Wildlife Division Administrator Ron Anglin announced the final decision this afternoon after a final review of state statutes, operational logistics, and public input. In addition, he said the public meetings in Monument, Redmond, LaGrande, Portland, and Medford would take place as scheduled next week.

This decision is a shift from the agency's preliminary announcement of February 1 that 350 wild deer and elk would be killed in the Rudio Mountain area of Grant County before spring green-up this year. At that time, the agency said it would use aerial gunning to harvest a statistically significant number of animals to ascertain whether TB is present in wild herds.

A farmed elk tested positive for TB last November from a Grant County ranch. An evaluation indicated that opportunities existed for the bacteria to be transmitted between captive and wild populations. Because wild populations begin migrating to summer ranges in the spring, ODFW developed a plan to quickly sample the herds.

"During final agency review of all the legal and logistical issues, legal counsel informed us that the aerial hunting statute does not allow for any agency exemptions, even in the case of public safety," Anglin said. "With this advice, and with the low probability of success to quickly collect the
needed animals with other harvest techniques, the agency decided to go with a longer-term strategy to gather wildlife samples."

ODFW biologists will use other methods to attempt to obtain a statistically significant sample of wild deer and elk from the area. Likely techniques include mandatory hunter check-ins and taking samples from road-killed animals. Currently, ODFW biologists have no evidence that TB is present in wild herds.

ODFW is going forward with public meetings to explain risks of disease transmission, testing methods, and hunter safety. Ample opportunity will be available to ask questions. The meetings are scheduled for:

• Monument: Monday, February 18, 7 p.m., Monument Senior Center.
  
  
• Redmond: Tuesday, February 19, 7 p.m., Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center, North Sisters Building, Haystack-Odell Room, 3800 S.W. Airport Way.
  
  
• LaGrande: Wednesday, February 20, 7 p.m., Eastern Oregon University, Hoke Hall, Room 309.
  
  
• Portland: Wednesday, February 20, 7 p.m., ODFW Headquarters, Commission Room, 2501 SW 1st Ave.
  
  
• Medford: Thursday, February 21, 7 p.m., Jackson County Courthouse Auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale.