Update on Buffalo Ridge Pack and nearby central Idaho wolves

The Buffalo Ridge Pack near Clayton, Idaho appears to have denned, making this the fourth consecutive year of denning for this pack. When alpha female B95F was seen last week she was lactating.

There is a new black wolf with this pack, B196M from the Morgan Creek Pack. He joined the pack in February. This is confusing to many because it puts in doubt the status of B93M, the alpha male, who was seen last spring with a severe limp of the left front leg and being dominated by another wolf of unknown origin. B93M seemed to spend a lot of time away from the rest of the pack last spring but recent reports have indicated that he has lost his limp and joining the rest of the pack in hunting forays.

These wolves have been much less visible than last year when they frequented the meadows along Squaw Creek which are owned by Thompson Creek Mine. Another reason that the wolves were so visible last year was due to the steelhead pond operated by the IDFG at which they would catch steelhead smolts when the water was low. This year however an experiment with "turbo-fladry" around the pond was being conducted. It seems to have kept the wolves less interested in sushi. Turbo-fladry is a short, electrified fence with red flagging that waves in the breeze.

"Turbo-fladry" at the steelhead pond.

Another pack has been seen regularly just upstream from Squaw Creek in the area of Burnt Creek to Peach Creek and in the Yankee Fork of the Salmon. Reports have indicated that there are up to 14 wolves with, several of them black. Idaho Fish and Game plans to collar an animal so that they can determine the origin of the pack. It could possibly be remnants of the Landmark or Twin Peaks packs, both long-standing pack which have lost all functioning radio collars.

Recently a wolf was hazed away from the highway by IDFG near Joe's Gulch below the town of Lower Stanley. Apparently it was just sitting there watching cars pass and could have been hit. Recall that a wolf was hit and killed very near this area this winter.

Another report of a large group of wolves came from the Herd Creek area. This is the same creek that famous B2's body was found last year. Could this be the remnants of the Castle Peak pack or a new undocumented pack? The only radio collared wolves from this pack have either disappeared or, in

the case of B2, died.

Solitary wolves have also been photographed in the upper Big Lost River Valley above Mackay Reservoir and near Borah Peak. This is an area with frequent livestock conflicts so pack formation may not have longevity.

Another wolf or wolves were seen on the Greenfire Ranch Preserve of the Western Watersheds Project near where wild horses are frequently seen. This ranch, from which livestock have been removed, is being restored to native vegetation. It is near the confluence of the East Fork and Main Fork of the Salmon River.

The Galena Pack is still frequenting the Sawtooth Valley and one of the wolves was seen outside the home of a person with a pile of feathers at its feet from one of their chickens.

A recently filed lawsuit by the Western Watersheds Project may have implications for sheep grazing in this area which would be beneficial for the Galena wolves. Update 5-18. This lawsuit has been filed. RM. "Sheep grazing plan for Sawtooths challenged. Western Watersheds, local doctor file suit against Forest Service." By Greg Stahl. Idaho Mountain Express Staff Writer.

There seems to be a feeling that newly forming packs might be squeezing into areas between existing packs where resources are high, but this has not been confirmed.

By Ken Cole