Recently, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) officials announced a $10,000 cash reward for information regarding a wolf poaching incident on private property in Morrow County. The Oregon Wildlife Coalition (OWC) has a standing reward of $10,000 for wolf poaching in that area, raising the reward total to $20,000.

Wildlife officials discovered the carcass of a gray wolf, identified as OR 159, on Nov. 8. The wolf was on private land, about 20 miles south of Heppner, and law enforcement officials were quick to announce rewards for information leading to an arrest or citation in the case. Reporting parties can choose to remain anonymous and may opt for five ODFW hunter preference points instead of cash rewards.

The incident is a reminder that protected species like wolves draw significant interest and corresponding high dollar rewards when they are poached. Other standing rewards for 2024 Oregon wolf poaching cases include:

Prairie City: Rewards stand at $12,100 or five ODFW hunter preference points for information related to poachers shooting a yearling wolf south of Prairie City in Grant County, on or about May 19, 2024. ODFW biologists and OSP F&W Troopers located the carcass on private property, about 11 miles SE of Prairie City, adjacent to County Road 62. Officials believe the yearling male wolf died between late evening on May 18, and early morning on May 19 after being shot from the roadway. OWC if offering $11,500 and Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) is offering an additional $600.

Wallowa County: Rewards stand at $38,700 for information related to the poisoning deaths of three gray wolves and two golden eagles in the Snake River Wildlife Management Unit and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, about 11 miles northeast of the town of Imnaha.

From February through March 2024, OSP F&W Troopers located the remains of a female gray wolf, a male gray wolf, a juvenile gray wolf, two golden eagles, a cougar and a coyote in the Lightning Creek drainage, which is a tributary to the Imnaha River. Testing and examinations conducted by the Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory determined all seven animals died from poison.

Wallowa County is located east of Highway 395 where gray wolves are not listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act but are protected by Oregon state law. Eagles are federally protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. USFWS is offering $25,000; OWC is offering $12,500, OHA is offering $1200, or a reporting party may opt for up to eight ODFW hunter preference points instead of cash for information that leads to an arrest or citation in the case.

Bly: Rewards stand at $60,000 for information regarding the deaths of three endangered gray wolves east of Bly in southern Oregon. The deaths occurred in an area of known wolf activity, as defined by ODFW, across portions of Klamath and Lake counties.

On Dec. 29, 2023, OSP F&W Troopers and an ODFW biologist discovered three wolf carcasses. The wolves were identified as the adult breeding female OR115 and the subadult OR142 from the Gearhart Mountain Pack. The third wolf was also a subadult.

Gray wolves are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of Oregon (west of Highways 395-78-95). USFWS is offering a $50,000 reward; OWC is offering an additional $10,000; and OHA is offering $600 for information that leads to an arrest or citation. Reporting parties may opt for five ODFW hunter preference points instead of the cash.

Anyone with information about any of these cases should call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (503) 682-6131, or the Oregon State Police Dispatch at (800) 452-7888, or the Turn In Poachers TIP Line at *OSP (*677) or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Callers may remain anonymous.

Source: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Mark Mason