USDA Wildlife Services kills two Keating Valley wolves after cattle attacks

USDA Wildlife Services agents trapped and killed two wolves in Keating Valley east of Baker City after repeated attacks on cattle, bringing to three the number of wolves removed in the area over the past week. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say the steps respond to chronic depredation on private ranches as newborn calves begin to drop.

The two animals killed Feb. 3 were identified by ODFW district wildlife biologist Brian Ratliff as pups from the Black Pines Pack’s litter born in spring 2025. A pup was also trapped and killed Jan. 29; together, those three removals followed confirmation that wolves killed a calf late Jan. 31 or early Feb. 1 on private land in Keating Valley. Ratliff estimated the Black Pines Pack at 7–9 wolves, based on photos and rancher reports, and described the pack moving across an area from near Richland through Medical Springs and Telocaset to High Valley near Cove. “The effort will continue,” Ratliff said.

Federal agents used traps placed on private property with landowner permission and have flown the area in a Piper Super Cub that could be used to shoot wolves if necessary. Keating Valley resident Travis Cook, owner of Copper Belt Winery, allowed traps on his property after wolves repeatedly crossed his land to reach neighbors’ cattle. Cook said the predators have killed at least three calves and injured at least three others in the valley and singled out a breeding male. “That Black Pines male seems to be the main contributing factor to the problems. He needs to go,” Cook said. “If they are down here and causing problems, we should do something about it. I want to help my neighbors, to be in a position to move the needle in a positive direction. That’s my larger motivation.”

Producers in the region have tried nonlethal measures including guard dogs, donkeys, strobe lights, fencing and altered calving routines. ODFW and other reports note some affected operations increased livestock checks and calved animals in areas closer to residences to reduce vulnerability.

Conflicting details remain in official accounts. Some agency postings and local reporting say ODFW authorized lethal removal of up to four wolves on Jan. 13, while another ODFW posting cited in regional coverage referenced authorization for up to two wolves. A separate permit issued to employees at the Jacobs ranch allows killing up to two wolves on private land while livestock are present and appears to be limited by a Dec. 31 expiration or until two wolves have been killed.

The local stakes are immediate: newborn calves are vulnerable, livelihoods are at risk, and neighbors want clarity on how many wolves may be removed as agencies continue operations. At the state level, ODFW estimates about 178 wolves in Oregon, with roughly 85 percent concentrated in northeast Oregon, making this a regional management issue that intersects wildlife recovery, private property rights and ranching economy. Residents can expect continued agency activity in Keating Valley as officials work to reconcile depredation counts and authorization scope and manage risks through the calving season.