SW Montana 2004 wolf den news

5-2-2004

Wolves have also denned to the north and northwest of Yellowstone Park. A substantial number of new packs may be forming to replace the Ennis Lake and Sentinel Packs which were wiped out by the government late this winter after some minor, but hysterically covered livestock depredations. In addition the long-standing Taylor Peaks pack died out after a terminal bout with mange.

According to Joe Fontaine of the USFWS all the existing packs north and northwest of Yellowstone seem to have denned except the Mission Creek Pack, which may be just a pair of wolves, including a male wolf from the Park's Geode Pack. He migrated north just after being radio collared last November.

Established packs carried over from past years are Sheep Mountain, Mill Creek, Lone Bear, and Freezeout.

The Sheep Mountain Pack seems to have split in two, with one group inhibiting its traditional range about 15 miles north of the Park in Dome Mountain area. The second group has been in Eagle Creek area, which is above Gardiner to the north and northeast, and in the nearby Jardine area.

Moving north into the mountains that ring Paradise Valley, the Mill Creek Pack seems to have denned and the Lone Bear Pack too. Although reported here previously with the Yellowstone Park wolf packs, denned too is Chief Joseph which spends part of its time in YNP where it is currently denned, and much of the rest of its time to the north of the Park in the Gallatin Range and some time to the NW in the Taylor Fork (of the Gallatin) area.

The Freezeout Pack, which lives well west of the Park in the Gravelly and Snowcrest Ranges was reported to have a very pregnant alpha female about 2 weeks ago, so she has probably denned too.

A new wolf pair possibly with pups is in the Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge area about 25 miles west of Yellowstone Park. A black wolf has been seen there for some time, but this winter a gray wolf joined.

It is been determined that the Mission Creek Pack (or pair) is not the same wolves as have been repeatedly seen in the East and West Forks of the Boulder River about 30 miles north of Yellowstone Park. The Boulder River area wolves have been named the Moccasin Lake Pack. A lone male wolf probably from this pack was shot by the government on April 19 after killing a cow calf. It is hoped the pack will move well back into the Beartooth Mountains as spring progresses.

There also seem to be scattered lone wolves in the Beartooth Front area near Red Lodge, Montana.

Moving out of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in southwest Montana farther to the west, there is clearly a wolf pair in the Bannack Pass area on the Idaho/Montana border (Continental Divide), not too far from Leadore, Idaho (pronounced LED or).  There is another pair near Grassy Top just inside Montana, and there is probably a pair in the scenic Lima Peaks/Red Conglomerate Peaks area near the Continental Divide.

Finally 2 wolves have been spotted in the exact territory the killed off Sentinel Pack used in the Madison Range, and lower Madison Valley area.  They are currently roaming and so are not likely to be a pack with pups this year.