Date post: | 16-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | frederica-hensley |
View: | 213 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Sheep and Predators
Sheep and Predators• Predators one of the most
significant issues today for livestock industry
• Many changes to laws and methods to handling predators
• Public perceptions changing
Sheep and Predators Predator Percent of losses• Coyote - 51.7• Dogs - 22.7• Mountain lions (cougars, pumas, or panthers) - 7.7• Bears - 4.5• Bobcat or Lynx - 3.3• Eagles - 1.1• Foxes - 0.5• Other (wolves, ravens, vultures, unknown) - 8.6
• Source: Sheep and Lamb Predator Death Loss in the U.S. , 2004
Predator Control
• Non-Lethal– Translocation– Guard Dogs, Llamas, and
Donkeys– Fencing– Frightening Devices– Penning
Predator Control• Lethal
– Strychnine (poisoned bait)– M-44 Cyanide Injector– Livestock Protection Collar
(w/1080)– Leghold Traps– Snares– Shooting– Aerial Shooting
– HR 4775 The Compound 1080 & M-44 Elimination Act
Predator Control
• US Wildlife Services• Government agency to “provide Federal leadership
and expertise to resolve wildlife conflicts to allow people and wildlife to coexist”
• Federal trappers, etc
Predators
• Coyotes• Most significant of the current predator problems• Considered a varmint; legal to shoot at any time• Bounties still exist in many places
Predators
• Cougars• Huge increase in Oregon’s
cougar population in the past 15 years
• Cannot be hunted with dogs EXCEPT in damage circumstances
Predators
• The Gray Wolf– Eradicated in early 1900’s• Last wolf bounty recorded was in 1946, Douglas County
– First wolf re-entry was in 1999 from Idaho– Established packs in Oregon in 2007– Now 24 confirmed wolves in the population
Predators
• Wolf Predations– Confirmed kills on cattle in
Eastern Oregon– Take orders given for
some wolves
Pack/Area End of 2009 End of 2010 End of 2011 End of 2012
Imnaha Pack 10 15 5 8 *
Wenaha Pack 4 6 5 11 *
Walla Walla Pack 8 * 6 *
Snake River Pack 5 7 *
Umatilla River Pack 2 4 *
Minam Pack 5*
Sled Springs pair 2
Individual wolves 3 2
Radio-collared disperser 1 1
Minimum Total 14 21 29 46**
Predators
• Wolf protections– Wolves east of US 395 are protected by Oregon
ESA– Wolves west of US 395 are protected by Oregon
AND US ESA (federally protected)
Predators
• Wolf protections– Wolves cannot be killed or
harmed without permits• East – by ODFW, West – by USFW
– Allowed activities w/o permit:• Firing shots in the air to scare
animal away• May not be ‘looking for’ wolves• Report to ODFW
Predators
• Wolf protections– Allowed with permit:• “Harassment of wolves in ways that may cause bodily
harm but not death (e.g., rubber bullets or bean bag projectiles)• Intentional pursuit of problem wolves to keep wolves
away from livestock• If a wolf is captured (inadvertently), ODFW may
relocate it to the nearest wilderness area• Wolf harassment under the permit must be reported to
ODFW within 48 hours”
Predators
• Wolf protections– Permits for lethal control• “Issued if non-lethal methods are deemed ineffective
and livestock depredation has occurred. This permit allows a livestock producer to kill a wolf “caught in the act” of attacking (but not testing or scavenging) livestock”
Predators
• Wolf protections– Lethal control for chronic damage situations• “ODFW and authorized agents may also conduct lethal
removal of wolves after chronic depredations and ineffective non-lethal efforts”• “Take Orders”
Predators
• Wolf protections– Protections continue until ‘Phase I’ is concluded• Oregon Wolf Plan; rules apply until four breeding pairs
for three years• Then delisted; applies separately to Eastern Oregon
and Western Oregon