Rogue Wolf Pack kills seventh cow

by  MARK FREEMAN, Medford Mail Tribune December 24, 2018

Gray wolf OR-7's Rogue Pack has killed another cow at a northeastern Jackson County ranch, marking the seventh confirmed livestock kill attributed to the pack since late October, authorities said.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that the dead and partially consumed cow was found Sunday on a ranch in the Boundary Butte area where the Rogue Pack has killed before, but a report released late Monday did not identify the ranch.

The Boundary Butte area is in the vicinity of rancher Ted Birdseye, who has lost at least four cows and a guard dog that were confirmed as wolf kills in the Rogue Pack’s home range so far in 2018.

Neither Birdseye nor ODFW Rogue District Wildlife biologist Steve Niemela could be reached for comment late Monday.

In Sunday’s case, a livestock producer discovered one of his 8-month-old, 550-pound calves dead in private-land grass pasture that morning, and an ODFW biologist estimated it had been dead anywhere from 12 to 48 hours, according to an ODFW report.

Extensive feeding was discovered on the hindquarters and internal organs, but the carcass and hide were largely intact, the report states.

Tooth scrapes and bite marks were found on the hind legs and multiple deep bites on the neck, the report states.

Along with other evidence, the biologist concluded the wounds and muscle trauma “are clear signs of predator attack and the size, number and location of the bite injuries are similar to injuries observed in calves attacked by wolves,” the report states.

The report states that the Rogue Pack previously had killed livestock on that particular property, but it provides no other detail.

One other cow was killed on the ranch in November, and one of Birdseye’s guard dogs was killed in a wolf attack in mid-November, according to the ODFW. Four head of cattle killed in October in Klamath County were also attributed to the Rogue Park.

The Rogue Pack’s home range is in eastern Jackson and western Klamath counties, according to the agency.

Other livestock attacks this fall in the Rogue Pack’s home range have been classified as “Possible/Unknown” by the ODFW.

OR-7 and his pack will not be subject to lethal removal by ODFW because they are in Western Oregon, where gray wolves are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Wolves in Western Oregon are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In past cases, the owner of confirmed livestock losses to the Rogue Pack in Jackson County has been paid $1,000 in compensation through the Jackson County Wolf Compensation Committee.

Reach Mail Tribune reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470 or mfreeman@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MTwriterFreeman.

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