More than $130k in rewards offered to catch wolf poachers in Oregon
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Police and Oregon wildlife officials are offering rewards totaling over $130,000 for information leading to an arrest or citation in various wolf poaching incidents throughout the state over the last two years.
Wolf poaching has been a growing concern, especially since gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of Oregon.
According to an April report from the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management, the state’s wolf population did not grow at all in 2023. This marked the first year of zero annual growth in 16 years.
Most recently, officials discovered a dead gray wolf on private property in Morrow County, 20 miles south of Heppner, on Nov. 8, 2024 and are offering a $20,000 reward for information.
In May 2024, poachers shot a yearling wolf south of Prairie City in Grant County. State biologists and Oregon State Police troopers reportedly found the carcass on private property about 11 miles southeast of Prairie City. The reward stands at $12,100 in this case.
In Feb. and March 2024, a string of poisoning incidents led to the deaths of three gray wolves, two golden eagles, a mountain lion, a coyote and even two dogs throughout Wallowa County, Oregon in the Snake River Wildlife Management Unit and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Officials are offering a $38,700 reward for any information in this case.
Poisoning has also become what ODFW is also calling a “disturbing trend,” killing 19 wolves in Oregon since 2015.
Further, three wolves were discovered dead near Bly in Dec. 2023 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Officials have since bumped up the reward to $60,000 for any information that leads to the arrest of those responsible. Officials say these wolves had been part of the Gearhart Mountain Pack and one of the wolves had been a breeding female.
“The amount of poaching and other suspicious deaths is alarming, impacts our conservation goals and could affect our ability to manage wolves in Oregon,” said Bernadette Graham-Hudson, ODFW wildlife division administrator.
ODFW is continually working with Oregon State Police, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement and the Protect Oregon’s Wildlife-Turn In Poachers partnership team to address the growing population concerns.
Anyone with information about any of these cases should call the U.S. FWS 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.