LA GRANDE — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has authorized the lethal removal of wolves that have been killing livestock in the High Valley area.

LA GRANDE — The ODFW announced on Thursday, Jan. 12, on its website the lethal removal of up to two wolves that killed a total of five calves in confirmed attacks that were investigated on Dec. 25, Dec. 29 and Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The attacks all occurred on private land in the High Valley with the same owner. The ODFW will allow the landowner or an agent, such as USDA Wildlife Services, to kill the two wolves responsible for the attacks. The wolves killed two calves in both their first two attacks and one in the Jan. 10 attack. The calves were 10 to 11 months old.

The wolves’ level of depredation meets the definition of chronic livestock depredation under state Wolf Plan Rules, which are two confirmed killings in nine months.

The High Valley landowner will be granted a permit for killing the wolves that will be valid through March 11 of this year.

The wolves are new to the Catherine Creek Wildlife Management Unit and are not members of the Catherine Pack. All members of the Catherine Pack were poisoned to death in 2021.

The ODFW stated that the producer has taken a number of steps to deter wolves, including the use of fox lights and noise devices.

See Page A3 for a story about the return of wolves to the Catherine Creek unit in Union County.