Wolf depredations in the Howard Butte area
By Paul Hall on Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
WALLOWA COUNTY – (Information provided by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)
10/28/21 – Wallowa County (Howard Butte area)
Date Investigated: 10/28/21
Cause of death/injury: Confirmed (2)
General situation and animal information: On the morning of 10/28/21, a livestock producer’s agent found the remains of one adult cow and one injured adult cow in a 23,000-acre forested private-land allotment. Approximately 60 percent of the carcass remained but all organs and the left hind leg were consumed. The animal was estimated to have died approximately 3-5 days prior to the investigation. The injured cow was estimated to have been injured approximately 48 hours prior to the investigation.Physical evidence and summary of findings: Portions of the remaining hide were shaved and skinned for examination. There were more than seven pre-mortem tooth scrapes on the right hind leg measuring ¼ inch wide, with underlying tissue trauma and hemorrhage extending up to one inch deep. There were also pre-mortem tooth scrapes and underlying tissue damage and hemorrhaging on and under the left elbow, extending two inches deep. The injured cow had at least ten bite scrapes measuring up to ¼ inch wide on the inside of the right hind leg above the hock. There were also bite scrapes, swelling and torn tissue around the vulva. The pre-mortem trauma and location, size, and direction of tooth scrapes is similar to other confirmed wolf attacks on cattle. These are two separate events of depredation within the Wildcat AKWA. ODFW is unable to determine what wolves are responsible at this time, as a radiocollared wolf from the Wenaha Pack was also present in the area near the time of the depredations and both packs have been using this area.
