Depredation of goats found in Union County
By Paul Hall on Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION COUNTY – (Information provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)
November 29, 2021 – Union County (Cabin Creek area)
Date Investigated: 11/29/21
Cause of death/injury: Confirmed (8)
General situation and animal information: The morning of 11/27/21, a producer found his goats had broken out of their night pen within a 44-acre private-land grass pasture; one goat was found dead and one was injured. The following morning, four more goats were found dead and two more injured. The goats were night penned on 11/28/21. The dead goats (2 adult females, 2 yearling females, 1 kid) ranged in weight from 30-150 lbs. One carcass was intact, 1 carcass had been entirely scavenged except for the spine and portions of the left hind and front legs, and the other 3 carcasses were mostly intact with scavenging on the abdomen and hindquarters. One 50 lb. female yearling had an injured right hindquarter and a second 50 lb. female yearling had an injured left hind leg. One 130 lb. adult female had a large open wound between her hind legs. The goats were injured/killed during two events, one estimated to have occurred approximately 36 hours and another 60 hours prior to the investigation.
Physical evidence and summary of findings: The five deceased goats were shaved, skinned, and examined. Tooth punctures 3/16-1/4 inch in diameter with corresponding pre-mortem hemorrhage and tissue trauma with depth ranging from 1 to greater than 2 inches were observed. Pre-mortem injuries were found on the throat, hindquarters above hocks, near elbows, and on the back. The three live goats had injuries to the hindquarters. One of these goats had at least two approximately 1/8 inch diameter tooth punctures on the right hind leg above the hock, and a second goat had an open wound measuring 3” x 1.5” x 1” deep just below the vulva. The size, location, and severity of injuries are consistent with wolf depredations. GPS location data places a radio collared wolf within the same pasture and in a 2 immediately adjacent pasture around both estimated times of injury/death. Both depredation events are attributed to the Balloon Tree Pack.
