Idaho Wolf Update Early July. There are an estimated nine litters of pups!
Here is the latest information on the Idaho wolves. It is based on flights in late June and early July plus an on-the-ground investigation.
The radio collar of lone wolf B12M has been retrieved near Lolo Pass on the Montana side of the pass. The radio collar had been cut off. My view is that except for a wolf that has been netted or darted by biologists, the only way a cut-off collar appears is from a dead wolf, probably an illegally killed wolf. An investigation is in progress.
B12 was one of the original wolves brought down from Alberta in 1995. He had never paired. For the last few months he had been located in Fish Creek about five miles from U.S. Highway 12, which goes over Lolo Pass. My guess would be to look for a carcass in the Fish Creek vicinity.
Here is the rest of the data from the latest report provided by the Nez Perce Tribal wolf team. It is very positive.
PUPS
Pups have so far been observed among seven packs or pairs of wolves. Two additional packs or pairs of wolves are believed to have pups. This is based on indirect observation such as tracks or scats. That would be nine litters -- great news! The report did not list the packs or pairs with pups, however. I hope to get this soon.Wolves North of the Salmon River-
Panhandle, Clearwater, and Lolo National Forests-
B20F and B31M were still at the head of the St. Joe River, the most northerly of the reintroduced Idaho wolves.
B11F and B7M were located on the Bitterroot Divide, south of Lolo Pass. This is the Idaho/Montana state line. When I first here the rumors of B12's collar, I was afraid it was B7 because he was not located in mid-June.The Kelly Creek Pack was located on the Bitterroot Divide to the north of Lolo Pass.
Nez Perce National Forest-
B33M was again located in the Gospel Hump Wilderness in the northwest central part of Idaho.The Boulder Creek yearling B43F was not located this time. In mid-June she had moved to the main Salmon River.
The Selway Pack continued to travel widely inside the commodious territory they have carved out. This time they were on the west side of their territory near Red River Forest Service Guard Station.
South of the Salmon River
Payette National Forest
The Chamberlain Basin pack was in the Cottonwood drainage in Chamberlain Basin, deep in the Frank Church Wilderness.
Wolf B22F and her associate were said to be located in the East Fork of the Salmon drainage, but this must be a mistake. The report probably meant the South Fork of the Salmon drainage.
Boise and Salmon-Challis National Forest
The Bear Valley Pack may have split up. B28M and B30F were located in the Sulfur Creek drainage. This is a major east-flowing tributary of the Middle Fork of the Salmon. B19M was located in the lower reaches of Loon Creek, a major NW-flowing tributary of the Middle Fork. B19M was not located in the last report, although B28M and B30F were located together.
Again the report made no mention of the remnants of the Landmark Pack.The Jureano Mountain pack has begun to finally move. My guess is they are with a bunch of new pups. They finally moved out of Pine Creek, and they were located the Moose Creek/Napias Creek drainages.
Wolf B24M was again not located.
The Moyer Basin pack including wolves B29M and B37F and their yearlings and probably new pups have finally moved out of upper Silver Creek into the upper reaches of Panther Creek.
Wolf B35F and Wolf B18M remain in the Warm Spring Creek drainage.
B2M was not located.
Sawtooth National Forest and Sawtooth National Recreation Area
The Stanley Pack. No information was given.
Wolf B36F still remains in the headwaters of the East Fork of the Salmon River.
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