Desolation Pack depredation and activity in Grant County

GRANT COUNTY – It was only a matter of time before the latest ODFW wolf depredation reports reflect wolf attacks and activity in Grant County. On Saturday, May 21^st a livestock producer observed a wolf at the carcass of a dead cow in a 4-acre pasture in the Middle Fork John Day area. The cause of death of the cow was not wolf-related, but two more from the previous day, however, were. On Friday, also on the Middle Fork, a livestock owner found two dead calves. This area is known to be used by the Desolation pack with GPS collar location placing a wolf at the kill site around the suspected time of death. The depredation and activity were attributed to the Desolation Pack. Find the full ODFW reports below:

(From the “ODFW LIVESTOCK DEPREDATION INVESTIGATION REPORTS” web page)

May 21, 2022 – Grant County – (Middle Fork John Day area)
Date Investigated: 5/21/22 Cause of death/injury: Other
General situation and animal information: On the morning of 5/21/22, a livestock producer observed a
wolf at the carcass of a dead 1000 lb adult cow in a 4-acre pasture near his corrals. The entire cow was
intact except for some missing skin in the abdominal area. It was estimated that the cow died the previous night.
Physical evidence and summary of findings: The cow carcass was shaved, skinned, and examined. The
right leg above the elbow had post-mortem bite scrapes with spacing consistent with a wolf, however
when the carcass was skinned there was no pre-mortem hemorrhaging associated with the marks. No premortem bite marks or hemorrhaging was found to indicate that a predator attacked the animal while it was alive. The cause of death was not wolf related and so our determination was “Other”.

May 20, 2022 – Grant County (Middle Fork John Day area)
Date Investigated: 5/20/22 Cause of death/injury: Confirmed (2)
General situation and animal information: On the morning of 5/20/22, a livestock owner found a 350 lbs.
six-month-old dead calf in a 1200 acre, private-land pasture about 400 yards from his corrals. The carcass was mostly intact, but most tissue behind the back legs had been consumed. This calf was estimated to have died during the preceding night. In the afternoon while ODFW staff were on-scene investigating the 2 first calf, the livestock producer found the remains of a 1-month-old calf. The second calf had been seen with injuries to the back end three to four days prior. The carcass was generally intact with multiple wounds to the hind end and back legs. The second calf was estimated to have died on May 19th.

Physical evidence and summary of findings: Portions of the hide of the first calf carcass were shaved,
and all remaining hide was skinned and examined. There were >25 bite scrapes, punctures, and
associated pre-mortem hemorrhage on the hind legs, front legs, and back of the neck indicating the calf
had been attacked by a predator. Pre-mortem bites scrapes were up to ¼ wide with underlying
hemorrhaging on the hide as well as muscle tissue trauma on the front right leg above the hock. The bite
scrape measurements, attack locations, and severity of the trauma is consistent with injuries caused by
wolf attacks on calves. This area is known to be used by the Desolation pack with GPS collar location
placing a wolf at the kill site around the suspected time of death. This depredation was attributed to the
Desolation Pack.

The second calf carcass was skinned and examined. There were multiple pre-mortem
bite scrapes on the hind quarter and hemorrhaged muscle tissue trauma approximately two inches deep
indicating a predator attack. There were several wounds, one of which was 5-inch diameter, that were
rotted out and filled with maggots. There was evidence that the wounds were healing, and the calf did not die immediately from its injuries. The injuries occurred approximately three to four days prior to its
death. GPS collar wolf locations were near where the calf was known to be on or about May 14th. The
location of the bite marks and injuries to the calf are consistent with wolf attacks on live calves. This
depredation was also attributed to the Desolation Pack.

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Elkhorn Media Group