More 2004 Idaho wolf den news

More 2004 Idaho wolf den news.

June 17, 2004

This should be real in conjunction with the June 2 den news report.
It has been confirmed that former Scott Mountain Pack wolf B141F and her mate have 3 gray pups, forming a new pack on the south side of the South Fork of the Payette River in SW Central Idaho.
The long-standing Moyer Basin Pack which was a pack of at least 5 wolves last winter in east central Idaho has returned to its original territory for the first time in three years. Three gray pups have been observed, with it likely one more pup is present (based on howling). This pack has suffered over the years from numerous 1080 poisonings, although in the long run the poisoned wolves probably had little impact on the pack's average size.
The never collared Florence Pack just NE of Riggins in west central Idaho has lots of pups. 7-8 gray pups have been observed. 2004 is the 2nd or 3rd year for this pack.
The last report indicated that B61F, the alpha female of the Orphan Pack (she was the original orphan) may be alone with 4 or 5 pups, but not it seems likely there is another adult wolf with her.
Curt Mack, head of the Nez Perce Tribal wolf recovery team indicated that there has developed a large concentration of wolves in the area near McCall in western Idaho, and that it is likely they will produce numerous dispersers to Oregon, given that there is a large natural corridor from the area to Oregon. The Hazard Lake Pack, the new Partridge/Lava Butte Pack, the Cook Pack, and a radio collared wolf (possibly with a companion) was even closer to Oregon in the Cuddy Mountain area.
Mack said recent depredations on livestock have been minimal, with one calf apparently at least fed on by wolves in northern Idaho and another in west central Idaho which turned out to have been killed by local dogs. More than a month ago there were a number of sheep killed in the Mount Bennett Hills by a new wolf pack. As a result, most of the pack, expect one that was radio-collared, was killed by the government. For those familiar with the Mount Bennett Hills, this would be a jumping off location for wolves to move into SW Idaho, southern Idaho, and perhaps Nevada or SE Oregon.
-- In other Idaho wolf news, the Central Idaho Anti-wolf Coalition finally raised enough money for an attorney to file a lawsuit to remove wolves from Idaho (the John Runft law firm in Boise). What legal arguments they could muster with their attorney are difficult for me to conceive.

Return to Ralph Maughan's wolf report

Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264, Pocatello, ID 83209