Copper Basin wolf pack in east central Idaho is largely eliminated by the government.

I have not looked forward to writing this article, given the disappointment and controversy likely to follow. The federal government has largely terminated the relatively new wolf pack which ranged in Copper Basin, the Pioneer Mountains, and White Knob Mountains of east central Idaho.

On the bright side, the 2 pups were spared and a wolf was left to care for them (which may or may not happen). This leaves the possibility that the pack may yet regenerate.

This pack, the second to inhabit this scenic, yet livestock degraded mountain valley, was discovered last September. From the start they has been political pressure (apparently almost all of it out of sight) to kill it off.

Copper Basin is dear to my heart and to almost every Idaho outdoorsperson who has been there, so the continued dominance of the basin by livestock hurts all the more than the wolves.

I wrote a long story about the discovery of the pack, Copper Basin itself, trends in grazing, etc. last year, but from email and phone calls, I think the article has been forgotten. I urge everyone to read "New wolf pack of nine in Copper Basin, Idaho. 9-30-2004, " before continuing.

Last weekend, July 20, after a minor (depends on your viewpoint) confirmed depredation, Wildlife Services shot 5 of the 6 adult members of the pack from a fixed wing airplane near Cooper Basin Guard Station. Shot were both the alpha male (B224M) and alpha female. Ranchers had argued for some time that the pack had killed other unconfirmed cattle. Last year there were four confirmed wolf kills. That there were unconfirmed kills is also probably true, but from reading ten years of reports of wolf depredations, it is clear to me that cows in wolf country die of many other causes as well and are often found dead and scavenged. At this time of year Copper Basin has about 6000 head of cattle, so a wolf pack has to be very well behaved not to undergo "control."

One member of the Wildhorse Pack was killed earlier this year by a rancher near Mackay, Idaho. Under the new rules for Idaho and Montana, he shot the wolf when it was chasing his cattle. We had hoped that the new rules would largely eliminate the need for Wildlife Services to add their firepower, and, indeed, so far this year has been very good in Idaho in terms of wolf "depredations," especially compared to relatively wolf-sparse Wyoming, where control action after control action has been authorized. Read !

B227F, a yearling, was left to care for the 2 pups. There are plenty of deer and elk at higher elevations for wolves to eat, but if they kill any cattle, the last 3 will be killed. Unfortunately, the Pioneer Mountain range, the second highest in Idaho, has cattle roaming all the way to timberline and past, right up to the rocks, so it isn't a situation where the wolves can go uphill and find a cattle free zone.

I understand that the dead 300 pound calf the was the "last straw" for the pack was in the Boone Creek grazing allotment, where the permittee is grazer with lots of political influence.

I received some information this morning -- the annual operating instructions for the Boone Creek allotment. I thought it would be interesting to post. The public rarely sees these things. In a time when more and more is being stamped "secret" and hidden from us, we should read those documents still available. Notice that all of the grazing is by one permittee this year.

The growth in allotment grazing non-use (see below) is encouraging, but the livestock lobby is working furiously to stem this -- to "beef up" the requirement of NOT allowing conservation non-use, but rather promoting, a "graze-it-or-lose-your-allotment" policy. In fact the new BLM grazing regulations only allow one year of non-use and no non-use for beneficial conservation purposes. These regulations are being litigated.

There is a good op/ed article in the New York Times about this backwards, anti-market, anti-conservation push by the public land livestock lobby.

File Code:   2210/2230
    Date:   June 17, 2005

2005 ANNUAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

BOONE CREEK ALLOTMENT

SALMON-CHALLIS NATIONAL FOREST

Dear Permittee:

Below is your Annual Operating Instructions (AOI) for the Boone Creek Allotment discussed at the spring meeting on May 5, 2005. This AOI addresses Forest Service administered lands within the Boone Creek Allotment. Please review your Term Grazing Permit for grazing utilization, range improvement maintenance, and salting standards. Actual on-dates and off-dates are dependant on range readiness and when allowable use standards are met. The Forest Service may approve changes to the grazing rotation in consultation with the permittees to address range condition situations that may occur due to weather related circumstances.

Permitted Cattle Authorized

Permittee                        Term            Non-Use            2005                        Season                        Brand



Dave Nelson                        708                  25             683                       6/6-10/15

                                         217                  217



Churn Dasher Ranch           214                   214                0                        6/6-10/15

Sally Johnson                    147                    147                0                        6/6-10/15

Total                                  1286                   603            683

Grazing Unit Rotation                            Estimated Days

Garden Creek                                                22           6/6-6/27

Right Fk Boone Cr                                         15            6/28-7/12

Road Creek                                                   7            7/13-7/19

Ramey Creek                                                 20            7/20-8/9

Fox Creek                                                      20            8/10-8/29

Castle Cr                                                       15            8/30-9/13

Boone Creek                                                 25            9/6-9/30

Rock Creek                                                   15            10/1-10/15

While partial relief from drought occurred last fall, all indications from NRCS and NOAAs drought monitoring data analysis indicate long term relief has not occurred. All indications from the Idaho Water Supply Outlook reports are that cumulative drought impacts will persist. If this occurs the Forest Service expects that cattle may need to be removed prior to October 15.

Allowable Use: End of season 4-inch stubble height on hydric sedges & grasses is required along the greenline of riparian areas. A patchy or uneven use pattern along the greenline will usually result in stubble height being met. While adequate regrowth may occur under average growing season conditions, the opposite may be true during below average conditions. Special attention should be made to drier weather conditions. It is recommended a stubble height trigger above 4 inches be used in drier conditions to plan cattle moves.

Riparian areas with greenlines dominated by Kentucky bluegrass and tufted hairgrass should also receive special attention to achieve end of season stubble height. Greenlines dominated by these plants have less bank stability than greenlines dominated by deep-rooted plants. Greenlines dominated by these plants are sometimes in a lower state of ecological condition and should be managed to increase the amount of stable hydric sedges, grasses, and shrubs where appropriate.

Other factors should be considered for planning cattle moves between units. These include prevention of stream bank trampling, increase in rate of stubble height removal, changes in livestock behavior, changes in grazing preference from grasses and grass-like plants to young willows and other shrubs, large groups of cattle congregating in fence corners, at gates, or riparian areas for long periods of time.

INFISH Grazing Module Implementation: We will continue to randomly select key areas for monitoring grazing utilization with permittee participation. Key areas are used to monitor representative riparian areas within a grazing unit. Key area monitoring establishes a record of utilization trend, a location for observation to plan cattle moves, a location to record whether end of season stubble height standards are met, a location to evaluate whether management impacts are effective or need to be modified.

Units selected for key area INFISH Grazing Module Implementation 2005: Fox Creek

Cleaning Grazing Units: Livestock need to begin moving from a unit prior to the stubble height standard being met to ensure allowable use standards are met. This is especially important during drought conditions. In most cases 7 days should be adequate. Permittees should be prepared to assist range riders in checking that the unit cleaned stays clean. Range riders should keep permittees informed of problems cleaning grazed units. Bulls should be kept with the main herd or removed from the allotment when they disrupt herd management. Frequent back-riding indicates there is a herd management problem. It is also the permittees responsibility to correct problems caused by drift from other units

Fence & Water Improvements: Please refer to Part 3 of your Term Grazing Permit. Allotment boundary fences should be maintained prior to cattle entering the allotment, interior fences should also be maintained prior to cattle entering a new unit. Existing improvements should be maintained each year before requesting new improvements.

Weed Free Hay: In accordance with State Law, please ensure that range riders bring hay that is certified and tagged noxious weed free.

Lynx Habitat: The lynx was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in March of 2000. The Boone Creek allotment has a Lynx Analysis Unit (LAU) within the Ramey Creek unit. The lynx conservation strategy states livestock grazing needs to be managed to achieve mid-seral or higher condition in riparian and upland plant communities within a LAU. Livestock also need to be managed to ensure aspen sprouting and sprout survival sufficient to perpetuate long-term viability of aspen clones

Actual Use Report: An Actual Use Report will be mailed to you shortly before cattle leave the allotment. This form is to be completed and returned to the Lost River Ranger District two weeks after you have removed livestock from your allotment. The association President will need to provide a consolidated report with the numbers and dates when cattle entered the allotment, moved from unit to unit, when cattle were removed from the allotment. Each permittee will need to provide an individual report with dates when their cattle entered and left the allotment.

This information is used for the purpose of evaluating and analyzing: grazing allotment and grazing unit use, compliance with annual operating instructions, and planning next seasons grazing management strategy.

Applications for refunds/credits for unused portions of your allotment must be requested and filed separately. Please contact our office if you need an application for refund/credit.

Questions and assistance regarding these instructions should be directed to Holger Jensen at 588-2224.

Sincerely,

/s/ Carol Benkosky

CAROL BENKOSKY

District Ranger

Some people have asked me what to do about this, and suggested emailing Carter Niemeyer who still has the last say for the federal government over Idaho wolf management. I suggest others be contacted instead. While FWS wolf managers do have discretion (don't believe any story that there is an exact set of rules that exactly determines every situation), Niemeyer has been strong in resisting political pressure from both livestock interests and wolf advocates. I think he is an honest guy, and given the unpleasant realities of who is in power, the Idaho wolf recovery is just amazing.

The difficulties facing wolf recovery, wildlife management in general, conservation of our land, air and water are almost all attributable to our poor crop of elected "leaders," and the political appointments they have made to oversee our land and wildlife managers. Please contact folks like members of congress from Idaho (especially if you are from Idaho), your home state, the governor, etc.

Unpleasant email from wolf supporters to Bangs, Niemeyer, Jimenez and other does not help, although rational well thought out mail is very helpful.

The generic problem is people like vicious Karl Rove, corrupt Tom DeLay, and many others. So many mendacious and venal politicians have not been seen since the end of the 19 th century during the "guilded age."

We are currently in a situation in this country where scientists are routinely ignored and employees in many agencies willing to stand up for the laws for American's natural heritage are constantly in fear of being transferred or of losing their jobs.