Here is the latest Idaho wolf update. Due to an email mix-up, I received it a bit late. The update is written by Curt Mack, Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Nez Perce Tribe, and appears below.
. . . . Ralph Maughan
FROM: Curt Mack, Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Nez Perce Tribe
For More Information Contact the Nez Perce Tribe by phone at 208-843-7335; or by e-mail at cmack@nezperce.org
This report includes the most recent locations of wolves in the state. Information will change in accordance with conditions that allow aerial and/or field monitoring of wolves. All wolves (except lone wolf B-14-M currently in NW Montana) being monitored via radio-telemetry remain within the experimental area on national forest land.
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).
Wolf locations for this report were obtained from flights conducted between 2 and 21 October 1998.
MONITORING: Summary
The Idaho Wolf Recovery Program has completed a challenging and successful summer field season. Field crews have been busy on all fronts, reflecting the increased workload required to monitor and manage the expanding wolf population in Idaho.
This summer marked many new discoveries and benchmarks on the road to recovery. The discovery of the identity of the Kelly Creek alpha male as wolf 9013 was the first documented example of a naturally dispersing wolf successfully mating and establishing a pack with a released radio-collared wolf. Close visual observations of female wolf B-36's [White Cloud Pack] male mate indicated that he is not radio-collared, narrowing the possibilities of his origin to either a naturally occurring resident wolf or a young dispersing wolf.
Numbers of packs and wolf pups continued to increased for the fourth consecutive year since the first wolves were released in 1995. This year, 10 of 12 known packs in Idaho produced a minimum of 51 pups. All but one (Landmark pack) of the six packs that reproduced in 1997, produced pups again in 1998. In addition, 5 new packs became established this year. The largest litter size in the history of the Idaho recovery effort was documented this year when B-36-F and her un-collared mate whelped 9 wolf pups to establish the White Cloud pack. Litter sizes ranged from 3-9 and averaged 5 pups per pack. Total numbers of wolves in Idaho related to the reintroduction effort, based on radio telemetry and visual documentation, are estimated at 122. This estimate includes 25 radio-collared adults (from original releases of 35), up to 10 two-year olds, up to 32 yearlings, a minimum of 51 pups of the year, and 4 status undetermined (either naturally occurring wild wolves or released wolves with failed radio collars) wolves that have mated with collared wolves or are otherwise associated with known established packs. This estimate does not consider unknown mortality of un-collared wolves. If wolf pup survival remains high through the end of this year, 1998 will signal a significant benchmark in the recovery process; achieving the first year of Idaho's recovery goal to maintain 10 breeding packs for 3 consecutive years. The delisting process for removing wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains of the U.S. will be initiated after all three states, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, have reached their recovery goals.
The recovery program's capturing and collaring efforts were met with much success this summer. The Nez Perce Tribe entered into a cooperative agreement with USDA APHIS Wildlife Services to assist capturing and collaring wolves. This partnership worked well in bringing shared expertise together as tribal biologists and Service field agents teamed up to effectively capture 27 wolves this summer. In all, 21 new collars were fitted on subadults and pups, and 3 adults were re-collared across 7 different packs. Funding allowing, plans are in the works to capture and collar additional wolves from helicopters his winter.
MONITORING: North of the Salmon River
Panhandle, Clearwater, and Lolo National Forests
The Snow Peak pack including alpha wolves B-20-F and B-31-M and their 5 pups have for the past few weeks concentrated their movements in headwater tributaries to the North Fork Clearwater River. These wolves are observed on occasion by hunters and outfitters in the area.
The Kelly Creek pack including alpha wolves B-15-F and 9013-M continues to use the upper Kelly Creek drainage and surrounding country along the Bitterroot divide north of Lolo Pass. Most recently members of this pack have been scattered throughout most of the Kelly Creek drainage above the mouth of Cayuse Creek.
The Big Hole pack including alpha wolves B-11-F and B-07-M and their 5 pups continues to frequent areas on the Bitterroot divide just south of Lolo Pass on the Lolo and Clearwater National Forests. Most recently, this pack has been using the Brushy Fork drainage on the Idaho side.
Lone wolf B-51-F was most recently located in the Big Sand Creek drainage near Elk Summit on the Clearwater National Forest.
Lone wolf B-52-M was most recently located in the Fog Mountain Saddle area north of the Selway River, about 15 air miles south of his relocation site.
Lone wolf B-54-F has not been located since she was relocated to the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness late this summer.
Nez Perce National Forest
Wolf B-33-M continues to move widely. He was most recently located in the Johnson Creek drainage south of Yellow Pine, Idaho.
The Selway pack including alpha wolves B-5-M and B-10-F continue to move widely within their home range. Most recently, they have been traveling within the southwestern edge of their territory along the breaks of the Salmon River south of Elk City.
MONITORING: South of the Salmon River
Payette National Forest
The Chamberlain Basin pack including alpha wolves B-09-M and B-16-F were last located together in the Lodgepole Creek drainage of Chamberlain Basin.
The Thunder Mountain pack including alpha female wolf B-22-F, her mate of unknown origin, and their 5-6 pups have recently traveled northeast from the Boise National forest to the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return on the Payette National Forest. They were last located in the high rugged country between Thunder Mountain and Shellrock Peak, south of the Big Creek drainage.
Boise National Forest
Wolves B-30-F, B-28-M continue to use the northern portion of Bear Valley. They were last located just north of Bear Valley Mountain.
Salmon-Challis National Forest
Wolf B-19-M continues to frequent areas along the divide between Beaver and Loon Creeks, and Rapid River. He was last located in the upper end of Loon Creek. Tribal biologists and pilots continue to obtain observations to determine if B-19-M is still paired with another wolf.
The Jureano Mountain pack including alpha wolves B-25-F and B-32-M were scattered throughout their territory when last located. Of interest is the location of Subadult wolf B-41-M outside the pack's southern territory boundary and within the Moyer Basin pack's northern territory boundary.
The Moyer Basin pack including alpha pair B-29-M and B-37-F continues to use areas surrounding the upper Panther Creek drainage including the Moyer Basin area, and upper Silver and Morgan Creek drainages. They were last located in the upper Silver Creek drainage.
The Twin Peaks pack including alpha wolves B-35-F and B-18-M continues to frequent areas in the upper Yankee Fork and Warm Springs Creek drainages. Following a brief time in upper Swamp Creek, the pack was most recently located back in the headwaters of the upper Yankee Fork.
Sawtooth National Forest [and Sawtooth National Recreation Area]
The Stanley Basin pack including wolf pair B-23-F and B-27-M continues to move throughout the Stanley Basin. This pack has also become less cohesive during the fall months. Most recently, pack members have been located in the Little Casino drainage, around the Basin Butte area, and around Stanley Lake.
The White Cloud pack including alpha female wolf B-36-F and an uncollared mate, continue to travel throughout the East Fork of the Salmon River drainage. They were last located in upper Germania Creek.
RESEARCH
Nothing new to report.
OUTREACH, INFORMATION and EDUCATION, and COORDINATION
Nothing new to report.
CONTROL
Jureano Mountain, Moyer Basin, and White Cloud wolf packs have established summer home sites within active public livestock allotments. All three packs have been closely associating and intermingling with livestock throughout the summer. All three packs have also been involved in documented livestock depredations earlier this summer. Although no further livestock depredations have been documented, fall post grazing season counts of missing cattle, particularly calves, are higher than normal in areas frequented by wolves. This highlights the difficulty of detecting or finding livestock carcasses killed by wolves in these large, rugged, and densely forested allotments. The recovery program will continue to work with area livestock owners and allotment associations through the winter to address this growing concern.
My notes and comments. The Stanley Basin Pack is probably the largest of the Idaho wolf packs, but Chamberlain, White Clouds, and Kelly Creek packs are also good-sized. Wolves 51, 52 and 54 (all females) were yearlings from the Moyer Basin and the Jureano Mountain packs which were trapped and relocated into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness to their north after they were involved in cattle depredations.
The Landmark Pack survivors were never relocated after the death of the alpha pair last spring. The remaining 5 or so wolves were not radio-collared.
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Copyright © 1998 Ralph Maughan
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