Just Asking For Agency to Play By Same Rules and Be Honest

Since the wolves were introduced across the West, there have been a set Plan with rules and expectations for both the agencies and the ranchers to follow. Every rancher I have spoken with in the last several years has expressed extreme frustration at the state wildlife agencies lack of follow through and even avoidance of following the said plan.

Utopia Land and Livestock owner Jeremy Bingham shares how he has done what has been asked of him by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Bingham: "We've done a lot of work to be sure to try and make sure that we have taken the deterrent measures that are necessary such as: we have a herder with our sheep 24-hours a day; we have guard dogs — some of which have been killed by the wolves; we have flashing lights that the Fish and Wildlife have provided — but I feel that those haven't been super effective; we've night penned on occasion and we've had Fish and Wildlife there to haze off any predators."

So it seems only fair that when the ranchers are following the plan that the Oregon Fish and Wildlife would do the same. However, that hasn't been case at all — even after five confirmed kills of the eastern Oregon's Mount Emily pack — the ODFW refused to following the prescribed plan of lethal control. Bingham says

Bingham: "Telling the truth is super important. If you are going to be a bureaucrat or you're going to be a political and you're not going to tell the truth — just tell me upfront — I'll be fine with it. Sometimes you feel like you have to comprise your values. But if you are going to lie to me and say, 'I'm going to do this.' and then you do something different — that's not nice. That's not right."