The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has authorized the killing of two wolves from the Frazier Mountain pack, which ranges in both Baker and Union counties in the Medical Springs area.

ODFW issued the permit on Oct. 23 after biologists confirmed that wolves from the pack had killed a cow and two calves over the previous three weeks.

Most recently, wolves from the pack killed an eight-month-old calf on a 1,400-acre private pasture near Thief Valley Reservoir, according to ODFW.

Frazier Mountain wolves also attacked cattle on Oct. 6 and Oct. 9 on a large private pasture near the Powder River, killing an adult cow and an eight-month-old calf in separate attacks.

The rancher who owns the cattle has tried to deter wolves by changing grazing pastures and having people near the cattle on most mornings, according to ODFW.

The permit to kill up to two wolves from the pack is valid until Dec. 31 or until the wolves are killed.

The Frazier Mountain pack produced at least three pups that survived until the end of the 2023, and there were an estimated six wolves in the pack then, according to ODFW.

Undesignated wolves kill cow in southern Baker County

ODFW confirmed that wolves that aren’t part of a designated pack killed a yearling cow in October on a 48-acre private pasture near Hereford, in the Burnt River Valley south of Baker City.

Biologists investigated the attack on Oct. 21, and they estimated that wolves killed the cow about 32 hours earlier.