Zach Urness, Statesman Journal
The Mount Emily Pack of wolves was blamed for an attack on livestock last week for the fifth time this year, far more than any other pack in Oregon.
Biologists with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said the pack killed a sheep on Aug. 24 and 27 in northeast Oregon’s Umatilla County.
“The location and appearance of the bite wounds are consistent with those observed in other confirmed sheep depredations by wolves from this pack,” the ODFW report said. “GPS location data shows that two Mt. Emily Pack wolves were in close proximity to the sheep at approximately the same time the sheep was killed.”
The number of attacks could qualify the pack for lethal action, according to the rules set down by ODFW, which can take action to eliminate problem wolves after two attacks in a season. However, ODFW must first get a request for lethal control from a property owner or livestock producer. Up to this point, ODFW has received no formal request for lethal control, agency spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy said.
The pack was already blamed for attacks on Aug. 4 and 15 and June 22.
In the past two years, the pack has engaged in seven confirmed attacks, killing 15 sheep, one dog and wounding two dogs. The Mount Emily Pack is composed of two adults and four pups and is located in the northeast corner of Oregon.