Here is the latest Idaho wolf update from Timm Kaminski, Idaho Gray Wolf Project Leader, Nez Perce Tribal Wolf Recovery Team. I have distilled his report so that it fits into my earlier Idaho updates web pages. Please compare this to the updates of September 4, September 17, September 30, October 10, October 27, etc. . . .  Ralph Maughan.

Wolves B7M and B11F (a.k.a. the "Running Creek pair"), released in northern Idaho, August 2, continue to inhabit the Bitterroot Mountains area of the Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness near the Idaho/Montana border. This time they were located near the head of Lost Horse Creek (west of Hamilton, Montana). It is important to recall that this recapture and interment appears to have been successful.

The Selway pack wolves B5-M, B10-F, and their 2 pups from 1996, were once again found just inside Montana. There location was in the Nez Perce Fork of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River on the Bitterroot National Forest.

The Kelly Creek Pack, B15-F, et al. was still in Montana on the Lolo National Forest. This time they were in the North Fork White Creek. Their territory has always been just north of U.S. Highway 12. I often mention U.S. 12 because I consider the country north of it as "northern Idaho" and "northwest" Montana.

The Chamberlain Basin pack including adult Wolf B16-F and Wolf B9-M, 4 yearling wolves, and 4-6, 1997 pups were located between Moose and Haypress Meadows. This is on the SW side of remote Chamberlain Basin, deep inside the Frank Church/River of No Return Wilderness.

Wolf B20-F, who was thought to have possibly whelped an overlooked litter of pups last spring was located and observed to be alone near St. Joe Lake west of Hoodoo Pass.  This is about 25 miles southwest of Superior, Montana on the Idaho/Montana border in the northern part of the Bitterroot Mountains. I just realized with this update that I have been misreporting her position in the past.  When it was reported she was in Chamberlain Creek, etc., I assumed this meant the Chamberlain Creek in the Chamberlain Basin of the Frank Church Wilderness. It turns out there is a Chamberlain Creek, Chamberlain Meadows, Chamberlain Mountain, etc. in northern Idaho as well. Therefore, folks should reinterpret my previous reports. The area she has carved out as her territory is in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Clearwater River and the headwaters of the St. Joe River.  This is in Idaho near the Montana border, and north of the Kelly Creek Pack. It is 25-35 miles SW or WSW of Superior, Montana.

No name pack (a.k.a. the Bear Valley Pack), composed of  unrelated adult wolves B28-M, B30-F and B19-M, were located in the North Fork Deer Creek,  just north and west of Wet meadows.  This is in their usual range, just a bit SW of the SW corner of the Frank Church Wilderness. Deer Creek drains into the Deadwood River.

The Landmark Pack, wolves B6-F, B8-M, 4 subadults and 4 pups has continued its movement that began about a month ago after spending the spring and summer in or near Elk Creek and its various forks at the southwestern corner of the Frank Church Wilderness. They were located on an elk kill in the headwaters of Marsh Creek. This is about 35 miles SE of their location in late October in Elkhorn Creek.

The Stanley Pack , B23F and B27M and their six pups, were located right up in the top of the Sawtooth Mountains in the Sawtooth Wilderness near Sawtooth Lake, one of the most scenic wilderness gems in Idaho (and one of the most photographed).  The elevation of the area is close to 10,000 feet.

The Jureano Mountain Pack, B25-F and B32-M and their 6 pups, were located east of Moccasin Creek approximately 2 miles east of the Coiner Ranch.

The Moyer Creek Pack, wolves B-29-M and B-37-F and their five pups were again  located along the ridgeline between South Fork Moyer Creek and Iron Creek. This is in a rugged area of the Salmon River Mountains about 30 miles SW of Salmon and 25 miles NW of Challis.

Pairs and single wolves-

Long time pair B35-F and Wolf B18-M were located were located along a ridgeline above an unnamed drainage east of Loon Creek and west of Warm Springs Creek. This is in the rugged SE corner of the Frank Church Wilderness. Previously they had been located closer to the town of Challis in a tributary of Challis Creek.

Wolf B36-F was located again in the White Cloud Mountains "along a ridgeline between Boulder and Big Boulder Creek near Williams Lake." This appears to be a mistake to me. I think they must mean between Big Boulder and Little Boulder Creek (Red Ridge) near Willow Lake. I will check this out.

Wolf B31-M was last located (late October) north of the confluence of Spruce and Paradise Creek on Elk Ridge on the Bitterroot National Forest. This was a long distance movement from where he summered.  No. 31 was not located in early November tracking. Perhaps he has dispersed out of range.

Wolf B22-F and her associate were located near Thunder Mountain (near the western edge of the Frank Church Wilderness).

Wolf B12-M had been located in late October just west of Anderson Butte Lookout at the head of the American River Drainage. This is on the Nez Perce National Forest, north of the main Salmon River in NW central Idaho. Since then, no. 12 has moved far to the SE, and was located west of Panther Creek near Morgan Creek Summit.  This is a linear distance of about 125 miles, but it is much more than that through the continuous mountains of central Idaho.  Morgan Creek Summit is in the territory of the Moyer Creek Pack.

Wolf B24-M was not located. He had been located for several weeks in the mountains and valley just north of the town of Salmon, Idaho.

Wolves B33-M and B31-M were not located.

The wolf team reported "surveys during our assessment of the wolves in the Elk River area indicate that they move widely between Bovill and Elk River and south of Oviatt Meadows.  As many as 3 wolves remain in this area.  Survey efforts did not reveal the presence of pups this year.  Efforts will intensify in winter, 1997-1998." These appear to be native migrants from NW Montana.  Elk River and Bovill. These small towns are on the western edge of the Clearwater Mountains in north Idaho, about thirty miles east of Moscow, Idaho.

Poisoning attempt?
In the last report the wolf team mentioned the poisoning of sled dogs in Slate Creek (on the north end of the White Cloud Mountains near the hamlet of Clayton). The wolf team is still investigating, but I received a local report that the source of poison is probably not attempt to poison wolves.

Some wolves in eastern Idaho? The wolf team reports that a hunter saw two uncollared wolves near Sand Creek on Big Bend Ridge. Big Bend Ridge is the south rim of the Island Park Caldera (the eastern Idaho edge of the Yellowstone Country). This is about 20 miles ENE of Dubois, Idaho (not to be confused with Dubois, Wyoming where the Washakie Pack hangs out).

There have been no additional livestock depredations this year. The sole incident in 1997 was the killing of some 28 sheep by no. 31M last summer. Number 31M has now moved miles away from the site of the depredation. Will the incredible good behavior (from an anthropocentric view) of the Idaho wolves continue? Will the very low mortality rate of the Idaho wolves continue?All of the livestock is off the national forests now; some winter on BLM land and private land near areas wolves frequent, so the liklihood of a wolf depredation is reduced.

Note: I found out tonight that this isn't quite true. In theory (if all livestock permittees obeyed the law) livestock are off the summer range on the national forests. In practice. some permittees keep them on two or three weeks past the end of the permit. Livestock were observed today being driven out of the northern White Cloud mountains three weeks late. Stealing grass is an old tradition in that country, mostly because Idaho politicians keep the local U.S. Forest Service folks "cowed."