Oregon Wildlife Foundation Partners With ODFW To Strengthen Historic Pack String
Conservation takes a village—and a string of mules to carry the tools.
That's certainly true for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's (ODFW) pack string, an essential team of horses and mules that allow biologists to reach some of Oregon's most remote wilderness areas where vehicles can't go.
In fact, ODFW has relied on horses and mules to reach Oregon's backcountry since the agency's earliest days. Originally, pack animals were used to stock remote alpine lakes with fish for anglers and transport equipment far beyond the end of the road. Over the decades, pack strings operated out of communities across Oregon. Today, ODFW maintains a single pack string of seven animals in NE Oregon: four horses and three mules, continuing a tradition that has supported wildlife conservation for generations.
"The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has used horses and mules to travel through remote portions of Oregon since the beginning of the organization," said Mike Lance, Assistant District Fish Biologist for ODFW. "We now manage the Department’s last remaining pack string."
These hardworking animals carry far more than riders. Depending on the project, they transport chainsaws, axes, camping equipment, spotting scopes, wildlife cameras, salt blocks, inflatable kayaks, backpack electrofishers, waders, dip nets, gill nets, and even sophisticated fish monitoring equipment used to track Chinook salmon, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. They also help crews monitoring wolves and wolverines, managing mountain goats, surveying alpine lakes, and supporting countless other fish and wildlife conservation projects.
The pack string includes both horses and mules because each brings unique strengths to the job. Horses are often easier to source and are traditionally trained for riding, while mules are exceptionally strong, sure-footed, and long-lived.
"Mules are stronger than a horse of the same size and often eat less," Mike explained. "They are more deliberate in how they walk, making them more sure-footed in rough terrain."
The NE Oregon pack string works throughout the North Fork John Day Wilderness, Elkhorn Mountains, Wallowa Mountains, Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, Hells Canyon, and even travels to other parts of Oregon when needed.
Perhaps because horses and mules are relatively long-lived, replacing aging animals comes with some challenges. First, it doesn’t often happen, so anticipating it can be tricky. Second, the cost for healthy, trail-ready animals - pack and saddle-trained - continues to grow. Finally, in times of scarcity, it’s difficult to commit funds to replacing an aging animal when it may or may not happen in any given year.
The need to replace at least two pack string members, becoming too old to safely do pack work, had become evident to Department staff. The increasing chances of a staff member or an animal getting injured in the back country led ODFW to inquire with the Foundation about ways we might work together on pack animal replacement.
In response, the Foundation committed $10,000 to establish a fund from which pack string animals could be purchased. Drawing on those dollars was made contingent on matching funds - from the Department, a private donor, or both.
This match challenge was quickly met by a donation from a generous donor familiar with pack animals who also grew up in NE Oregon. Alongside their financial support, the donor also helped identify reputable packers from whom healthy, trained animals could be sourced. Thanks to this partnership, the NE Oregon pack string has already welcomed two new members.
Miss Bailey, a locally-sourced mule from Wallowa County, joined the team last month after ODFW staff worked with local ranchers to find the right fit. Already trained as a riding mule, she will gradually begin accompanying biologists into the field as she gains experience.
Joining this month is Hoss (pronounced like the Bonanza character Hoss Cartwright), a 15-hand gelding from Richland, Oregon. Originally destined for a sale yard, Hoss instead found a new purpose after ODFW's horse program leader learned he had extensive experience packing equipment through the mountains.
Miss Bailey and Hoss replace horses “Scooter” and “Scout”, previously the oldest members of the pack string - both have been placed with loving families, ensuring their well-earned retirements are restful.
By investing in these remarkable working animals, Oregon Wildlife Foundation is helping ensure that the people conserving Oregon's fish and wildlife have the reliable partners they need to reach the places where their work happens, one hoofstep at a time.
