Wyoming wolf update

Two potential new packs. Absaroka Pack in deep trouble

12-15-2003

Despite the recent illegal killing of 4 or 5 Wyoming wolves outside of Yellowstone, folks want a report on the other Wyoming wolf packs, those outside of Yellowstone National Park.

Despite the recent death (3 known to be illegal) of 4 members of the Sunlight Basin Pack, the pack has still has 7 members and will likely have a new alpha male and pups next spring. Folks should note that earlier this year the pack lost 2 other members in a livestock conflict. One of the females recently trapped and collared had mange. There was also a very old female pack member snuggling hard to keep up with the pack. She is 41F, former pack alpha female and the sister of 42F, the "Cinderella" alpha female of the Druid Peak Pack. 41F was driven from the Druids by her aggressive sister 40F and so formed the Sunlight Basin Pack.

The "mangy" Absaroka Pack, however, may be on its last legs. All 5 members have the mange badly. Their debilitated condition and hair loss will probably cause them to die of hypothermia this winter.

Mike Jimenez told me the Beartooth Pack is doing well, but as always, is rarely seen and does not get into trouble because it inhabits a forested, hard to reach, livestock free area. It presently has from 5 to 7 members.

This year's new "Thermopolis pair" in the Owl Creek Mountains has picked up a third adult to become a trio.

The Washakie Pack remains split with the main group of 6-7 (the group with the radio collars and pups) moving back and forth between the Dunoir and Horse Creek. The secondary group of 3-4 (no pups) generally remains more to the west.

The Greybull Pack, lost its famous Idaho born alpha male 274M/B58M to a human killer recently, but the pack seems to be doing OK. However, pack member 275M has dispersed and paired up with another wolf.  275M and a female were captured and recollared/collared last week. 275M weighed 118 pounds and the female, who was given the number 359F, weighed 110 pounds. The female was about 3 years old; so this is a prime pair.

There are about 13 members of the Teton Pack at present and they have moved to their usual winter position up the Gros Ventre River area, although the state hasn't started pitching hay at their 3 Gros Ventre elk winter feedgrounds yet.

The big discovery this year, the Daniel Pack, continues to be seen on the west side of the Green River basin. They seem to still have about 16 members in the pack. Because journalist Cat Urbigkit told everybody where the pack has been hanging out (she no wolf supporter), wolf watchers ought to take the opportunity to go see them. They frequent the Ryegrass road area. To visit the area, drive south of Jackson, Wyoming on US 189/191 to Daniel Junction, then on US 189 two miles south to the small town of Daniel. A mile south from Daniel you cross Horse Creek and begin to climb up Grindstone Butte. About 1/3 mile past Horse Creek, the Ryegrass road leaves to the west (the right if you are driving south). This is a fairly large area with rolling topography and few trees where a lot of elk and deer winter.

One of Wyoming Game and Fish's brucellosis ridden feedgrounds is in the Horse Creek area. Last winter wolves chased elk from the feedground several times (the wolves were probably the progenitors of the Daniel Pack). I hope they do it again this year. This reduces the elk concentration and so the spread of brucellosis between elk.

There is a another surprise with the Green Pack pack, and after much "control," pair. Not only did the Green River female attract old 72M, who was possibly the alpha male from the central Yellowstone Nez Perce Pack, but one of her pups-of-the year either returned or was there all the time, so at present it is the Green River Trio.

What a Wyoming elk feedlot looks like. This the is Grays River feedlot south
of Alpine, Wyoming in the winter of 2002. This feedlot is infamous for its high
brucellosis rate. This kind of operation is why brucellosis persists and spreads
among Wyoming elk. Photo by Ralph Maughan

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  Copyright © 2003 Ralph Maughan