It has been some time since I received thorough information about the Idaho wolves. Readers may want to consult my reports on Idaho wolves dated 8-19-96 and 12-6-96 for background.

The Idaho wolves have been monitored less and recaptured much less than the Yellowstone wolves. Central Idaho wolf country is also, at present, larger than the area containing the Yellowstone wolves. As a result, less is known about their whereabouts and a number of radio collars are beginning to fail and are not replaced.

At the present, 28 wolves are being monitored although the actual number of wolves present is larger than this.

The following information was provided by the Nez Perce Tribal Wolf Recovery Effort. I have partially re-written, edited, and interpreted the information provided, dated Feb. 18, 1997. The Idaho reports have always been arranged by national forest. I will generally follow this tradition.

First a bit of geography
The Salmon River originates in the Smoky Mountains of Idaho and runs northward through the famous Sawtooth Valley. Then it turns to the east for about fifty miles, only to turn north again near the town of Challis. After fifty more miles, the Salmon River bends at a 90 degree angle to run directly across the Salmon River Mountains of central Idaho. This canyon -- the "River of No Return" -- divides the state in half. The majority of the Idaho wolves are, and always have been located south of the Salmon River's great defile across central Idaho. Nine radio-collared wolves were located north of the Salmon River, however. This includes pair B7M and B11F (see the story about their relocation and the escape of no. B7 that I posted yesterday).

Lolo National Forest (NW Montana)
Wolf B15F was located with an unknown wolf in Oriole Creek, just inside Montana. This pair has been together in this general vicinity for about 1 1/2 years now. The unknown wolf is generally thought to be a natural disperser from NW Montana or Canada.

Clearwater National Forest (north central Idaho)
The Clearwater National Forest is just across the Bitterroot Divide from the Lolo in Montana.
Wolf B14M was located in the Elk Summit roadless area in White Sand Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains.

Wolves B18M and B20F were not located on the most recent flight, but there were located on January 27 in Kelly Creek about 12 miles from the B15F/unknown wolf pair.

Nez Perce National Forest (northwest central Idaho)
Wolf B33M was located near Dixie Summit near the headwaters of the South Fork of the Red River on Jan. 27. The Selway Pack -- wolves B5M and B10F and pups (probably two) were located in the upper Selway River drainage near Swet Creek. This is inside the Frank Church/River of No Return Wilderness. Wolves B7M and B11F are, of course, at the Selway pen deep inside the Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness (see yesterday's story on this pair).

Payette National Forest (west central Idaho)
The Chamberlain Basin Pack, Idaho's largest has been seen repeated in Big Creek. Tracking flights revealed this, and I have heard the same from several outfitters. Big Creek is ungulate winter range. The pack consisting of wolves B9M and B16F and perhaps four pups, is feasting on elk, bighorn sheep, and mule deer.

A new pack (to me anyway), the Bear Valley Pack, consisting of wolves B19M, B28M, and B30F, was located near Pen Basin and Whiskey Creek. B30F was separated from the other two. The wolf report suggested that intensive snowmobile use may have kept the pack apart.

Wolf B22F was not located on the most recent flight. Previously, she had been located near the Pinnacles, a very rugged area near Big Creek, accompanying a large black wolf.

Wolf 31M was located near Warren, Idaho on January 28 with its collar indicating mortality, but no. 31 was not dead. He was located visually on January 29 and 31east of Little Lake feeding on elk carcasses. On February 2 he was seen from the air with another wolf. This second wolf was not wearing a working radio collar.

Boise National Forest (western Idaho)
Wolf 31M (discussed above) was observed on February 4 and 5 south of Jughandle Mountain, moving toward the Gold Fork River.

Wolf 33M was tracked on February 18 south of the town of Cascade near Round Valley. No. 33M may be following no. 31M and his unidentified mate. These three wolves have been observed together in a number of instances.

Salmon/Challis National Forest (east central Idaho)
The Landmark Pack, wolves B6F, B8M, and three pups were all observed crossing the Middle Fork of the Salmon River near Pistol Creek. This was on February 9.

Wolf 24M was also located near Pistol Creek. This was on Feb. 3. In late January no. 24M had been located in the South Fork of the Salmon River with wolf B28M.

Pair B23F and B27M were located near Falconberry in Loon Creek, deep in the River of No Return Wilderness.

Pair B25F and B27M were radio located in Moccasin Creek to the south of the new Bear Track gold mine. Pair 29M and 37F were located near Copper Creek.

Wolf B12M was not located, but had been located January 27 near Challis Creek Lakes in the drainage of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River. No. 12's radio collar is reported to be fading out.

Wolf B35F was tracked in Camas Creek in February and earlier (Jan. 27) near Falconberry in Loon Creek drainage. This is in or near the east side of the River of No Return Wilderness.

The most exciting news to me was the location of wolf B36F in the southern Lemhi Mountains south of the town of Leadore, Idaho. This is the most southeasterly penetration of any of the reintroduced Idaho wolves. The Lemhis are perhaps my favorite mountain range next to the Absarokas of Wyoming. In the past, before the reintroduction, wolves had been observed in this area from time-to-time.