Here is the latest information on the Idaho wolves. The raw data was furnished by Curt Mack, head of the the Nez Perce Tribal Wolf Team. The tracking flights were made April 29-30. I have put my guesses at possible dens in the text as "den?"
The report summarizes the flight data as follows:
All wolves being monitored via radio-telemetry remain within the experimental area, most on national forest land. Twenty-three radio collared wolves being monitored are paired or packmates. Six of 8 Idaho wolf packs produced pups in 1997. Five additional wolf pairs have established home ranges in Idaho and may produce pups in 1998. Three of these wolf pairs include wolves that either were not part of the translocated experimental population, or are wolves with failed radios.
North of the Salmon River
"Up to ten radio-collared wolves remain north of the Salmon River. Two wolf packs and 2-3 wolf pairs occur in this area. One litter of 5 pups [Kelly Creek Pack] was produced in 1997 north of the Salmon River."
Bitterroot National Forest
"The female Boulder Pack pup continues localized movements around the Hornocker Wildlife Institute Research Facility. She was last located in the Gardiner Creek drainage about 2 miles northeast of the facility." This is deep inside the Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness.
"The Selway pack wolves including adults B5M and B10F were located in the Storm Creek drainage, south of Hells Half Acre [fire lookout]." This pack had pups in 1996, but not in 1997. Their latest location is a long way from their previous location. This suggests to me they have not denned, or have denned very late.
Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater or Lolo National Forest (Lolo is in Montana)
"The Kelly Creek pack continues to move widely with no indications of denning. The Kelly Creek female traveled from her last location in the Granite Creek drainage just north of Lolo Pass, to Grasser Creek a tributary to Kelly Creek, just southwest of Kellys Thumb [this is in Idaho]."
"B20F and B31M were again located together in the upper St. Joe River drainage." I think this is a likely den. These are the most northerly reintroduced wolves in Idaho. Den?
"Wolf B11F and Wolf B7M were again located in the south fork of Lolo Creek." This pair formed in early 1996, but they didn't den in 1996. The failed to whelp pups in 1997 as well (they were in the Running Creek wolf enclosure for a "time out" last year at this time). Due to their stable location recently, they may have denned. Den?
"Wolf B12M was again located in the upper Fish Creek drainage, just upstream from the confluence of Cache Creek."
Nez Perce National Forest
"Wolf B33M was located in the Lookout Butte area northwest of Elk City." B33 may have a female disperser from the Chamberlain Basin Pack with him. He hasn't moved much lately. Den?
South of the Salmon River
"Nine wolf pairs occur in this area including five pairs that have produced 25-27 wolf pups in 1997; two of these pairs also produced pups in 1996."
Payette National Forest
"The Chamberlain Basin pack including adults wolf B16F, wolf B9M, and pups were located in the Whimstick Creek drainage." Den?
"Wolf B22F and her associate were again located in the West Fork Monumental Creek drainage." These two have been in this location for some time. Den?
Salmon-Challis National Forest
"The Bear Valley Pack, the three adult wolves B30F, B28M and wolf B19M continue to explore new territory down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. B28 and B30 were located together near the mouth of Marble Creek. B19 was last located near Sunflower Flats just downstream of Thomas Creek." This pack has never denned in the past. It is an odd pack in that the three wolves are not related. Have 28M and 30F denned? Den?
"Landmark pack alpha female B6F and male B8M were found dead between Pistol and Elkhorn Creek. B8M's carcass could not be retrieved as he was submersed in the Middle Fork Salmon River. The carcass of B6F was sent the National Forensics Lab in Ashland Oregon for necropsy. Both mortalities are under investigation by Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement." Some good news about the pack is that the Forest Service person at the Indian Creek Guard Station has heard howling in the general area of the pack, indicating that some or all of the rest of the pack are alive.
"The Jureano Mountain pack including wolves B25F and B32M remain in the Pine Creek drainage a tributary to the main Salmon River, just east from the mouth of Panther Creek." They have been in Pine Creek for a considerable time now. Den?
"We did not locate wolf B24M." This makes over two months of not locating this wolf.
"The Moyer Basin pack including wolves B29M and B37F and their pups were again located at the head of Silver Creek." Den?
"Wolf B35F and Wolf B18M remain in the Warm Spring Creek drainage." Due to their long presence in Warm Spring Creek, I'm almost certain there will be a new pack there in the southeast corner of the Frank Church Wilderness. Den?
"B2M was not located." I suspect this wolf's old transmitter makes location pretty sporadic.
Sawtooth National Forest
The Stanley Pack, wolves B23F, B27M and yearling pups "were located on the east side of Stanley Basin around Little Redfish Lake. Movements of this pack do not indicate signs of denning."
"Wolf B36F remains in the headwaters of the East Fork of the Salmon River. She was last located just downstream from the confluence with the South Fork of the East Fork" There is no South Fork of the East Fork of the Salmon River, so I don't really know her location. No. 36 has had an uncollared companion for a long time, and her location has been stable for some time now. Den?
Research
"Nothing new to report."
Outreach
"Project personnel attended the Rocky Mountain Wolf Conference held at Chico Hot Springs [Montana] and presented an update on Idaho wolf recovery."
Control
Nothing new to report.
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