This report is brought to you through the joint efforts of Wolf Recovery Foundation and Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Nez Perce Tribe. My comments about the latest report follow at the end of the report. . . . Ralph Maughan
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IDAHO WOLF UPDATE 15 July 1999
Gray wolves identified in these updates are referenced as B-XX-Y. The B identifies the wolf as a central Idaho animal, numbers identify individuals, and the Y indicates male (M) or female (F). R-XX-Y indicates the animal is from Yellowstone.
MONITORING - North of the Salmon River:
Panhandle, Clearwater, and Lolo National Forests
The Snow Peak pack including alpha pair B-20-F and B-31-M continues to move within the upper St. Joe and North Fork of the Clearwater drainages. This pack continues to move extensively throughout their territory and have remained inaccessible to ground crews. Although suspected, reproduction has not been confirmed for this pack. B20F was last located in the upper reaches of the St. Joe River.a
The Kelly Creek pack including alpha wolves B-15-F and 9013-M continued to travel within the Kelly Creek drainage. Most recently, all collared pack members except for B42F and B48M, were located together in the lower end of the drainage. Subadult Female wolf B42 was located on Osier Ridge. Subadult male wolf B48 has not been located during the month of July. We suspect this wolf has dispersed. Reproduction has not been confirmed for this pack, although we expect the Kelly Creek pack is raising their third litter this year.
The Big Hole pack including alpha wolves B-11-F and B-7-M continue to frequent the Lolo Creek Drainage. This pack was last located within the upper reaches of Lolo Creek, close to the Idaho/Montana border.
Lone wolf B-64-M, relocated from the White Cloud pack during a control action this spring, and not located since shortly after his release, was located in the upper Brushy Fork country along the Idaho/Montana border. This wolf was located approximately 4 miles from the Big Hole pack.
Lone wolf B-65-F, relocated from the White Cloud pack during a control action this spring, was last located in the Elk Summit Area during June. So far, this wolf has not been located during the month of July.
Lone wolf B-52-M has not been located since last fall.
Wolf R-132M, missing since April, was located within the Long Creek drainage, tributary to the North Fork of the Clearwater River.b
Nez Perce National Forest
The Selway pack, including alpha wolves B-05-M and B10-F, continue to localize their movements east of Elk City, Idaho. Although not confirmed, we suspect this pack is raising pups; their second litter within the past four years.
Bitterroot National Forest
The Bass Creek wolves, were relocated to a holding facility in Idaho where they will be held until released back into the wild late fall or early winter (See Control and Management section below).
B-68-M was relocated from the Stanley Basin pack, in response to livestock depredation, (see Control and Management section below) to the Selway River drainage. He was last located southwest of Darby Montana.c
MONITORING - South of the Salmon River
Payette National Forest
The Chamberlain Basin pack including alpha wolves B-09-M and B-16-F was last located around the Cold Meadows area of Chamberlain Basin.
B-38-F, a dispersing female subadult wolf from the Stanley Basin pack was last located within the Moose Creek drainage on the western end of Chamberlain Basin.
The Thunder Mountain pack including alpha female wolf B-22-F and her mate of unknown origin were last located in the upper Monumental Creek drainage.
B-45-F was last located in the upper Payette drainage, around Secesh Summit.d
Boise National Forest
Lone wolf B-28-M has not been located since early June. He was last located in Bear Valley.e
Salmon-Challis National Forest
B33M continues to travel within the Landmark pack's territory. He was last located just east of Landmark, ID.
The Jureano Mountain pack including alpha wolves B-25-F and B-32-M was last located in the Napias and Moose Creek drainages just west of Salmon, ID. Subadult wolf B-46-F has been loosely associated with her pack since this winter and may be in the process of dispersing. She has been frequently located south of the Jureano pack's territory and was last located in the Hat Creek drainage, a tributary to the Salmon River between Challis and Salmon, ID.
The Moyer Basin pack including alpha female B-37-F and wolf B-49-M, continues to concentrate her movements in the upper Panther Creek area.
Dispersing subadult male wolves B40M and B47M continue to travel together. They were last located near Whitehawk Mountain in Bear Valley northwest of Stanley, ID.f
The Twin Peaks pack including alpha wolves B-35-F and B-18-M have concentrated their movements for the past few weeks in the upper Yankee Fork Salmon River area.
B-61-F was most recently located above Bay Horse Lake, south of Challis, Idaho.
Sawtooth National Forest
The Stanley Basin pack including wolf pair B-23-F and B-27-M continue to use areas of the southeastern end of the Sawtooth Valley. Movements of most of collared wolves have, most recently, been concentrated around the upper Warm Springs Creek drainage. This pack has been involved in livestock depredations during the month of July (see Management and Control).
Dispersing Stanley Basin pack male wolf B49 remains with the Moyer Basin pack during the month of July.
Dispersing Stanley Basin pack female wolf B38 was most recently located in the western portion of the Chamberlain Basin.
The White Cloud pack including alpha female wolf B-36-F have concentrated their activities around the East Fork of the Salmon River. They were most recently located within the Bowery Creek drainage.
RESEARCH
The Diamond Moose Calf Mortality study is in full swing. University of Idaho graduate student John Oakleaf has done an outstanding job in overcoming the many challenges of monitoring the 230 ear-tagged calves on a daily basis. John has received much assistance form many volunteers from the Salmon Community. Their assistance and dedication to the study is much appreciated. The warm welcome, cooperation, and assistance John has received form the Diamond Moose Association and the Salmon-Challis National Forest has contributed immensely to the success of the study and is also much appreciated.
The Jureano Mountain pack has relocated to the Diamond Moose Allotment and appear to be using similar areas as last year. With the aid of the ear-tagged calves, John has been able to document calf mortalities that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. So far, the study has been able to determine cause of death of all calves that have died to date, including confirmed wolf kills. This study is already revealing information that would otherwise be unknown and will be important in identifying the extent of wolf caused livestock losses on the Diamond Moose Allotment.
OUTREACH, INFORMATION and EDUCATION, and COORDINATION
Nothing new to report
MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
During the end of June, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Services, and the Nez Perce Tribe captured the entire Bass Creek pack which included the alpha pair and 8 pups. The pack was relocated from the Bitterroot Valley in Montana to a holding facility in Idaho in response to repeated depredations on livestock. The Bass Creek pack, although located within Montana, were included within the Central Idaho Experimental Population Area and were part of the Idaho recovery effort. Unfortunately, the alpha male died during handling inside the Idaho enclosure. The pack will be released into the wild as soon as the pups are old enough to travel with the adult female.
Three wolves from the Stanley Basin pack were involved in injuring one livestock calf during the end of June. Control actions were successful in capturing and relocating one of these wolves, B-68-M, to the Selway River drainage.
Stanley Basin pack subadult wolf B-55-M was implicated in repeated depredations on livestock in the Sawtooth Valley during the first two weeks of July. During this time, B55 was implicated in killing 10 sheep and 1 livestock calf. Attempts to capture and relocate B55 were unsuccessful. B55 was lethally controlled after relocation attempts failed and livestock losses continued.
Margo Johnson - WebMistress Wolf Recovery Foundation (208)321-0755 P.O. Box 44236 Boise, ID 83711-0236 http://www.forwolves.org webmistress@forwolves.org
MY NOTES:
aThis is a change. The Idaho wolf updates from earlier in 1999 expressed the view that this pack had not denned this year. This pack inhabits a rugged, and deeply timbered area. Visual observations are very difficult to obtain.
bThis is the only known wolf so far to migrate from the Yellowstone ecosystem to Central Idaho. He was born in 1997 as a member of the old Washakie Pack 30 miles SE of Yellowstone NP.
cThis would seem to put the wolf in the Sapphire mountain range.
dB45F is the wolf that travelled to Oregon last winter. Her present location near Secesh Summit is about 25 miles north of McCall in western Idaho.
eB28M is the only surviving member of the former Bear Valley Pack or "Trio," which, for two years, consisted of three unrelated adult wolves.
. . . . Ralph Maughan
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