Latest Idaho Wolf Update

4/16/96.

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Here is the latest update on the Idaho wolves.

This is the first comprehensive update that
includes the 20 new wolves that were "hard-released" at
Daggar Falls on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River
last January (wolves B17 through B36).

This information comes from the Nez Perce Tribal Wolf
Recovery Team. I have edited it, interpreted it, and
added to it. For comparison, readers should refer to
my Idaho Wolf updates on 3/26 and 1/31.

Wolves B6 and B8 have been paired for some time,
and had been in the southern part of the Frank
Church/River of No Return Wilderness. They have moved
to the Chamberlain Basin area where 11 other wolves
have been tracked. B6's collar has been
malfunctioning, and transmitting (probably) false
mortality signals. Altogether the following wolves
were in the same general area of the Chamberlain Basin
(mostly near Cold Meadows): B2, B6?, B8, B9, B16, B17,
B25, B26, B27, B28, B31, B33, B34.

The location of wolf B2 in the area was a the first
time it had been tracked since Nov. 17, 1995, when
is was located near Salmon, Idaho near UL Lake.

B9 and B16 have been paired. In the last report, they
were located quite a way to the south on the Middle
Fork of the Salmon River. Four other wolves were
ground-tracked in the area. I don't have the numbers
of this possible pack.

The presence of so many wolves in the Chamberlain Basin
this time of year is curious. There are few elk or deer
here in March or April. For those not acquainted with
central Idaho, the Chamberlain Basin is the general name
given to a high rolling plateau surrounded by deep
wilderness canyons on four sides. It is about 400 square
miles in area with the canyons on its sides being from
2000 to 6000 feet deep. The deer and elk would still be
in these canyons.

The pair B5 and B10 were located near the Salmon River
near Mackay Bar. A friend from Salmon, Idaho (boatman)
recently told me a number of people had seen two wolves
chasing deer in this area. B10 had not been located on the
February tracking flight.

Two groups (packs?) of wolves have been traveling together
in the Salmon River Mountains just west of the Salmon River
between the towns of Challis and Salmon. One group is B29,
B30 and B37. The other is B24 and B35. B29 is a male. B30
and B37 are females. B24 is a male and B35 is a female.

Wolf B20 was located by itself in the Lick Creek Mountains
in west central Idaho on the Payette National Forest, 20
miles NE of McCall, Idaho. Lone wolf B32 was about 20
miles south of B20 and 10 miles east of Cascade, Idaho.
Forest Service personnel have reported at least two elk
kills by these wolves.

B15 from last year's reintroduction is still in the Lolo
Pass/Kelly Creek area north of U.S. highway 12 paired
with an unknown wolf. She is being monitored to see if
she dens.

Two pairs of last year's wolves were located on the Salmon
National forest in east central Idaho. B14 and B12 (both
males) were 10 miles NW of the town of Salmon. These have
both been lone wolves who have wandered widely (see the
last two reports). However, they seem to have met near
Blue Joint Meadows just inside of Montana and travelled
together 30 miles to the located mentioned above.

B7 and B11 (both from last year) also seem to
have paired near Blue Joint Meadows. This is a male/female
pair. They were located near Gibbonsville, Idaho. Several
residents of the area reported seeing two collared wolves.
The pair is in the general area of the North Fork of the
Salmon River in Idaho, just south of the Montana
border.

Lone wolf B22 seems to be the only wolf that moved to
the south from its reintroduction point. It was located
near the southern end of the Sawtooth Mountains on the
Boise National Forest.

Wolf B23 was located on the edge of the Salmon River
Canyon 30 miles east of the town of Riggins.

For the first time in quite a while, none of the wolves
were in Montana.

Wolf B4 was definitely killed by a mountain lion. Its
remains were found near Drummond, Montana. Wolf B13 was
shot over a year ago on Gene Hussey's ranch between
Salmon and Challis, Idaho. Wolf B3 was last located
on March 8, 1995 in the Bitterroot Mountain west of
Hamilton, Montana.

New wolves B18, B19, and B36 were not located on
the last 3 (Feb. and March) tracking flights.

There have been two possible instances of wolf/livestock
depredations. Two sheep were killed on national forest
land in late February. I don't know where. The Animal
Damage Control took no action because they were being
grazed illegally far beyond the approved grazing
allotment schedule.

In early March, a rancher near Salmon, Idaho saw a large
"dog-like" animal feeding of a calf carcass. ADC investi-
gated and reported it was a possible wolf kill.
No further action has been taken.

In sum, there are at least 5 pairs (and possibly more) of
wolves. We will know in a month or so if there are pups.
Last year no pups were born to the Idaho wolves.