Oregon Adopts New Lethal Force Rules to Deal with Wolves

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has adopted provisions of a lawsuit settlement that makes killing wolves that attack livestock a last resort. The Friday vote during a conference call was unanimous.

Added to provisions enacted by the Legislature, the rules go to Gov. John Kitzhaber for his signature. The rules make Oregon the only state in the West where ranchers have to show they have taken non-lethal steps to protect their herds before the state will send out a hunter to kill a wolf.

They also give ranchers new rights to shoot wolves if those non-lethal protections are in place, and attacks have become chronic. The settlement represents a new level of cooperation between conservation groups and ranchers, who have long fought over restoring wolves in the West.