November 9, 2017 Governor Kate Brown Office of the Governor 900 Court Street NE, Suite 254 Salem, OR 97301-4047 Re: Request to Direct Oregon State Patrol to Reopen Investigation in Shooting Death of Wolf in Union County (Incident #SP17393843) Dear Governor Brown, We are writing to request that you direct the Oregon State Police (OSP) to reopen its investigation in the shooting death of a female wolf on October 27, 2017 in Union County (Incident #SP17393843). A public records act request has revealed photographic evidence that directly contradicts OSP’s official report of the incident. Therefore, we also request that the investigation be conducted with independent oversight from the Office of the Attorney General, and that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) be directed to fully cooperate. Enforcement of Oregon’s wildlife laws is crucial to deter criminals and to protect our state’s most vulnerable species. A failure to hold OSP accountable in this case could set a dangerous precedent and send a message that Oregon will look the other way when it comes to illegally killing wolves and other wildlife. On October 27th, a hunter shot and killed a female wolf associated with the OR-30 pair of wolves in Union and Umatilla Counties. The hunter reported the incident, and an OSP Fish and Wildlife Trooper and ODFW biologist responded to the scene. According to the hunter, he observed what he believed were three coyotes. When one of the them started running toward him, he claimed he feared for his life and shot it head on from 27 yards away, only identifying it as a wolf after the fact. OSP’s report accepted the hunter’s story and the Union County District Attorney’s Office declined to press charges, as it was determined to be an act of self-defense. However, the evidence does not support this version of events. A public records request from KGW News produced photographs that cast serious doubt on both the hunter’s story and OSP’s interpretation of the evidence. OSP’s official incident report concludes that “the bullet entered the front right portion of the wolf and exited the left portion of the wolf.” However, the pictures show that the bullet entered mid-spine on the wolf’s right side and exited near the shoulder on the left side. These entry and exit wounds are not consistent with the hunter’s story that the wolf was running toward him. More concerning to the public, however, is that OSP’s official report appears to have misinterpreted the evidence. A more thorough analysis of the photographic evidence and wolf behavior from biologist Carter Niemeyer can be found in a November 6th Capital Press article, attached here for your reference. It is unlawful to kill a wolf in Oregon, except in defense of human life, and in certain instances involving wolf depredation of livestock. Self-defense claims are difficult to substantiate in cases like this. We are not questioning that the hunter may have felt fearful. We are, however, questioning his story that he shot the wolf while it was running toward him. We are questioning OSP’s official report of the incident, which corroborated the hunter’s story even though the evidence suggested otherwise. And we are questioning the Union County District Attorney’s decision not to prosecute. A self-defense claim is a broad defense against the applicability of our state’s poaching laws. It’s an easy out for those who illegally kill wolves and other protected species. Therefore, we must closely investigate such claims and consider conflicting evidence. Oregonians rely on OSP to conduct its criminal investigations with fairness, accuracy, and transparency. We should hold OSP to that same standard when it comes to enforcement of Oregon’s wildlife laws. Poaching is a serious and growing problem in Oregon. Since 2015, at least nine wolves have been poached or died under mysterious circumstances, not including the female wolf in this case. With only 112 confirmed wolves in the state, this indicates a troubling trend. We must send a message that Oregon takes criminal violations of its wildlife laws seriously. It’s critical that Oregonians feel they can trust the agencies and institutions charged with enforcing the law. Given the conflicting evidence, we request that you direct the Oregon State Patrol to reopen its investigation into this matter. Thank you for considering our request. Sincerely, Paula Hood Co-Director Blue Mountains Biodiversity Project Nick Cady Legal Director Cascadia Wildlands Amaroq Weiss West Coast Wolf Advocate Center for Biological Diversity Quinn Read NW Representative Defenders of Wildlife Veronica Warnock Conservation Director Greater Hells Canyon Council Scott Beckstead Oregon State Director Humane Society of the United States Timothy J Coleman Executive Director Kettle Range Conservation Group Wally Sykes Founder NE Oregon Ecosystems Paige Spence OCN Director Oregon League of Conservation Voters Sean Stevens Executive Director Oregon Wild Brooks Fahy Executive Director Predator Defense Camilla Fox Founder & Executive Director Project Coyote Rhett Lawrence Conservation Director Oregon Chapter, Sierra Club John Mellgren Staff Attorney Western Environmental Law Center Josh Osher Public Policy Consultant Western Watersheds Project Bethany Cotton Wildlife Program Director WildEarth Guardians