HAPPY ST. PATTY"S DAY

Monitoring

Core packs in the Yellowstone, central Idaho, and NW Montana are generally in their normal home ranges.
See the 1999 annual report http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/wolf/annualrpt99/ for a map of those pack locations and home ranges.

Wolf pairs have bred and we anticipate that several new packs will form this spring. We have received many wolf observation reports that are helping us to look for wolf activity in some new areas and beginning to schedule potential spring/summer capture efforts. Please continue to report wolf sightings so that we can focus any aircraft searches for missing radio-collared wolves or our track surveys in areas of concentrated wolf activity this winter and spring.

Livestock Depredations & Management (control)

On about March 11, wolves from the Twin Peaks pack killed another calf at the Broken-Wing Ranch near Clayton, ID. WS captured the radio-collared alpha pair from that pack and they were relocated to the Selway area on the 15th. The male had a broken front tooth but after a veterinarian looked at it the decision was made that nothing could really be done and he was relocated. There are approximately 2-4 wolves left in that area- none of which have functioning radios. On the 16th another calf was examined and it had also been attacked by wolves but not killed. The examination indicated the wounds were made within the past day or so. On the 17th, another calf was killed. Attempts are being made to collar and release one of the remaining wolves to better focus control efforts and remove the remaining pack members. WS also captured the remaining 2 pups from the now defunct Jureano pack that were frequenting a dairy near Salmon, ID. Those pups were also released in the Selway area at the same time but at a different airstrip as the 2 Twin Peak adults.

Early morning on the 15th, members of the Wolf Creek pack (2 adults plus 8-9 young of the year) killed a 700 lb. yearling steer about 100 yds from the rancher's house NW of Marion, MT. The rancher also stated he saw 2 wolves that night interacting with his dog. The dog was not injured. The rancher did all the right things and immediately made calls to WS and the Service, covered the carcasses and tried to preserve wolf tracks in the area. WS confirmed it had been killed by wolves and signals from 2 male pups were located in the area. That night those 2 wolves and another were seen feeding on the carcass. Traps were set but nothing was caught. The traps were pulled the next day because of weather conditions and the radioed wolves left the area. Control options are being discussed but will likely remove some wolves from the pack next week when a helicopter and fixed-wing become available.

Research

Yellowstone National Park captured and radio-collared 45 adult female elk and 2 yearling female elk this week. The study will increase efforts to investigate the relationship of wolves to their primary prey in Yellowstone's northern range.

Information, Education & Law Enforcement

Boyd and Meier made a trip through NW MT to visit with local biologists and residents to renew contacts in preparation for trapping and radio-collaring efforts this winter.

A recent article in Outdoor Life about the Yellowstone wolf program stated "the ever expanding predators could devastate big game hunting" - that wolves will "conceivably move into Arizona" - some biologists suggest hunting be reduced to "eliminate competition" - and ended on the note of "but it (via legislation to take wolf control away from the federal government and give it to the state) may be the only solution for a federal program that is on its way to disaster." While Crying Wolf!! is certainly entertaining, in all likelihood it will be years before any real pattern of elk movements can be associated with wolves movement and hunting behavior. Research in NW MT on radiocollared elk and wolves indicated that elk did move into cover when wolves were present but elk didn't move off of natural wintering areas because of predators. The studies on the feed grounds in WY and as well as the new elk radio telemetry should provide some usually and interesting data.

The Annual Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Conference is scheduled for Chico Hot Springs, April 11-13. Juan Carlos Blanco will talk on Wolf Recolonization in Spain for the banquet. Wolf management issues from around the United States will be presented.

Jimenez will be on leave from the 17th through 25th. Calls can be forwarded to Helena 406-449-5225 x204 or WY LE at 307-2616365 or 527-7604 or 332-7607 or WY Wildlife Services 307-261-5336.

Dr. Mark Johnson will be teaching a wolf immobilization and handling course on April 18-20. Interested people should call 406-586-4624.

NOTE: CORRECTIONS TO PREVIOUS WEEKLY REPORT -
Elk movements between feeding grounds described in last week's report were mistakenly identified as occurring on the National Elk Refuge. It should have stated that these elk movements were on the state of WY elk feed grounds in the Gros Ventre drainage 20-25 miles east of the elk refuge. Also, in the discussion of the Soda Butte pack reorganization, wolf #126 was mistakenly identified as wolf #124.

JOBS!
We are seeking experienced volunteers to assist with summer wolf trapping efforts in NW Montana. We are looking for volunteers with previous wolf and/or coyote trapping experience. We can pay a minimum per diem but no salary. We will furnish field accommodations. If interested, contact Diane Boyd (406-449-5225 x 207, diane_boyd@fws.gov) or Tom Meier (406-449-5225 x 219, tom_meier@fws.gov).

The weekly wolf report can now be viewed at the Service's Region 6 web site at http://www.r6.fws.gov/wolf

Contact: Ed Bangs (406)449-5225 or Internet - ED_BANGS@FWS.GOV

Home | Organization | Wolves | Library | Trips & Events | Ralph | Donations | Site Map | Guestbook | Email



Site owned by ©1998-2002 Wolf Recovery Foundation.
Site Design and Graphics by ©1997-2002 Wolff Den Design™ All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site or any material within this site may be
used without the expressed written permission from the author.