Yellowstone wolf happenings:
Soda Butte male killed by Crystal Creek, no. 16F gets recruits to
her pack, Nez Perce kills bison calf, New pack forming near Leopold?
3-11-99
There has been a variety of interesting Yellowstone wolf news lately.
Number 43M dead-
The Soda Butte Pack's mate-hunting expedition from the Elk Refuge to Yellowstone Park appears not to have gone well. Not only were dispersers to the pack not found, Soda Butte had a confrontation with the larger Crystal Creek Pack near Pelican Valley. While it is not certain how it happened, number 43M, 14F's pup born in 1996, was killed. No one saw this, 43's frozen carcass was found near Turbid Lake, most likely the casualty of Crystal Creek.No. 123M, who seemed to have dispersed did rejoin the Soda Butte Pack, and they were last thought to be on the northern margins to Grand Teton National Park, a pack now numbering five wolves. There will probably be no pups in 1999, for the second year, although it is possible that some male did mate with a Soda Butte female during their travels (it happened to 16F in 1998).
Number 16F gets recruits to her pack-
For two years it was just no. 16 and her pups. She whelped six last April after losing her 1997 litter over the previous year due to various causes. The 1998 pups are thought to have been fathered by no. 34M, alpha male of the nearby Chief Joseph Pack. However, during the radio collaring operations this winter, a large black male, not thought to be a pup, was discovered with her and her pups. He was collared and dubbed 165M. Then things got even more interesting. A disperser from Crystal Creek showed up with the pack. He was 118M, another black yearling. Now it appears one or more wolves have shown up. In the space of one year, no. 16 has gone from a lone female (who had all of her 1997 pups die or disappear) to the alpha female of a pack with perhaps 10 members and more probably on the way.I understand this pack will soon get a name more impressive than just Chief Joseph no. II pack.
They frequent the area between Gardiner and the Daily Lake game refuge just north of Dome Mountain. When I was in the area last weekend, I was very impressed with the number of mule deer and elk. Given so many deer, it became apparent how 16 could provide for her pack.
Nez Perce Pack kills a bison calf-
There hasn't been much predation on bison so far. There are usually plenty of elk, and bison are big. However, the hard luck Nez Perce, whose luck seems to have changed since they were released again from the Nez Perce Pen last summer, killed an bison calf this week on the Firehole River. A bison calf at 10 months age is a lot bigger than one last summer.New Pack forming near Leopold?
There have been a number of reports of possible new packs forming this winter in the northern part of the Park. A trio of uncollared wolves have been seen a number of times near Tower Junction, informally called the "Yancey wolves." They haven't been seen lately, but number 151F, a radio-collared female born to the Leopold Pack in 1998 has been away from the pack and with three or so other (uncollared) wolves for a while now. They have made several elk kills.Rose Creek Pack-
Most, and perhaps all of this large pack are still together. I saw 11 of them a week ago (through a scope [thanks Deanna]}, but 18 of them were observed together more recently.Just one wolf depredation this winter-
The wolves have really stayed out of trouble this winter, but about a month ago a wolf attacked a dog north of Dubois, Wyoming, near the "friendly" Dunoir area (see photo). The dog has recovered. There are still one or more wolves apparently in the Dunoir (as most folks think there always will be).
Road entrance to the Dunoir. Note: H-Cattle Co. is not Mr. Gordon
Copyright © Ralph Maughan
Email addresses for members
of Congress, the media, and other officials.
Return To Maughan Wolf Report Page
Copyright ©1999 Ralph Maughan
Not to be reprinted, archived, redistributed, etc., without permission.
Ralph Maughan PO Box 8264, Pocatello, ID 83209
