OAR 635-110-0020: Harassment and Take of Wolves During Phase II

NOTE: As of June 7, 2019, the portions of th e se r ul e s regarding harassment and take of wolves a r e p re-e mpt e d in a po r tion of O r e g on b y the e nd a n g e r ed st a tus of the g r a y wolf u n d e r the f e d e r a l End a n g e r e d S p ec i e s A c t. I n the p o r tion of O r e g on w h er e f e d eral p r ot ec tions ar e re d u ce d t o a l e v e l b e low th a t of O r e g on l a w, th e se r ul e s g o v er n h a r a ssm e nt a nd t a k e of wolv e s in O r e g on. ( 1) This r ule d e s cr ib e s factors and regulations related to h a r a ssm e nt a nd t a ke of w olv e s du r i n g P h a se I I o f the O r e g on W olf C ons er v a tion a nd M a n a g e m e nt P l a n. ( 2) Non - inju r ious h a r a ssm e nt of wolv e s is a llow e d und e r the s a me c on d itions a s in P h a se I ( OAR 635- 110 - 0010 ( 2 )) . ( 3) Non - l e t h a l inju r ious h ara ssm e nt. (a ) No n - l e th a l inju r ious h ara ssm e nt conducted for the purpose of minimizing wolf-livestock conflict when livestock are present is a llow e d without a p er mit on p r iv a te l a nd b y liv e sto c k p r o d u cer s (or th e ir a g e nts) on l a nd t h e y o wn or l a w f ul l y o cc u p y . L iv e sto c k p r odu c e r s a r e e n c ou r a g e d to use no n -inju r ious t ec hniqu e s f i r st. Th er e must be no id e nti f i e d c i rc umst a n c e th a t a tt r ac ts wol f- liv e sto c k c on f li c t, a nd the h a r a ssm e nt must be re po r t e d to the Department w i thin 48 hou r s. ( b) Non - l e t h a l inju r ious h ara ssm e nt conducted for the purpose of minimizing wolf-livestock conflict when livestock are present is a llow e d b y p e r mit on public l a nd b y g r a z ing p e r mitt ee s (or th e ir agents) w h o ar e l e g a l l y usi n g public l a nd und e r v a lid liv e sto c k g r az ing a llotm e nts a nd upon the f ollowing c ondition s : ( A) The Department c on f i r ms wolf d e p re d a tion on liv e sto c k or oth e r wol f - liv e sto c k c on f li c t in the a rea ; (B) T h e a ppli c a nt c o n fer s with the Department to d e t e r mine the most effec tive h ara ssm e nt m e thod(s); (C) The Department c onsid e r s the lo ca tion of known d e n sit e s; (D) Th er e is no id e nti f i e d c i rc umst a n c e whi c h a tt r a c ts wol f /liv e sto c k c on f li c t; a nd (E) The h ara ssm e nt is re po r t e d to the Department within 48 hou r s. (c ) As to non - l e t h a l inju r ious h ara ssm e nt on e i t h e r p r iv a te o r public l a n d , pu r suing wolv e s is a ll o w e d. ( 4) R e lo ca tion of wo l v e s will be c onsid ere d u n d e r the s a me c i rc umst a n c e s a s in P h a se I ( OAR 635- 110 - 0010 ( 4 )) . ( 5) L e th a l t a k e of wo l v e s in the ac t of biti n g , w oundin g , killing or c h a s i ng liv e sto c k or wo r ki n g do g s. (a ) A p er son, or a n a g e nt a s d e s cr i b e d in p a r a g r a ph ( b ) , m a y l e t h a l l y t a k e a wolf on l a nd the p er s on owns or l a w f ul l y o c c upi e s on l y i f : ( A) The wolf is ca u g ht in the ac t of bitin g , wo u ndin g , killing or c h a si n g liv e sto c k or wo r ki n g d o gs; a nd ( B ) No p er son h a s us e d b a it or t a k e n oth e r int e ntion a l ac tions to a tt rac t wolv e s. ( b) A l a ndow n e r or l a w f ul o cc up a nt of l a nd m a y a utho r i z e a n a g e nt to e n t e r the l a nd f o r the pu r po s e of t a king wolv e s p u r su a nt to 5 (a ) on the l a nd o wn e r or o cc up a n t ’ s b e h a l f . T h e a utho r i z a tion must be in w r itin g , be ca r r i e d b y the a g e nt wh e n wol v e s a r e t a k e n, a nd must in c lud e : ( A) The d a te of i s su a n c e of t h e a utho r i z a tion; ( B ) T h e n a m e , a dd re s s, t e l e phone numb e r a nd si g n a tu r e of the p e r son g r a nting a utho r i z a tion; ( C ) The n a m e , a dd re ss, a nd t e l e phone numb e r o f the p er son to whom a uth o r i z a tion is g ra nt e d; a nd ( D) The e x pi ra tion d a te of the a utho r i z a tion, whi c h m a y not be l a t e r th a n o ne y e a r fr om the issu a n c e d a t e. (c ) A n y p er son who t a k e s a wolf pu r su a nt to 5 ( a ) of th e se r ul e s must m a ke a ll rea son a b l e e f f o r ts to p re s er v e the s c e n e , not r e move or distu r b the wolf car c a ss, a nd r e po r t the t a ke to the Department within 24 hou r s. ( 6) L e th a l t a k e to d ea l with c h r onic d e p r e d a ti o n. (a ) The Department m a y a uth o r i z e its p er sonn e l, a utho r i z e d a g e nts, or W ildli f e Ser vi ce s, to use l e t h a l f o r c e on wolv e s i f : ( A) The Department c on f i r ms two c on f i r m e d d e p re d a tions b y wolv e s on liv e sto c k in the ar e a within a consecutive nine-month period ; and ( B ) Efforts to prevent or solve the situ a ti o n th r ou g h non - l e th a l m e a ns which are appropriate for the situation are documented by the livestock producer, grazing permittee, or representative; and ( C ) No id e nti f i e d c i r c umst a n c e e x ists th a t a tt rac ts wol f- liv e sto c k c on f li c t; a nd ( D) Evidence does not exist of non-compliance with a ppli ca ble l a ws, including a n y h a r a ssm e nt or t a k e p er mit conditions. ( b) S ubj ec t to the c o n ditions sp ec i f i e d in p ar a g ra ph ( c ) a nd with a limit e d du ra tion p er mit fr om the Department, the f ollowi n g p e r sons m a y u s e l e th a l f o r c e to d ea l with c h r onic d e p re d a tion: ( A) L iv e sto c k p r odu c er s ( or th e ir a g e nts) on l a nd th e y own o r l a w f ul l y o cc u p y ; or ( B ) G ra z ing p er mitt e e s (or th e ir a g e nts) l e g a l l y usi n g public l a n d. (c ) The Department will issue a p er mit to use l e th a l f o r c e to d ea l with c h r onic d e p re d a tion on l y i f : ( A) The Department c on f i r ms t h a t the ar e a h a s h a d a t l e a st two c on f i r m e d d e p re d a tions b y wolv e s on liv e sto c k in the ar e a within a consecutive nine-month period ; ( B ) The Department d e t e r min e s th a t wolv e s are a si g ni f i ca n t r isk to liv e sto c k present in the area; ( C ) Th er e is no id e nti f i e d c i rc umst a n c e whi c h a tt r a c ts wol f /liv e sto c k c on f li c t; ( D) The a ppli ca nt is in c ompli a n c e with a ppli c a ble l a ws a nd the t er ms o f a n y p re vious wolf p er m it; ( E) Efforts to prevent or solve the situ a ti o n th r ou g h non - l e th a l m e a ns which are appropriate for the situation are documented by livestock producer, grazing permittee, or representative; a nd (F ) A n y wolf t a k e n under this rule is p r op er t y of t h e st a te a nd r e po r t e d to the Department within 24 hou r s.