After spending the summer next to the cows on the Hansen-Mead grazing allotment in Grand Teton National Park and being fed road kill so that no. wolf 24F would not resort to attacking some of 1900 cattle nearby, she has left the area and taken her pack of five pups over the Continental Divide to the Dunoir Valley/Dubois, Wyoming area. This is not related to the cattle because the grazing season ended over a month ago.
Ed Bangs speculated she is looking for a mate, and given her damaged teeth, she needs one. It clear that a new Washakie Pack -- "Washakie II" has formed in the Dunoir Area. It probably consists of the two remaining wolves from the old Washakie Pack, one or both of the unaccounted for wolves from the old Thorofare Pack, and maybe any of a number of wolves that have dispersed from their Yellowstone area packs All of the wolves are uncollared, and despite repeated attempts to capture them (or in the case of the Diamond G Ranch shoot two of them), the wolves have proven too wary. The number of wolves in the pack is unknown. They are also suspected to have pups. Estimates are that there may be as many as seven wolves. Because the Washakie II presumably has an alpha female, we shouldn't assume that no. 24 and her pups will be allowed to join the pack.
Because a radio-collared wolf (no. 24) is now in the kill permit area, I was told by Bangs that the kill permit is terminated.
The road kill nutrition effort this summer did work, and no. 24F and her pups are reported to be healthy and the pups growing. The pups probably weigh between 65 and 90 pounds by now.
Regarding the controversial allotment, Grand Teton National Park spent about $35,000 this summer managing the allotment. The Hansen-Mead permit paid $8000 in grazing fees. These figures are according to the Jackson Hole News.
I examined the cow pasture after the cows were removed at the end of September. The pasture is an unnatural intrusion in the Park, and it appeared to be somewhat overgrazed with much trampling of the banks of the watercourses.
Park Superintendent Jack Neckels seems to be promoter of this grazing, and some members of the open space committee that is supposed to examine if this allotment in some way contributes to open space in Jackson Hole, tell me he is an obstructionist to the removal of these cattle.
The News reported that Neckels "believes that without Park grazing leases, the ranching families would develop their land." Again, according to the News, Franz Camenzind, executive director of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, said, "I don't see where grazing is doing any of the Park values any good. What it does is help the ranches stay in business while we find other ways to help them stay in business and preserve open space"
I understand that the two families that are still allowed to graze in the Park after all the other permits have expired, own about 3500 acres of land in Jackson Hole, south of the Park. Despite the extraordinary deal they get for grazing in the national park, they have not placed conservation easements on their property to guarantee it won't be developed. Land in the immediate area is selling for about $50,000 dollars an acre. The 3500 acres of private land may, therefore, be worth about $175-million. If not sure how much of the 3500 is owned by the Hansen/Mead family and how much the Porter/Gill family.
How many folks would turn down this kind of money and put a conservation easement on their property?
Update on 11-9-99
The Teton Pack has moved back to the west a bit and out of the Dunoir. As a result, the kill permit for two wolves has been reinstrated. The permit lasts until the end of the year, or until all the cows are removed from the Diamond G. A few cows still remain and have not been shipped to the winter ranch. It could also be rescinded again if the Teton Pack returns or another collared wolf wanders into the area.
Update 11-23-99
The pack has moved back to rendezvous site area in the northeast corner of Grand Teton National Park.
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