Gray Wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains

 

From:               Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Helena, MT 9/29/06
Subject:            Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Week of 9/25/2006 to 9/29/2006

NEW WEB ADDRESS- The 2006 annual interagency wolf report [covering all 2005] can be viewed at http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov/annualreports/ .  It has maps of wolf pack locations and home ranges, tables of wolf numbers and depredations, discussions of litigation and funding issues, summaries of scientific studies, an extensive bibliography, and additional informational.

Monitoring

Paul Frame [IDFG] caught and collared a 76 lb. gray female pup from the Marble Mountain Pack on the 25th.

Steve Nadeau and Jason Husseman [IDFG] located but were not able to trap the Bear Valley Pack after 3 days of trying.

Carter Niemeyer [IDFG] spent a couple of days in the Stanley Basin attempting to locate the old Landmark Pack. The Sawtooth Society auctioned off a day with an IDGF wolf biologist and Carter took 2 individuals who bought the trip for a day in the field.

Smucker and Bergh [MFWP] followed up on reports of wolves seen by bow hunters in Chamberlain Meadows, east of the Blackfoot Clearwater WMA, confirmed wolf presence and initiated trapping in the area. Thanks to Jim Sparks (BLM) who passed on the reports.
 

Smucker, Bergh, and Holder conducted regular monitoring flights on the 26th, 27th, and 29th. Most packs were within their normal ranges, but SW67M (Black Canyon) was not found while flying throughout this pack’s normal range.
 

Control
 

On the 21st, MT WS confirmed a calf killed by wolves on a ranch south east of Dixon, MT.

WS trapped and euthanized a gray yearling female wolf from the Hewolf Pack at a depredation site. Efforts to capture and collar an adult continued through the end of the week. No additional wolves were caught and control work is done. MT WS Ted North and Stacy Courville (biologist with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe’s Fish and Wildlife Program) did extensive outreach with area ranchers having livestock in the area.
 

On the 28th, MT WS confirmed that a wolf killed a calf on the north end of the Centennial Valley.  Project personnel had a telemetry flight that morning and found the Freezeout Pack collared female in the same area. MTFWP authorized WS to remove up to 3 wolves. If the radio collared wolf is removed, WS will attempt to radio collar another pack member. Control will end once cattle are moved off summer grazing pastures in mid-October.
 

On 9/23/06 thru 9/25/06, ID WS used a helicopter to remove 6 wolves following livestock depredations in late August & September. Two of the wolves were taken on Lava Ridge in the Payette National Forest on the 23rd & 24th. The remaining 4 wolves were taken on Danskin Ridge in the Boise National Forest on the 25th.

On 9/2606, WY WS confirmed a 5th calf killed by wolves on private property, west of Meeteetse, WY. On 9/28/06, control was completed when WS removed 2 pups and a 2-year old female wolf from the Goose Berry Pack. Six wolves still remain in the pack.

Research

No news reported.

Information and Education and Law Enforcement

No news reported.

The Service's weekly wolf report can be viewed at http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov/ .  This report is government public property and can be used for any purpose.  Please distribute as you see fit.

Contact: Ed Bangs (406)449‑5225 x204 or ED_BANGS@FWS.GOV