Rancher observes wolf chasing horses, ODFW evidence declines prescense

On the afternoon of May 24, a local rancher who was driving along the Zumwalt Road, reported observing a single dark colored wolf chasing two horses in a roadside pasture. When he approached, the wolf ran off and the two horses were near the house buildings.

The rancher contacted the owner of the horses and informed him of the observation. The horse owner was concerned of injury to one of the horses and ODFW looked at the animal the following morning.

Oregon Department of Wildlife (ODFW) findings concluded that no tracks or other sign of wolves was found at the scene of the horses even though the rancher reported a visual sighting of a wolf.

However, over the past two years this area has had a number of cattle depredations by the Imnaha Pack and wolves from this pack have been documented in the area of the horse pasture. No radio-collared wolves were observed to be in the area at the time of the reported chase.

Summary of ODFW’s evidence concludes that on the morning of the ODFW investigation (approximately 13 hours after the observed chase) the horse in question appeared to be fine and had been saddled for the purpose of working cattle. The horse showed a minor scrape on its right hip, but no serious injury.

The scrape appeared to be superficial only and had no broken skin and there was no evidence of swelling or fluid under the scrape. The cause of the minor scrape is unknown.

Related posts:

1. Wallowa County Rancher reports another wolf attack – Second depredation of a calf in less than two weeks
2. ‘Super pack’ of 400 wolves terrorise remote Russian town after killing 30 horses in four days
3. A Rancher Whose Name Should Be Job