ODFW Called To Two Depredations Last Week

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife crews were called to a pair of depredations in opposite corners of the state last week.

On Monday, October 18^th, a livestock producer found an injured six month old calf on a large private forested pasture in the Horseshoe Ridge area of Umatilla County. The injured calf was examined. Multiple bite scrapes and several canine punctures up to 3/16 inch wide, as well as swelling and wounds seeping fluids, were observed on the inside of both rear legs above the hocks. ODFW said the size and location of wounds are consistent with wolf attacks on calves, and the depredation was attributed to the OR30 pack.

Then on Thursday, October 21^st, a ranch manager four a dead calf in private grass pasture in Klamath County’s Wood River Valley area.The organs, the majority of the muscle tissue, and portions of the hide had been consumed. The calf was estimated to have died approximately 36 hours prior to the investigation. Portions of the carcass were shaved, skinned, and examined. Numerous pre-mortem tooth scrapes measuring up to 3” long and ¼” wide were found on the right hind leg above the hock, right flank, and behind and above both elbows. There were also areas of hemorrhage on underlying tissues.

The size, number, and location of bite scrapes and the severity of associated premortem hemorrhage are similar to injuries observed on other calves attacked by wolves. This depredation was attributed to the Rogue Pack.

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