The End of Idaho's Bear Valley Pack

2/14/1999

For two years the Bear Valley Pack or "group" or "trio" wandered central Idaho's backcountry between the Middle Fork of the Salmon on the east and Deadwood Reservoir on the west. Mostly they hung out in the elk rich Bear Valley Creek area. 

This was an odd combination -- three adult wolves -- B19M, B28M, and B30F. They never produced pups. Finally in the late spring of 1998, the 2 nd male, B19M, left the Trio, but still there were no pups.  In 1998, B19M inhabited the lower reaches of Loon Creek and vicinity. This is a long tributary of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. At times there were reports he had found a mate, but in early January 1999 he was found dead in the upper reaches of Loon Creek, apparently killed for territorial transgression by the Twin Peaks Pack, the product of a pair of wolves that had long lived in that location and who had their first litter in 1998.

Meanwhile the radio collar of B30F went into mortality mode in a remote location. Her body has not been recovered. Since then her companion, and possible mate, B28M has wandered north into the Stanley Basin area into the territory of the large Stanley Basin Pack.

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