From: Gray Wolf Recovery Coordinator, Helena, MT
Subject: Status of Gray Wolf Recovery, Week of 6/11/07 to 6/15/07
NEW WEB ADDRESS - The 2007 annual interagency wolf report (covering all 2006) can be viewed at http://westerngraywolf.fws.gov/annualreports.htm . 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 information.
Monitoring
Nate Borg and officer Ben Cadwallader (IDFG) verified 2-3 gray pups in the Timberline Pack. Carter Niemeyer and Nate attempted to collar a wolf in the Scott Mt. pack. Crews continue to attempt to verify new packs and collar new wolves. Several new packs have been identified so far this year.A NPT crew scouted for the O'Hara Point pack north of Elk City, ID, but this pack did not use their traditional den/rendezvous site for the second consecutive year. Wolf sign was located throughout the home range, but further effort or public/agency reports will be needed to determine reproductive status and enhance a capture operation for this uncollared pack.
That same crew also located the Red River pack, with the aid of a wolf caught by a coyote trapper during winter. B318 was initially believed to be a member of the O'Hara Point pack, but was found at a Red River rendezvous site where 3-4 pups were heard howling, along with 1-2 adults (not B318). Based on public sightings this pack may contain 8-11 members.
Another NPT crew obtained pup counts on the Eldorado Creek pack (minimum 4 gray pups) and the Bimerick Meadows pack (minimum 4 gray pups). This crew was going to survey the Tom Beal Peak area, the Lochsa pack home range (uncollared since the disappearance of B256), and then attempt to do reproductive work on the Eagle Mountain pack.
Jim and Holly Akenson and Taylor Ranch Field Station interns observed 4 gray pups with the Golden Creek pack. Thank you to all for your help with this Wilderness pack.
Holyan conducted flights on 6/14 and 6/15 from McCall. Mack conducted a flight out of Grangeville, ID, on either 6/14 or 6/15.
On the 14th Trapp [MFWP] provided Less-Than-Lethal munition and wolf sign identification training to ranch riders south of Roscoe, MT.
Control
Wildlife Services confirmed 6 sheep killed and 5 injured (2 will likely die) by wolves in the Medicine Lodge area southwest of Dillon on 6/8 and 6/9. Wildlife Services has traps out and is attempting to collar a wolf to determine whether a pack or individual wolves are responsible. No known packs are in this area.On Tuesday, June 5th, Ed Cummings shot a wolf (non-breeding adult female) under 10j that was bothering his cattle on his ranch near Florence (Bitterroot Valley). Wildlife Services confirmed a calf killed on the ranch the same day. On the 6th another calf was confirmed killed by wolves and WS killed 1 wolf (a 2 year old male) later that evening. Another calf was found and confirmed killed on the 7th, though it had likely been killed a couple days earlier. WS camped on the carcasses that night but no wolves came back in. An SOS permit has been issued to Ed for a total of 2 wolves. WS left traps out over the weekend but nothing else has been caught or killed yet. Ed claims at least 5 other calves killed over the course of 2 weeks prior to his reporting his incident on the 5th but none were investigated. Likewise a neighbor is also claiming 5 calves lost to wolves this spring. Efforts are ongoing to remove at least 2 more wolves from the Brooks Creek pack.
On Tuesday June 5th, Wildlife Services caught and collared a gray yearling male wolf on the Arrow Hill ranch e. of Hamilton (Skalkaho pack). Efforts will continue this week to kill up to 2 wolves out of this pack. A calf was confirmed killed on the property on May 23rd. This same ranch also had a confirmed depredation last fall.
As part of ongoing control efforts in response to a depredation east of
Hamilton on May 23, Wildlife Services killed an adult female wolf on Monday, June 11th out of the Skalkaho pack. FWP asked WS to collar 1 wolf and kill 2 wolves. One wolf was collared on June 5th and one more wolf is slated for removal.
On 6/9, ID WS confirmed that wolves killed a yeanling calf on private land near Cascade, ID. A control action was already ongoing from a previous depredation that occurred on Memorial Day. On 6/15, ID WS, confirmed another depredation on a calf at the same property.
On 6/11, ID WS confirmed that a wolf killed a sheep on private land near Leadore, ID. This same producer has had several confirmed wolf depredations this Spring and two wolves have already been removed. A control action is underway to stop the depredation activity.
On 6/11, ID WS confirmed that wolves attacked and injured a Great Pyrenees guard dog on private land South of New Meadows, ID. A control action was already ongoing at the site after several confirmed depredations on sheep.
On 6/13, ID WS confirmed that wolves killed a sheep and probably killed another sheep on a Payette National Forest grazing allotment West of New Meadows. A control action is underway to stop the depredation activity.
Research
No research updates were reported this week.
Information/Education and Law Enforcement
On the 8th, FWP Sime, Bradley, Long, Kolbe, Crowser, Jonkel, Weisner, and Smucker met with members of the Blackfoot Challenge board in Ovando to discuss recent wolf activiities in the Blackfoot and future direction and ideas for improving communication and collaboration to help reduce conflicts in the valley.Smucker and Bassing met with the Blackfoot Challenge wildlife committee on June 6th and reported on recent wolf scouting and monitoring activities in the Blackfoot Valley.
Italian wolf biologist Luigi Boitani visited Idaho compliments of Univ. of Idaho Cooperative Research Unit and IDFG. Professor Boitani gave an excellent presentation on the “challenges and experiences of wolf management in Europe” to about 50 biologists and interested citizens at Boise State on June 13, and discussed issues with biologists at a reception afterwards. IDFG had their second Stakeholder Wolf Working Group meeting on June 14. Stakeholders represented in the group included the Idaho Cattlemen’s assoc., Idaho Woolgrowers, Idaho Outfitters and Guides, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Sportsman Caucus Alliance Council, Defenders of Wildlife and Idaho Conservation League. The meeting was facilitated by Director Cal Groen and Department biologists, WS, and NP Tribe were there to provide information and listen to input from the stakeholders. The directive of the group is to assist the Department in developing a Wolf Hunting Management Plan.
The Service’s weekly 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 ext. 204 or Ed_Bangs@fws.gov