Ed Bangs' Chronicle of Twin Peaks Pack events (3-21-2000)

Here is the situation as I understand it- I don't have dates etc for all this but this is the best I can do off the top of my head. It is pretty close to what happened.

 The Twins Peak pack near Clayton Idaho reportedly chased some young horses and then killed a calf. WS confirmed the calf was killed by the wolves (no dog ever was suspected of killing any of the calves) and that the Twin Peaks pack was nearby. WS at the direction of the Service killed 3 wolves.

The producer reported the wolves still there and then continued to frequent the area and supposedly chased horses again, but this was not confirmed. The Service directed WS to remove another wolf which they did.

The rancher involved did shoot his dog and left it lay(ing) out in the field because he caught it chasing his cattle.

This rancher returned a check for $1,000 that the Defenders (of Wildlife) sent  him for the first calf. Remember, the Defenders program is private and independent of agency control decisions.

The wolves did not kill the dog but apparently they did maul its carcass the next day- I'm not sure that was ever confirmed but it really doesn't matter- this had nothing to do with control decisions.

Radio frequencies indicated the alpha female was still in the area and likely other pack members. The pack was now believed to be the alpha pair and 2-4 others. A wait and see approach was taken. A radio activated scare device was put on site and it had a counter that activated when wolves got close enough to set it off- which it was set off almost daily. Wolves remained in the area but it appeared that the scare device kept them off the pasture with livestock while the calves were very confined. But as more calves were being born and cattle were moved to other pastures the device couldn't be as effective. (Some) animals get use to these  types of tings over time.

On the [March] 11th, another calf was confirmed killed and the alpha pair were captured and relocated to the Selway Wilderness. The male had an old broken canine tooth but the vet that looked at it said the best thing was to release him- nothing could be done to improve it. The alpha female was probably pregnant and these types of drugs have been safely used on pregnant females so we anticipate she will give birth this spring.

Also 2 sub-adults male and female (the remainder of the Jureano pack near Salmon ID) had been hanging around a dairy for the past couple of months (Near Challis ID). They were also captured and relocated to the Selway area but dropped off at a different airstrip)-  Anyway at that point, a wait and see approach was taken.

This last week another calf was found severely wounded (within past couple of days so it was hurt after the wolves were relocated) by wolves and tracks of at least 2 wolves were found. No radios remain in the pack so the Service decision was made to try to radio (collar) a wolf, turn it loose then remove (the) remaining pack members.

 Next day another calf was  killed and wolf tracks found. Just a day or so ago another calf was killed and a wolf (sub-adult) was captured (Sunday) at the same pasture. It was collared and turned loose.

WS is flying today to see if it has joined up with other pack members (suspect there are just the 2 but there could be more). When it has joined up with them- all the remaining members of pack will be killed. I think the total now is 4-5 calves confirmed (all on private land), 4 wolves killed, 2 moved, and soon another 2-4 wolves will be killed. I fully except that other wolves will recolonize this area within the next year or two. Since 1987 we have had to remove 5 other packs that kept attacking livestock after various control measures had been applied. Wolves aren't allowed to keep attacking livestock.

The radio collars that people donate are all in the Yellowstone area not here. But there is some chance that a wolf's collar will be used to locate it if it (is) involved in a livestock conflict.

We  radio collar) wolves anyway but having more radios (because the public helps) generally means that any control done targets the individuals most likely responsible and thereby reduces the chance for further depredation and the need for even more wolf removal. I believe that radios save the lives of more wolves than they remove. (The) bottom line is that wolves that attack livestock are not tolerated whether they are radioed or not. Radios just make any control less disruptive (i.e. allows use of radio activated scare device which worked for awhile or offers a better guess of which individuals in a pack may have been involved in attacking livestock.)