Defenders' Experts
Wolves in Oregon
Oregon established its first wolf bounty in 1843 (see Chronology). More than a century of persecution lead to the demise of the wolf in Oregon: 393 wolves were presented for payment from 1913 to 1946, and most of these were killed prior to the mid-1930s. The last animal submitted for bounty was taken in 1946 in the Umpqua National Forest.
No confirmed gray wolves were recorded in Oregon between 1946 and 1974. Sightings have increased in recent years, and late in the winter of 1999, a young female wolf from Idaho, known as B-45, was discovered in eastern central Oregon. Wolf B-45 was eventually captured and returned to Idaho.
In 2000, two more wolves traveled from Idaho to Oregon. Sadly, wolf B-83 was killed by a car near Baker City, and the other unidentified wolf was illegally shot near Ukiah. Despite the tragic fate of these wolves, their story provides hope that Oregon will once again host a viable wolf population in the future.
In January 2008, the Oregon Depatment of Fish and Wildlife announced the sighting of a grey wolf in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area just north of LaGrand , Oregon. The wolf, called B300, is the only confirmed wolf in the state (she came from Idaho's Timberline pack) but there are several more reports that indicate other wolves may have been in the area for a few years. Read our January 2008 press release to learn more.
Read Ten Reasons for Wolf Recovery in Oregon.
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