Wallowa rancher faces poaching charges

Larry and Pam Harshfield's ranch in Wallowa County has a sizable elk population. The couple says the state isn't doing enough to help them manage the roughly 200 head of elk on their land, and that the animals caused a lot of damage on the 450-acre property during a bitter winter.

(Courtesy of Harshfield family)

A 68-year-old Wallowa man was arrested after state fish and wildlife troopers discovered more than two dozen elk carcasses in and around his Northeast Oregon property.

Larry Harshfield was taken into custody April 8 and charged with illegally killing a dozen elk on his property. Oregon State Police said there was no indication any effort was made to salvage the meat. An "extensive investigation" from wildlife enforcement troopers determined the Wallowa man allegedly killed 13 more elk on an adjacent property.

The arrest comes as the state has stepped up enforcement of wildlife laws. In the past five years alone, troopers have averaged 764 poaching investigations a year, with most cases involving elk or deer.

But unlike other high-profile poaching incidents, such as the Facebook post that led to the arrest of two Dallas men on accusations of killing bull elk, Harshfield's case involved wildlife disputes on his own property. That's prompted some landowners to fight back.

Lissa Casey, Harshfield's attorney, issued a statement criticizing the authorities. "Instead of letting this case proceed as other criminal cases do, law enforcement arrested a hard-working rancher to provide information for their press releases," she said in an email. "He and his family can't be silent anymore in the face of the public information campaign the government is waging against him."

In an emailed statement, the Harshfield family said that they are being unfairly targeted by the authorities and bear the "prohibitive expense and hardship" of being landowners in the rural Northeast Oregon county. The Harshfields have been ranchers for more than four decades.

In the lengthy statement, Harshfield's wife, Pam, said the couple owns 450 acres of property and has gradually watched the elk population grow from about 20 animals two decades ago to a herd of roughly 200 animals today.

In recent years, the couple say, it's gotten increasingly difficult to keep elk away from the alfalfa they grow for their cattle.

Larry and Pam Harshfield's ranch in Wallowa County has a sizable elk population. The couple says the state isn't doing enough to help them manage the roughly 200 head of elk on their land, and that the animals caused a lot of damage on the 450-acre property during a bitter winter.

This year's extreme winter weather also took a toll. "We have to care for our animals all day long in subzero temps and then care for 200 of the State of Oregon's elk herd all night long," Pam Harshfield said in an email.

She said they have been trying to work with the state on managing the herd for the past 15 years.

An agency spokeswoman confirmed that Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials have worked with Harshfields "for several years" to try and offset damage caused by elk on the ranch.

This year, the state issued Harshfield a special permit and shotgun shells so they could attempt to scare away the animals. "We also offered to set up an emergency hunt, which the landowners declined because they wanted more control than that program allowed over who could hunt," Michelle Dennehy, the ODFW spokeswoman, said in an email. Unlike some landowners, she said, the Harshfields do not allow hunters on their land.

The state also offered Harshfield a kill permit, which would've authorize him to eliminate elk on the property. That permit comes with the stipulation that permit holders skin, dress and transport the animal's carcass to a meat processor. The processor then donates the meat to local charities.

But Harshfield declined that kill permit, Dennehy said.

The agency also gave the family plastic netting to wrap haystacks on their land, and was in conversations to provide wire fencing to further protect alfalfa sheds on the property. "That didn't happen this winter," Dennehy said, "but we were in discussions to provide [it] in spring."

Instead, authorities say, Harshfield shot 25 animals, which were found in "various states of decay." All the animals were killed during a closed hunting season.

In her statement, Pam Harshfield said that the couple is hesitant to allow hunters on their property because they "feel responsible if shots are fired towards neighbor's homes."

The couple also said it is unrealistic to expect landowners to kill, dress and deliver the elk without assistance. "Imagine doing this in the extreme weather conditions, while tending to our cattle during the day," she wrote.

Harshfield disputes the fact the animal meat went to waste. "Many bald eagles, coyotes and other wildlife have benefited and continue to benefit from them during this harshest of winters in many years."

Harshfield faces 24 misdemeanor wildlife violation charges. If convicted, he could face a $6,250 fine per violation, plus suspended hunting privileges and the loss of any weapon used to kill the animals.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in mid-May.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen