An effort to move the Chief Joseph Pack goes in a Circle
June 1, 2000
In 1998 and 1999 the Chief Joseph Pack denned in the NW corner of Yellowstone park and had two successful litters of pups. Many packs show extreme fidelity to their traditional den site area. Examples are Druid Peak, Rose Creek and Leopold.
This spring, however, the Chief Joseph Pack selected a new den site about five miles north of Yellowstone in Cinnabar Basin and just 100 yards from a horse pasture. Trouble seemed only a matter of time.
On May 16 and 17 the wolves, including the alpha female, no. 33F, chased the horses. The owner of the horses chased the wolves away. A few days later a nearby landowner saw a wolf chase has cattle, and on May 21 a cow calf was found dead, a confirmed wolf kill.
Plans were made to capture the pack and move it, and the pups, to their traditional den site inside Yellowstone Park. Capturing the Chief Joseph Pack, however, has never been easy. I have seen a video of an attempt to capture the alpha male 34M. He was netted, but he chewed his way out of the net before Park biologists could get out of the helicopter to grab him. Number 33F tends to head for the timber when she hears the helicopter.
On May 25th, however, he and a pack sub-adult female, no.198F, were leg-hold trapped.
The alpha male and the sub-adult female were then both released 50 miles to the south near Grant Village in southern Yellowstone. Although they did not travel together, both headed back north. In just two days no. 34M was back in his home territory and now 198F has returned too.
When the pups are located a new attempt will be made to capture them and return them to their traditional den area.
Email addresses for members of Congress, other officials, and the media
Return To Maughan Wolf Report Page
Copyright © 2000 Ralph Maughan
Not to be reprinted, archived, redistributed, etc., without permission.
Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264, Pocatello, ID 83209