wallowa-Whitman National
Forest in Eastern Oregon.
ODFW also culled six
wolves from the Look-
out Mountain Pack over the
summer in Baker County.
The wolves had repeatedly
attacked livestock.
Anyone with informa-
tion about the poisonings is
asked to contact OSP through
the Turn-In Poachers Hotline
at 1-800-452-7888, or email
TIP@state.or.us, referencing
case number SP21-033033.
Southwest First Avenue,
John Day, for a possible
cybercrime.
Dec. 1: Dispatched to Park
Avenue, Mt. Vernon, for a
barking dog complaint.
Dec. 1: Responded with
Oregon State Police to Main
Street and Canyon Boulevard,
John Day, for a possible drunk
driver.
Dec. 1: Responded to East
Ninth Street, Prairie City, for a
suspicious person report.
Dec. 1: Responded to a
commercial alarm on High-
way 26 west of John Day.
Dec. 2: Responded to the
Grant County Fairgrounds in
John Day for a suspicious cir-
cumstances report.
Dec. 2: Responded to East
main Street, John Day, for an
animal complaint.
Dec. 2: Responded to West
Main Street, John Day, for a
report of a fi ght.
Dec. 3: Responded to
Chester’s Market, John Day,
for a theft report.
Dec. 3: Responded to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park,
John Day, for an animal
complaint.
• John Day Ambulance
Nov. 27: Patient transport
to St. Charles Medical Cen-
ter, Bend.
Nov. 27: Responded to
Highway 26 in Bates for a
33-year-old man convulsing.
Nov. 28: Responded to
Highway 26 west of John Day
for a woman with a fall injury.
Nov. 29: Responded to
Marysville Lane for an elderly
man with a medical issue.
Nov. 30: Responded to
Best Western Motel, John
Day, for a 75-year-old man
having seizures.
Nov. 30: Dispatched to
Meadowbrook Apartments,
John Day, for a 34-year-old
man who had lost feeling.
Nov. 30: Dispatched to
Southwest First Street, John
Day, for a 77-year-old female
with a fall injury.
Dec. 1: Dispatched to East
main Street, John Day, for a
71-year-old male throwing up
blood.
Dec. 2: Dispatched to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park,
John Day, for a 78-year-old
man with a fall injury.
Dec. 3: Dispatched to
Adam Road, Canyon City, for
a baby who wasn’t breathing.
Dec. 3: Dispatched to
Southwest First Avenue, John
Day, for a 77-year-old female
with a medical issue.
• John Day Fire
Nov. 27: Responded to
Southwest Second Avenue
and Brent Drive with Sheriff ’s
Offi ce for a report of downed
power lines.
• Monument Ambulance
Nov. 28: Responded to
Cupper Creek Road in Kim-
berly with Monument Fire
and John Day Ambulance for
an unresponsive male.
COPS AND COURTS
Grant County Circuit
Court
Nov. 18: Kevin Shawn
Chamberlain, 31, of Pendle-
ton pleaded guilty to a charge
of second-degree failure to
appear in court. He was sen-
tenced to 18 months of bench
probation, 10 days in jail with
credit for time served and 40
hours of community service or
work crew time. He was also
fi ned $100 and ordered not to
possess or use intoxicants. In
a separate case, Chamberlain
pleaded guilty to giving false
information to a peace offi -
cer in connection with a cita-
tion or warrant. He was sen-
tenced to 18 months of bench
probation and 10 days in jail
with credit for time served,
with that sentence to be served
consecutively to the sentence
in the failure to appear case.
He was also fi ned $100. Addi-
tional charges of metham-
phetamine possession, crimi-
nal driving while suspended or
revoked and failure to carry or
present a driver’s license were
dismissed.
Grant County Sheriff
The Grant County Sheriff ’s
Offi ce reported the following
for the week ending Nov. 1:
Concealed carry permits: 2
Average inmates: 12
Bookings: 3
Releases: 5
Arrests: 0
Citations: 1
Fingerprints: 1
Civil papers: 9
Warrants processed: 4
Asst./welfare check: 1
Search and rescue: 2
Justice Court
The Grant County Justice
Court reported the following
activity for the week ending
Dec. 1:
Traffi c citations fi led: 23
Violations fi led: 1
Misdemeanors fi led: 0
Small claims/civil fi lings: 1
Hearings held: 12
Persons on probation: 41
License suspensions: 8
Small claims judgments in
favor of plaintiff : 1
• Exceeding speed limit:
Nathan Thomas Hillestad, 40,
Reno, Nevada, Oct. 24, 61/45
zone, fi ned $165.
• No operator’s license:
Brian Keith Deel, 51, Twin
Falls, Idaho, Oct. 27, fi ned
$265.
• Driving uninsured: Joseph
Michael Warren, 37, Can-
yon City, Oct. 28, fi ned $265;
David Edwin Hall, 27, John
Day, Oct. 29, fi ned $265.
• Driving while suspended:
Joseph Michael Warren, 37,
Canyon City, Oct. 28, fi ned
$440; David Edwin Hall, 27,
John Day, Oct. 29, fi ned $440.
Nov. 1: Kelly R. Olson,
61, pleaded no contest to vio-
lating the Mt. Vernon munic-
ipal code regarding nuisance
abatement and was fi ned
$100. The fi ne was suspended
until Dec. 31 pending cleanup
of the property.
Nov. 29: Spencer Edward
Liefheit III, 45, was convicted
of violating the Mt. Vernon
municipal code regarding res-
idential use of a recreational
vehicle and fi ned $500 after
failing to appear in court.
Nov. 29: Shawn James
Solar, 49, of Prineville was
convicted of criminal driv-
ing while suspended. Solar
was fi ned $500 and ordered
to serve 45 days in the Crook
County Jail.
Oregon State Police
Nov. 28: A hunter mis-
took a raghorn elk for a cow
and shot it. The hunter self-re-
ported the illegal kill and pre-
pared the carcass for process-
ing. The elk was seized and
delivered to Beurman’s for
processing. Dell Hackett, 70,
of Eugene was issued a warn-
ing citation.
Nov. 28: A fi sh and wild-
life trooper responded to a res-
idence on Trafton Lane for an
injured deer. The deer appar-
ently jumped into a fenced
yard, where it was severely
injured by the reporting par-
ty’s dogs. The deer was put
down.
Nov. 30: At 10:04 p.m. a
trooper stopped a vehicle for
multiple traffi c violations on
Highway 26 in John Day. The
trooper recognized the female
passenger, who was visi-
bly intoxicated, as a 42-year-
old John Day resident with a
no-alcohol clause as a condi-
tion of probation. The woman,
who is on a medical release
from jail, reportedly admitted
to having a drink of whiskey
at a bar and a beer at home.
The case was referred to the
district attorney for consider-
ation of contempt charges.
Dispatch
Grant County dispatch
worked 141 calls during the
week ending Dec. 3, including:
• Oregon State Police
Nov. 28: Responded to
Highway 395 near milepost 1C
for an injured deer.
• Grant County Sheriff ’s
Offi ce
Nov. 26: Responded to
South Bridge Street and
Overholt Street in Prairie
City for a criminal mischief
complaint.
Nov. 26: Responded to
Westside Lane in John Day for
a criminal mischief complaint.
Nov. 26: Responded to
Main Street and South Can-
yon Boulevard in John Day
for a report of two children left
unattended.
Nov. 27: Responded to Riv-
erside Mobile Home Park in
John Day for a civil issue.
Nov. 27: Responded to
West Bench Road in John Day
for an elder abuse complaint.
Complaint was unfounded.
Nov. 27: Responded with
Oregon State Police to search
for an overdue hunter in the
Murderers Creek unit.
Nov. 27: Advised of a report
of shots fi red on Ingle Street in
Mt. Vernon.
Nov. 27: Responded to
Fifth and Main Street in Prairie
City for a report of an elderly
person sitting in the road.
Nov. 27: Responded to Dog
Creek Road near John Day for
a report of an intoxicated sub-
ject harassing people by phone.
Nov. 28: Responded to
Ingle Street in Mt. Vernon for
a report of shots fi red.
Nov. 28: Stopped a motor-
ist on Highway 26 near milep-
post 139. Driver warned for
speeding.
Nov. 28: Advised of an
injured deer on Trafton Avenue
in John Day.
Nov. 28: Stopped a motorist
on Highway 26 near milepost
OUTPATIENT EAR
AND FOOT CLINIC
422 West Main
John Day OR, 97845
Regular and High
Risk Foot Care done
by specially trained
RN or CNA.
Ears are examined
and cleaned by
Registered Nurses.
Call to make an
appointment today!
541-575-1648
S248966-1
Open
Mon. - Thurs.
8AM - 4PM
147. Efrain Gary Camacho, 33,
of Portland cited for driving
while suspended.
Nov. 29: Dispatched to
Prairie City School for a report
of criminal mischief.
Nov. 29: Responded to
Copper Creek Road near Mon-
ument for a suspicious circum-
stances report.
Nov. 29: Responded to
South Bridge and Overholt
streets in Prairie City for a
criminal mischief complaint.
Nov. 29: Responded with
Oregon State Police to High-
way 19 near milepost 21 for a
possible stolen vehicle.
Nov. 29: Responded to
Monument for an unattended
death.
Nov. 30: Responded to
Len’s Drug in John Day for a
theft report.
Nov. 30: Responded to
Riverside Mobile Home Park
in John Day for a trespassing
complaint.
Nov. 30: Responded to
Hillcrest Road in John Day for
a driving complaint.
Nov. 30: Responded to Mt.
Vernon for a theft report.
Nov. 30: Advised of sus-
picious vehicle on East Ninth
Street in Prairie City. Occu-
pants shining lights in win-
dows of homes.
Nov. 30: Traffi c stop on
Highway 26 near milepost
162. Driver warned for failure
to maintain lane.
Dec. 1: Responded to
Holiday
Shop
Dining
Grant
County! & Lodging
•1188 Brewing Co.
•The Austin House &
Country Store
•Best Western Inn
•Boulder Creek Ranch
•Canyon House,LLC
•Cowboy Cottages
•Depot Park RV Park
•Dreamer’s Lodge
•Field’s Grass Fed Beef
•John Day Dairy Queen
•John Day Elk’s Lodge
•John Day Figaro’s
•John Day Sunset Inn
•Fish House Inn and RV Park
•Grant County Fairgrounds
RV Park
•Grant County Senior Center
•The Grubsteak Mining
Company
•Hillcrest Cottage
•Hotel Prairie
•Java Jungle
•John Day Motel
•John Day Valley Rentals
•Lands Inn
•Log Cabin Espresso
•Long Creek Lodge
•Monument Motel & RV Park
•The Outpost Pizza, Pub & Grill
•Pine Shadows Resort
•Seneca Timbers Inn & RV Park
•Silvies Valley Links & Retreat
•Squeeze Inn Restaurant &
Deck
•Subway of John Day
•Ugly Truth Bar & Grill
•Victorian Land Bed
& Breakfast
S267751-1
Arrests and citations in
the Blue Mountain Eagle are
taken from the logs of law
enforcement agencies. Every
eff ort is made to report the
court disposition of arrest
cases.
Watch for new members each week!
Grant County Chamber of Commerce
301 W Main St., John Day, OR 97845
541.575.0547
www.gcoregonlive.com