The high wolf mortality from natural struggles continues on the northern range.

Over a week ago the Geode Pack observation crew (for the winter study) Tim and Lisa, saw 302M's adopted pack of 4 feeding on an elk carcass in their home range in Elk Creek. The elk, however, was probably killed by the Agate Creek Pack which has readopted this same range. It was theirs last winter. They spent their summer in the Antelope Creek/Agate Creek area.

There is obviously a serious territorial conflict.

302M and his uncollared gray female companion and the two adopted pups were feeding very cautiously. The two adults were observed to move away from the carcass and the pups lingered. Soon, however, the pups were beset by the 9Agate wolves and all were chased into the trees. The next day one dead pup was found by the crew, and the other has not been seen, probably dead.

Since then 302M has renewed his long-standing interest in the Druids. He and companion (although she was very reluctant) were seen with some of the Druid females, who always seem willing to see 302M (remember last winter when he mated with 3 Druids!).  He is probably the father of a lot of this year's Druid pups. More recently his companion has not been following him into Druid territory which he has visited a number of times. 302M has also been chased off, as usual, by the leading Druids, 21M, 42F, and 253M, although not aggressively.

I note that if 21M dies, 253M, with his double limp, probably has the most to lose. This famous Druid wolf-who-went to-Utah is now the only other adult male in the Druid Pack of 17, and might not be up to a challenge from 302. Rick McIntyre tells me, however, that despite their age, 21M and 42F are still looking healthy.

In other Druid news, I should note that the "half black" female is still limping (maybe it's permanent). The "u-black" female appears to be the beta female.

Back in the Agate Pack, the two nearly white yearlings have lost their unique coloration, and have become gray. 295M, the collared former white, looks at lot like his father 113M according to McIntrye. The other former white is not collared. Famous former Druid 103F, who was not the Agate alpha female, but yet a very feisty wolf who whelped at least one litter to help form the Agate Pack, has been missing for about 2 months. Her collar had also stopped working before she disappeared, so her fate is not known.

The Slough Creek Pack appears to be a growing force on the northern range. With their pups, their number has been about 13 since May, but 3 large adult wolves, mostly males, have joined the pack bringing it up to Druid size, but with bigger, experienced wolves, and with many more adult males. Meanwhile, the Slough Creek alpha male 261M continues to limp.

The Geode Creek Pack remains at 8 wolves, led by 106F, the only known survivor of the famous Druid pups of 1997 -- 103F, 104M, 105F, 106F, and 107M. On the other hand, 105F is the only one known to be dead -- killed by the Rose Creek Pack last spring just after whelping her first litter in what was to be called the "Buffalo Fork Pack."

The new alpha male of the Geode Pack is a big gray guy, He was recently collared and dubbed "352M." He is the third alpha male of the year. The original was found dead last May. His apparent successor 300M, dropped his collar and disappeared.

Note: I wonder if the 3 new adult wolves in the Slough Creek Pack could be the remnants of the would-be "Buffalo Fork Pack?" 105F had 3 companion wolves. She might have been the only female. The Buffalo Fork is near Slough Creek.