Here is the latest information on the Idaho wolves. It was a bit slow coming because of a busy field season and a small numer of staff. The data is now almost two weeks old, having been collected in late May.
The report summarizes the flight data as follows:
"All wolves, except lone wolf B-14-M currently in NW Montana [who is doing well as leader of the Boulder Pack] being monitored via radio-telemetry remain within the [Idaho] experimental area on national forest land.Twenty-six radio collared wolves being monitored are paired or packmates. Six of 7 Idaho wolf packs produced pups in 1997. Six additional wolf pairs have established home ranges in Idaho, some of which may be raising pups this summer. Three of these wolf pairs include wolves that either were not part of the translocated experimental population, or are wolves with failed radio collars. Aerial wolf pair surveys indicate up to 8 pairs and packs of wolves may be raising pups this summer."
The summer field season-
"Summer field efforts were initiated on 18 May. Nez Perce Tribal crews will be documenting wolf reproduction, working closely with cooperators and landowners on the ground through the livestock grazing season, and implementing a summer long wolf capture and collaring effort. Tribal biologists Jim Holyan, Kent Laudon, Russ Richards, and Tim Peltier (TC) will be directing this summer's ground monitoring efforts to confirm reproductive status of wolves across the state. The project recognizes and greatly appreciates the dedication and contributions of tribal intern Marcie Steiger and project volunteers Brad Lorenz, Gina Patton from the Wolf Education and Research Center, and Heather Marstall who will be assisting tribal biologists in the field. The University of Idaho will team up with the Nez Perce Tribe to assist tribal wolf monitoring efforts in the northern Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Jim and Holly Akenson will be leading field activities from the University's Taylor Ranch Field Research Facility. Welcome aboard Jim and Holly.
Nez Perce tribal wolf trapper Isaac Babcock will be leading summer long efforts to capture and radio-collar Idaho wolves. The Nez Perce Tribe and Wildlife Services have entered into a mutually beneficial cooperative agreement to capture and collar wolves. Wildlife Service agents will be working closely with tribal crews assisting in the Tribe's efforts to radio collar wolves this summer. Both the Tribe and Wildlife Services are excited about the prospects of working together and are looking forward to a productive summer."
Wolves North of the Salmon River-
Up to eleven radio-collared wolves remain north of the Salmon River. Two wolf packs and 2 pairs occur in this area. In addition three lone wolves wander the area. One litter of 5 pups [Kelly Creek Pack] was produced in 1997 north of the Salmon River." Based on the aerial survey the wolf team now believes one pair has denned north of the Salmon River, and not the Kelly Creek Pack (nor apparently the Selway Pack either).
Bitterroot National Forest
The female Boulder Pack pup, who has now been given the number B43F, has not been located since late April. This is solely because of continuous bad flying weather..
The Selway pack wolves including adults B5M and B10F were located in the Little West Fork of the Nez Perce Fork of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River inside Montana. How's this for named drainage orders? They have not shown signs of denning, and this is their first visit to this location.
Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater or Lolo National Forest (Lolo is in Montana)
The Kelly Creek pack continues to move widely with no indications of denning. In late May it was in Granite Creek on the Montana side of the Bitterroot Divide.
"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.
"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 very stable location, this may be a den too. So I think there are perhaps two paris that have denned north of the Salmon River.
Nez Perce National Forest
"Wolf B33M was last located in April in the Lookout Butte area northwest of Elk City." He wasn't located in May due to inclement flying weather.
South of the Salmon River
The wolf team writes:
"Up to 22 radio-collared wolves remain south of the Salmon River. Five wolf packs and 4 wolf pairs occur in this area. All five packs produced wolf pups in 1997; two of these packs also produced pups in 1996. Aerial surveys indicate that up to 7 wolf pairs and packs may have denned this spring."
Payette National Forest
The Chamberlain Basin pack including adults wolf B16F, wolf B9M, and pups were located yet in the Whimstick Creek drainage." This looks a like a den to me.
Wolf B22F and her associate were again located in the West Fork Monumental Creek drainage." This pair of wolves has been in the drainage for months.
Salmon-Challis National Forest
The Bear Valley Pack, the three adult wolves B30F, B28M and wolf B19M, after travelling down the Middle Fork the Salmon River canyon, through the territory of the Landmark Pack, has now traveled back up toward their usual range. There were located in Sulfur Creek, a major tributary of the Middle Fork that runs into the Middle Fork a few miles downstream from Dagger Falls. This travelling would indicate they have no pups. The trio of unrelated adults has been together for two mating seasons without pups.
The deaths of the Landmark pack alpha female B6F and male B8M are still under investigation. Preliminary results of the necropsy do not signify foul play. There has been some talk that B6 (Bee Yeh) was bitten by a rattler due to brusing found on her legs, but this does not explain B8, dead out in the river. Rattlesnakes are common along the Middle Fork, but in April? Another possibility is that they were attacked by the Bear Valley Pack as they passed though the tight canyon. Perhaps B6 and B8 died separate natural deaths, as did the alpha pair of the Thorfare Pack in Yellowstone last winter. Perhaps it was foul play with a hard-to-detect poison.
I have no further information about the status of the rest of this pack.
The Jureano Mountain pack including wolves B25F and B32M remained still in the Pine Creek drainage a tributary to the main Salmon River, just east from the mouth of Panther Creek." I found their tracks in a tribuatry of Pine Creek in early June. This would appear to be another denned pack.
Wolf B24M was again not located. This makes three months of not locating this wolf. I would say a dead collar, dead wolf, or one that has moved out of the tracking flight area.
The Moyer Basin pack including wolves B29M and B37F and their yearling pups were still at the head of Silver Creek. It would certainly appear to be a 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.
B2M was not located. I suspect this wolf's old transmitter makes location pretty sporadic.
Sawtooth National Forest and Sawtooth National Recreation Area
The Stanley Pack, wolves B23F, B27M and yearling pups were located on the east side of Stanley Basin. This pack doesn't appear to have denned. It is still not known whether they lost a pup last winter, or just a radio collar, at the elevation of 10,000 feet in the nearby Sawtooth Mountains.
Wolf B36F still remains in the headwaters of the East Fork of the Salmon River. I hope she (and her mate and pups?) move out of the area soon, as the tributary she is in is known for abusive livestock overgrazing (personal experience speaks loud to me here).
Research
"Nothing new to report."
Outreach
"Project personnel attended the wolf handling workshop in Winchester Idaho. The course was taught by Dr. Mark Johnston D.V. M., Wildlife Veterinary Resources, Gardiner, Montana; and sponsored by the Wolf Education and Research Center, Boise Idaho. Our thanks to Mark and the WERC for a job well done.
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nez Perce Tribe, Wildlife Services, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game attended a meeting of the State of Idaho Wolf Legislative Oversight Committee on 27 May. The Nez Perce Tribe provided an update on current status of wolves across the state and planned project activities for the summer field season. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife provided an update on the status of the 45 day take permit and ongoing appeals process of Judge Downes' decision. Wildlife Services provided a history of Idaho wolf depredations and discussed the cooperative agreement with the Nez Perce Tribe to assist in wolf capture and collaring effort this summer. The Idaho Department of fish and Game provided an update on Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho's wolf management planning efforts."
Control
Nothing new to report.
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