Thanks to all who have called and e-mailed Boulder-White Clouds Council over the latest crisis with the Stanley Wolf Pack in central Idaho. We've been in the backcountry near the sheep and wolves, and unable to respond to all your calls. We apologize. We are grateful for your concern and support for the Stanley Wolf Pack. (See end of message for how you can help)

Today, August 11th, the sheep and wolves have parted for now, and trapping wolves is supspended. One young female wolf from last year's litter was trapped on Wednesday, August 9th, and sent to north Idaho, away from livestock. The sheep band is moving out of Pole Creek today.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

This is why eight wolf supporters stood across Pole Creek Road at dawn on Monday, to halt the trappers, and ask for information. By nightfall, Carter Niemeyer, Wildlife Services wolf expert (and soon to be Idaho's USFWS wolf director) was here from Montana along with Curt Mack, Nez Perce tribe, and USFWS' acting wolf director, Ted Koch. Over the past few days, myself and other wolf advocates had serious talks with these three key agency wolf leaders. We've been promised better communication and I think there's clearer understanding on both sides. We all hope the Stanley Pack will stay to eating elk, not lamb.

To help facilitate that, our group and Idaho Watersheds Project (IWP) is asking the Sawtooth National Forest to follow their own Forest Plan direction which says on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (where the Stanley Wolf Pack lives) wildlife values have precedence over grazing. This means that sheep bands should not be moved into narrow canyons like Pole Creek where wolves are known to be. Six Stanley Wolf Pack wolves are radio collared. The tribe and Wildlife Services have people here tracking. Pushing 2000 sheep into Pole Creek on top of the wolves just doesn't make sense. It's a death sentence to our wolves. This time, the wolves escaped, except for one unlucky subadult.

Some good news: IWP has offered to buy out the sheep permits. Stay tuned on that one. There are only three sheepmen who graze here in the Stanley Wolf Pack's territory from June to mid-October.

What you can do: Please write, call or e-mail the Forest Service and Idaho's Governor Kempthore. Letters to Idaho newspapers would also be helpful (email us for info). Some message suggestions:

1.	Show support for wolves. Wolves belong in Idaho including areas where cattle and sheep graze on our public lands.
2.	It's time to ask for ranchers and agencies to change, rather than asking wolves to change. Unless this happens, wolves will keep getting trapped, relocated and/or shot wherever wolves and livestock interface, and that's nearly all the public land in central Idaho (outside of the Frank Church Wilderness). We do not have "problem" wolves. We have wolves tempted by lamb chops on the hoof. (Thirteen wolves have been shot in central Idaho by USFWS since last fall and three wolf packs have been eliminated. The Stanley Pack is skating on thin ice unless the Forest Service changes their grazing management.)
3.	The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) on the Sawtooth Nationl Forest, has regulations that require the Forest Service to protect wildlife including wolves first, ahead of allowing livestock grazing on public lands. Ask the Forest to avoid grazing sheep or cows on public land areas where conflicts are occurring (like in Pole Creek).
4.	Insist that sheepman stop leaving dead ewes and lambs on the landscape. These carcasses should be removed to avoid tempting predators. Sick and injured sheep are killed and left, or fed on by sheep herd dogs. The smell attracts wolves. Once used to eating lamb, wolves are more apt to continue preying on sheep.
5.	Tell Governor Kempthorne that you support wolves, you would to come to Idaho to see and hear wolves, and that Idaho could have a thriving ecotourism business around wolves. Urge him to PUBLICLY support wolf eco-tourism. It's time he did something for wildlife.

Where and who to write to to voice your concerns.

Forest Supervisor Bill LeVere
Sawtooth National Forest
2647 Kimberly Road East
Twin Falls, ID 83301
e-mail: wlevere@fs.fed.us
Phone: 208/737-3200

Deborah DesLaurier, Ranger
Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Star Route
Ketchum, ID 83340
e-mail: ddeslaurier@fs.fed.us
Phone: 208/727-5000 (leave message)

Governor Dirk Kempthorne
The Statehouse
Boise, ID 83720
e-mail: governor@gov.state.id.us

Thank you everyone!

To stand up for your rights and the wolves, call the Sawtooth National Recreation area at 208-727-5000. You can also call the Sawtooth National Forest at 208-737-3200, leave a message or try to talk to the Forest Supervisor.

Please don't email Ralph because he will not be able to answer.