Oregon ranchers cry for wolf hearings

BAKER CITY, Ore. — Ranchers are pressing the Oregon Legislature for legislation to let them track and kill wolves that attack livestock.

The Baker City Democrat said that earlier this week the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that wolves had killed sheep at a Baker County ranch in two attacks, the first such since wolves began re-entering the state from Idaho.

Rancher Curt Jacobs says the death toll is now 24.

Endangered species laws forbid ranchers to kill wolves caught in the act of attacking livestock — leaving that to wildlife agents.

Ranchers and others at a meeting Thursday in Baker City made plans to lobby the Legislature to hold hearings on a bill that would expand ranchers' options in wolf control and amend it to spell out their right to track and kill the predators.