Unlike Wyoming, and more than Montana, Idaho's wolf population continues to grow and prosper. In our view, this will mean dispersers this winter for Utah, Oregon, Washington, and maybe even Nevada.One place where wolves seemed to have disappeared was scenic Copper Basin, a high valley between the sky-raking Pioneer Mountains and the somewhat lower White Knobs in east central Idaho.
The Wildhorse Pack formed near Copper Basin in 1999 and did well for several years until the alpha female was killed by an elk, leaving alpha male B2 and his offspring to disperse.
The Wildhorse Pack did very well considering that much of Copper Basin turns into a densely stocked cow pasture every summer. Cows range from the bottom of the valley to above timberline all the way to the rock. Despite this the Wildhorse Pack was known to have only killed one cow calf during their halcyon days.
Wolves are back in Copper Basin! This finding came after wolves killed a cow calf and maybe 2 more on Sept. 3. On Sept. 4, Rick Williamson of Wildlife Service trapped and collared a big male wolf 128 pounds. Other wolves were heard howling nearby. Since then it has been determined there are maybe nine wolves.
Employees of the ranches were given permits to shoot any wolves chasing their cattle, but the instances of cowhands successfully shooting wolves are fairly rare (government wolf shooting has a much higher likelihood of success).
It was thought the big male wolf might lead to the rest of the pack for observation and possible control, but the big guy has been wandering alone. The early influx of archery hunters has made the further trapping of wolves impossible so it is likely the new pack will survive at least until all the cows come back next summer. The cows will be pulling out soon because the season is over and hunting and grazing cattle don't mix well.
Hunters are generally good news for wolves, and my hypothesis for several years is that hunters are one of the reasons Idaho wolves have done so well. The hunters leave wounded game for wolves to dispatch and plenty of gut piles for good nutrition at the very time of the year wolves are most desperate for food -- fall when the pups are big, but can't hunt, but demand plenty of food. This is also when the elk and deer have their greatest advantage over wolves (excepting rut-exhausted bulls).
Here is some information on Copper Basin.
The first time I drove over Corral Creek summit (one entrance to Copper Basin), I felt I wanted to stay in Idaho, forever. Wonderful mountain ridges covered the full 360 degrees, in one direction I counted 7 rows of mountains until they faded into blue mist. Driving down to Copper Basin from the summit was both pain and pleasure. The pleasure was the stunning Pioneer Mountains making a semi-circle around Copper Basin. The pain was to see the livestock stomped creeks, the dying willows, the cow pies everywhere, biting flies, and dust.
Without livestock, Copper Basin would be a more scenic version of Yellowstone's Lamar Valley. Despite the cattle, there are a fair number of elk and deer, moose, and considerable pronghorn. They manage living off those slopes too steep or somehow inaccessible to the bovine mass.
The many creeks, the varied topography, numerous springs and seeps, and fertile soil, could support much more wildlife than it does. The creeks have a fair number of trout, but without livestock blasted banks it would be an angler's paradise.
Grazing details:
As it is Copper Basin is overgrazed and has been for years. There is some indication that things are improving slightly.
Departing from past wolf reports, folks might find the grazing details below interesting.
Copper Basin is a large part of the headwaters of the Big Lost River. There are four major public grazing allotments in the upper Big Lost watershed. They are from north to south: Wildhorse (about 120,000 acres); Boone Creek (about 80,000 acres); Copper Basin (about 100,000 acres) and Antelope Creek (about 60,000 acres). There are three others in the vicinity -- Alder Creek, Cherry Creek, and the Leadbelt allotment. The latter two are in the Antelope Creek watershed while the former is a tributary to the Big Lost River (but not its headwaters).
Wildlife Services and the US Fish and Wildlife Service will not give information about the ranches that have suffered depredations, but the holders of the grazing permits are public records.
The chief permittee on the Wildhorse allotment (over half the cattle1) is Herb Whitworth.
The largest permittee on the Boone Creek allotment is Dave Nelson, Nelson is a recent President of the Idaho Cattle Association. The condition which his cattle leave Fox Creek, in particular, every fall is simply "breaktaking," as you can see -- "Grazing in Fox Creek, Boone Creek Allotment. South Central Idaho. Early August 2001."
The Antelope Creek Allotment's largest permittee is Constantine Kitsos who lives in Miami Beach, Florida, although his permit has been suspended for sub-leasing (not legal, but when it happens is positive proof the grazing fees are below market value).
The main permittee on the Cherry Creek allotment is Gordon Player, from Sun Valley and other points, whose ranch is for sale. He has been taking non-use for the last two years and owns about 5000 acres on Antelope Creek and Cherry Creek. "Non-use" is a temporary situation where the Forest Service allows you not to run cattle !!! Despite the Service's insistence that public land requires cattle, fish and wildlife seem to love non-use.
The Leadbelt allotment permittees have been cut 25% by the Lost River Ranger District last year. They continue to fail to meet annual terms and conditions on their permit in Upper Leadbelt Creek. FS lands in upper Leadbelt Creek and Horsethief Creeks on the Leadbelt allotment are even more breaktaking for cattle devastation than Fox Creek.
The Copper Basin Allotment, where the wolves currently are, is leased by the following:
Terrance Donahue 503 cattle
Scott McAbe 350 cattle
Bart and Tina Wogiechowski 230 cattle (50 in non-use this year)
Parson's Creek Ranch 613 cattle
6X Ranch 704 cattle (287 in non-use)
NoTellum Creek Ranch 410 cattle
Custer Springs Ranch 488 cattle (all in non-use)3305 cattle in total permitted, about 2500 actually used this year. The allotment grazing plan (which is to adjust for changing conditions) has not been revised by the Forest Service since 1968.
This year the Basin Flats were rested. The Little Canyons (where the wolves were most recently) were hammered by livestock in their lower portions, including "The Swamps" which is far into the cow hump stage. The high canyons (the big canyons, especially Lake Creek were also hammered).
The growth in non-use is encouraging. Apparently some of these ranches have been purchased by folks who understand that clear trout filled creeks with well vegetated banks are of higher values than a few months of cattle grazing. If enough change hands, the Forest Service could amend the Forest Plan to not require grazing or else they will lift your permit (that is the law -- graze it at least every three years or lose your permit!).
Scenic view of Copper Basin and the Pioneer Mountains in June before livestock. Photo
near the mouth of Lake Creek across the Basin to the high peaks on its
north side. © Ralph Maughan
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Copyright © 2004 Ralph Maughan
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Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264,
Pocatello, ID 83209
