Recent coverage on the wolf/cattle situation in Wallowa County omitted significant facts.

It failed to mention that taxpayers compensate ranchers for confirmed and probable losses at full fall market value, and for confirmed and probable injuries.

It failed to mention that taxpayers pay ranchers for extra work in protecting their stock. This year some ranchers will be paid directly to do their own range-riding, but taxpayers also pay for hired range-riders. Last year one rancher received $11,713 from taxpayers for extra work and was the primary beneficiary of $5,000 paid by a conservation group for range-riders. Oregonians also pony up for nonlethal tools and equipment, including ATVs.

Oregon wolves are not a non-native species and were not introduced to Oregon. They came on their own from Idaho and are the same species as those exterminated in Oregon.

There’s an ethical side to the wolf issue. Thousands of wolves were shot, trapped, poisoned, strangled, and bludgeoned by livestock producers and their agents until extinct in Oregon. This savagery lasted 100 years and continues today. The landscape was denuded of an apex predator and cattle proliferated at great cost to the environment. The cattle are bred for weight and lack horns and the physical agility for defense against predators. They are wolf bait. Especially on public land, common breeds should be replaced by horned, agile cattle such as Corrientes, a successful commercial breed. Putting wolf bait out on public land and then killing wolves for eating it is a crime.

Wolves are due thousands of cows (and sheep) in compensation for the thousands of slaughtered wolves. In expiation of their sin, livestock producers should themselves bear the cost of compensation. The Oregon and national cattlemen’s associations should collect funds from their own members for their own compensation fund. Taxpayers should not be responsible.

Wally Sykes

Joseph