LA GRANDE – With the federal delisting of wolves across a swath of Eastern Oregon, ranchers, outdoor enthusiasts and landowners will have to heed the state’s rules for managing the elusive animals.

The de-listing from the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) takes place March 28. The Oregon land affected by the change covers the area east of Highway 395, 20 and 78 – including much of Grant County.

A radio-collared gray wolf was confirmed in Oregon in January. Credible public reports of wolf sightings continue, and biologists are finding tracks and other wolf sign in northeast Oregon.

As wolf activity in Oregon increases, the state is ready to take the management reins. Oregon adopted a wolf management plan in 2005 and has been implementing it since.

“Oregonians are in a fortunate position to already have a Wolf Conservation and Management Plan in place, so we’re ready to conserve and manage wolves,” said Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator. “But there seems to be confusion about how the plan deals with depredation by wolves. We want to set the record straight so livestock producers are clear on what tools are available to them.”

While a few individual wolves have been present in low numbers in northeast Oregon for months and possibly even years, to date no documented – or even suspected – depredation of livestock has occurred, according to the ODFW. Biologists are routinely conducting field surveys for wolves and are flying to search for radio-collared wolves known to be missing from Idaho.

While no confirmed breeding pairs of wolves exist in Oregon yet, the state will continue to use radio monitoring to document breeding in the future.

After federal de-listing occurs in the eastern portion of the state, wolves will still be protected by the state’s ESA until ODFW documents the existence of four breeding pairs for three consecutive years east of the Cascades.

“Even after federal de-listing, Oregon’s management strategy will initially be focused on conservation measures so that wolves may someday be de-listed from the state’s ESA,” said Morgan. “We share concerns about losing livestock to wolves and are committed to working closely with livestock producers to keep conflict levels down.”

He said he doesn’t expect livestock kills to be “a large issue in the near term while the wolf population is low.”

“But keeping the northeast Oregon ranching community aware of the wolf situation, and the legal methods that can be used to respond to depredation, is one of my top priorities,” he said.