Ranchers File Suit for Management of Elk by Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department

PORTLAND, OR – Earlier today, Loren and Piper Stout, an eastern Oregon ranching family with a permit to graze livestock on the Malheur National Forest, filed a federal court lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Fish and Wildlife Commission. The Stouts are asking the Department and Commission to account for the impacts of elk on steelhead.

The Stouts’ livestock use grazing is subject to streambank standards set to address the presence of threatened steelhead and critical habitat on certain streams. According to the Stout’s complaint, the State’s failure to control elk populations has led to repeated and excessive violations of these standards. Although livestock are normally only on the allotment for a few weeks each year, elk are present year-round. Because of elk impacts to streams, the Stouts’ livestock use has been severely restricted.

“In the same way that livestock use is restricted, the state needs to reduce the number of elk to meet the range condition standards being set by the federal fish agencies to protect steelhead,” said Loren Stout.

The Stouts are represented by the Western Resources Legal Center. The Western Resources Legal Center is a Portland based non-profit legal center that represents natural resource interests.

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