Estimates and Info on Year 2000 Wolf Packs

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Estimates and Info on Year 2000 Packs

April 25, 2000, latest update Dec. 12, 2000

Here are the running statistics on the packs in the Northern Rockies for the year 2000. Red is the latest.

Yellowstone (11 breeding pairs, 2 maybe, 3 no.
At least 75 pups total last May. Current wolf pop est. is a minimum of 165)

Pack or pair Denned
Breeding pair in 1999

Comments

Chief Joseph yes yes Was controlled last year and had many dispersals. The pack had a new den site this year. Unlike the past when it denned on divide between Daly Creek and Black Butte Creek, this year's den was outside (north of) the Park in a very bad location. The alpha male, no. 34M, and a yearling were captured and released near Grant Village in the southern half of Yellowstone. They immediately returned to the den site. Efforts were made to capture more of the pack, but he Chief Joe pack has moved back to safe Yellowstone territory on its own. . . . They have pretty much remained in their traditional YNP range since they returned from their badly chosen den site. They were recently observed near West Yellowstone. 6 adults and 6 pups.

Crystal Creek no no The long-time alpha female no. 5F may be too old. In fact she has left pack, and the pack also suffered dispersals. No. 5 had only one pup in 1999. The father is not known. It is not known if the pup survived. There were no pups born in 2000.

Druid Peak yes yes The pups at the Amethyst Creek den site were 42F's and maybe also 103F's. These were all been moved to the den of the late 40F, killed by her pack. One pup may have drowned in the movement. 106F of the pack had a second separate litter at a new den site about a mile NE from the traditional Druid Peak den site. In all 21 pups were eventually born in, or taken to, the pack's traditional den site on Druid Peak. Amazingly as of December 20 of these are still alive. 7 adults, 20 pups.

Gros Ventre yes yes Denned in deep timber. There are five pups. The beta female and one previously unknown member of the pack were killed by the government this summer after killed several cow calves. 7-8 adults, 3-4 pups.

Leopold yes yes 3-5 adults, 8-10 pups.

Nez Perce yes yes This has become a very large pack with 14 adults and 8 pups.

Rose Creek yes yes No. 18F, the alpha female has her den at her mother's (no. 9's) traditional den site. Alpha male, no. 8M was found dead of natural causes in the summer of 2000. This pack had a double litter. The pack is increasingly fragmented. 16 adults, 11 pups.

Sheep Mountain no no This pack was heavily controlled (6 killed) last year. Still it should be a viable pack. It did not count as a breeding pair in '99 because the alpha male was terminated. The pack has now been captured and is in "shock therapy" at Ted Turners ranch. ~~One member is still at large.~~ She has been killed by Wildlife Services after numerous unsuccessful attempts to dart her. The captured alpha female, no. 16F, died of overhandling in the early course of the experiment. The 3 remaining members of the pack were released after 6 months of conditioning into their traditional territory near Dome Mountain on Dec. 5. If they kill any livestock again, all three wolves will be shot.

Soda Butte no
yes
no This was to have been the year when 14F found another mate and had her first litter in 3 years, but she was killed by a moose in early April.
In a big surprise a lone pup was spotted from the air on 5/29!

It turns out the pack has 7 pups! 126F is the new alpha female. There are 6 adults.

Sunlight Basin yes yes Denned near where they denned last year (in deep timber). There are four black pups. 6 adults, 4 pups.

Teton no no Apparently the "new" wolf in this pack was not a male that successfully mated with 24F (14F's lone daughter from 1995). This pack did not count as a breeding pair in '99 because the alpha male was killed on the highway. This pack has been roaming widely. They have set up a very large territory this year, ranging from near Moran Jct in GTNP to 80 miles southeastward in the upper Green River. A member of the pack was recently killed under suspicious circumstances. 1 adult, 5-6 yearlings.

~~"Valentine"~~
This will probably not be the official name. In fact they may end up as two packs.
153's pack has been named Absaroka and 9's, Beartooth
yes new 153F and and 164M denned in deep timber. Absaroka Pack. 2 adults, 3-5 pups.
Famous no. 9F, was thought to have denned alone and lost her pups, because she was seen far from her den hunting alone. . . but, no. She is with another wolf, a large gray wolf. She does hunt over a wide area, but she always returns to the same timbered spot

Pups are still NOT confirmed for no. 9.

"Swan Lake Pack" not yet an official name yes new 152F and mate + 5 pups. She originated with the Leopold Pack. All seven members of the pack are gray. They are frequently being heard at Mammoth Hot Springs.

"Taylor Peaks" yes new 115F and 2 other adult wolves. She was from Chief Joseph Pack.. They are in the lower Madison Valley (near the Gravelly Range). 3 adults, 4 pups.

Wall Creek (Gravelly Range)
yes new There is clearly a new pack near the Wall Creek State Game area on the northern end of the Gravellys. Both the male and female are uncollared. Pups are maybe.

Idaho (16 packs with pups initially , but only 8 now qualify as "breeding pairs." A minimum of 191 wolves)

Pack or pair Denned
Breeding pair in 1999

Comments

Big Hole no yes Apparently no pups in 2000.

Chamberlain Basin yes yes Breeding pair for 1997, 98, and 99. Pups are now confirmed for 2000. It turns out this pack had a double litter, and the second litter is a new pack--"Chamberlain II". Chamberlain II has become a separate pack. Chamberlain I has 6 pups.

Jureano Mountain (II?)
So far the pack is being called "Jureano"
old pack extinct

no Had numerous pups in 1997, 1998 and 1999, but the pack was eliminated through control. However, a pair, including a radio-collared female from the old pack, moved into the old Jureano territory and denned. Pups are confirmed, but the Clear Creek Fire, now at 216,000 acres, has burned most of their territory. It turns out the Clear Creek burn was large, but spotty, with much area inside the fire's perimeter lightly to unburned. This pack of 6 has 4 pups and 2 adults. The alpha female is a member of the old pack's 1997 litter. B46F. Therefore there is genetic continuity.

Kelly Creek yes yes Two pups are confirmed.

Landmark yes yes They denned in lower Loon Creek (formerly territory of the Twin Peaks Pack). 8 pups. I think this is a big pack.

Moyer Basin yes yes Five pups.

Selway Pack yes yes 2 pups in 1997, none in 1998, 1 pup in 1999. Four pups have been identified for 2000.

Snow Peak ? no Pups in 1998, but 1999. Original alpha male may have died prior to mating season for 1999. May have new alpha male. All members of this pack have lost radio collars. The status of the pack is not known.

Stanley Basin yes yes Denned in the foothills of the White Clouds Mountains (west side) near Fisher Creek. This is the most visible Idaho wolf pack and is in great jeopardy because all of the sheep and cattle in the area during summer, plus cattle on the ungulate winter range in the East Fork of the Salmon River. The alpha male was trapped this summer and relocated to northern Idaho. A subordinate member of the pack was trapped and killed.
There are 7 pups and 10 adults, but the pack seems to have split into 2 or 3 groups. It has done this in the wintertime in years past. This is not a breeding pair due to the relocation of the alpha male. In retrospect, this was not a good idea, the alpha male was not killing livestock. I think he was relocated because they captured him, and they were under pressure at the time to do something.

Thunder Mountain yes yes Three pups.

Twin Peaks
(Have been renamed the Mt. Haggen Pair due to their relocation and subsequent movement to the area just south of Anaconda, MT)
maybe yes Pack destroyed by control, alpha pair moved to Selway/Bitterroot Wilderness. Female was pregnant. By late summer this pair, which many had though were lost, had moved far east to Anaconda, Montana. Pups were suspected, but never confirmed. Now the alpha pair has disappeared (this probably means they have moved again).

White Clouds Pups yes; but this is no longer a breeding pair yes Pack destroyed, alpha pair moved far north to Lochsa River. Alpha male later killed in accidental control when he returned to the pack's home range.. Female was near term pregnant, may have had pups, but prospects regarded as slim.
The alpha female was located in July on the Idaho/Montana border near Lost Trail Pass with two pups! Two of her packmates (B63 and B86) have been located in the Big Hole Valley, Montana. That's not far from Lost Trail Pass, but these two are not associating with her or with each other.

She has 2 pups.

~~"Timberline Pair"~~ ~~new ?~~ - ~~This pair lives above Boise, Idaho. Have not been observed.~~

B45F and mate new no This is the female wolf who went to Oregon. She was born in 1997 to the now extinct Jureano Mountain pack She has been with another wolf for almost a year, but despite ample observation no pups have been observed.

Wildhorse Pack

(In the Pioneer Mts of SE central Idaho)
new no (new) This pack is led by B2M, "Chat-Chaaht" in Nez Perce (yes this wolf from the 1995 reintroduction was been found after missing about 3 years) and B66F (a disperser from the Stanley Pack). These are now the most southerly known wolves in Idaho.
I was pleased to hear them howl on July 11. I was backpacking in the Pioneer Mtns. They have just 1 pup and are, therefore, this pack of 3 is not considered a breeding pair.

Orphan pack. new no (new) B28M (originally of the Bear Valley Trio) and B61F (originally of the Stanley Pack). They have one pup, and are, therefore, the pack if 3 is not considered a breeding pair.

Whitehawk Pack new no (new) This is a new pack with one pup. It consists of two radio collared wolves that dispersed from the Moyer Basin Pack -- B40M and B47M. Because they are brothers they are obviously not the alpha pair. Last fall 4 adult wolves of unknown origin (Landmark?) joined with these two. Now with the sole pup, this should be a pack of 7. The pack inhabits upper Bear Valley Creek, Elk Creek, Capehorn Creek, and Marsh Creek (some overlap with the Landmark Pack)
This pack has now occupied most of the territory the Stanley Pack used in 1997-8 before the Stanley Pack voluntarily moved to the south and the Sawtooth Valley.

~~Soldier Mountains~~
Big Smoky Pack
new no (new) Wolf 57M, formerly of the Thunder Mountain Pack, was trapped and radio-collared in Big Smoky Creek of the Soldier Mountains, 10 miles NE and over the mountains from Fairfield. The pack has six pups. Some think this pack is derived from native wolves in the state since the early 1990s. Dec. update. B57M was found shot in late Nov. about 10 statue miles SW of Hailey. A reward of $4000 is being offered.

Marble Creek new no (new) This new pack is the most northerly in Idaho and has a territory adjacent to the Snow Peak Pack. Wolf B48M (a disperser from the Kelly Creek Pack) may be the alpha male. There are at least 2 pups.

New interstate pack near upper Selway River/Painted Rocks Reservoir Just discovered pack ? November reports indicate an uncollared pack with pups (minimum of 9 wolves seen) north of Painted Rocks Lake along the Idaho/Montana border SW of Sula, MT. That area has been suspected of having an uncollared pack for at least 2 years now. This pack is not being counted for 2000 due to little information.

Wolf Fang Pack new yes This is another recently discovered pack. The pack was founded this year by a disperser from the Stanley Pack, B38F and an uncollared wolf. They have 5 pups. The Wolf Fang Pack is named after a prominent peak near the western edge of the Frank Church Wilderness.

NW Montana & Extreme N. Idaho (7 probable or certain breeding pairs and 4 maybe/likely Minimum population is 71 wolves, a big comeback!)

Montana's wolf population has had a hard time, even though it was once thought it would be the first area to make ten pairs. The winter of 1996-7 decimated the white-tailed deer population and the wolf population plunged down to just 4 breeding pairs. There were five breeding pairs in 1999. 2000 is another comeback year. The deer population is booming, but what will the winter of 2000-2001 bring after summer's drought?

Pack or pair Denned
Breeding pair in 1999

Comments

Boulder yes yes Radio collar on Alpha male was lost late in 1999. The pack has been relocated and they have pups. Pack believed to have 4 adults and 6 pups.

Graves Creek yes yes 4 adults and at least 2 pups.

Little Wolf yes yes 3 members recently killed in control action this year. Pups are maybe.

Murphy Lake yes yes 7 wolves as of Feb. 2000. 5 adults and 5 pups Dec. 2000

Ninemile yes yes This a long-standing and fabled wolf pack. It had 8 adults and 5 pups summer 2000. 5 adults and 5 pups Dec. 2000.

South Camas
Now called the "Camas Pack" because the North Camas is no more.

yes
no The long time alpha female died in 1999 naturally at age of 12 years. This was once a pack of 23 but may be dying.
The pack has been renewed. There are 4 adults and 3 pups.

Spotted Bear yes no This was formerly the Bass Creek Pack, and spent most of 1999 in captivity in McCall, Idaho. Released Nov '99 on Spotted Bear River. A local lone wolf immediately joined the pack to become alpha male. This was reminiscent of the story of the Rose Creek Pack in Nov. 1995. Four adults and 4 pups Dec. 2000.

~~Wigwam~~ ? ?

Whitefish yes ? probable 5 adults and 5 pups.

New pair north of Lincoln, MT
Has been named the Alice Creek Pack
? new They are an uncollared Pack. Pups are probable, but not certain.

New pair in the Danaher area of Bob Marshall Wilderness
Danaher Pack
yes new Pups are maybe. This too is an uncollared pack.

Thompson Falls ? new There are unconfirmed, but persistent reports of 3 wolves in the vicinity of Thompson Falls.

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Pack or pair	Denned	Breeding pair in 1999	Comments
Chief Joseph	yes	yes	Was controlled last year and had many dispersals. The pack had a new den site this year. Unlike the past when it denned on divide between Daly Creek and Black Butte Creek, this year's den was outside (north of) the Park in a very bad location. The alpha male, no. 34M, and a yearling were captured and released near Grant Village in the southern half of Yellowstone. They immediately returned to the den site. Efforts were made to capture more of the pack, but he Chief Joe pack has moved back to safe Yellowstone territory on its own. . . . They have pretty much remained in their traditional YNP range since they returned from their badly chosen den site. They were recently observed near West Yellowstone. 6 adults and 6 pups.
Crystal Creek	no	no	The long-time alpha female no. 5F may be too old. In fact she has left pack, and the pack also suffered dispersals. No. 5 had only one pup in 1999. The father is not known. It is not known if the pup survived. There were no pups born in 2000.
Druid Peak	yes	yes	The pups at the Amethyst Creek den site were 42F's and maybe also 103F's. These were all been moved to the den of the late 40F, killed by her pack. One pup may have drowned in the movement. 106F of the pack had a second separate litter at a new den site about a mile NE from the traditional Druid Peak den site. In all 21 pups were eventually born in, or taken to, the pack's traditional den site on Druid Peak. Amazingly as of December 20 of these are still alive. 7 adults, 20 pups.
Gros Ventre	yes	yes	Denned in deep timber. There are five pups. The beta female and one previously unknown member of the pack were killed by the government this summer after killed several cow calves. 7-8 adults, 3-4 pups.
Leopold	yes	yes	3-5 adults, 8-10 pups.
Nez Perce	yes	yes	This has become a very large pack with 14 adults and 8 pups.
Rose Creek	yes	yes	No. 18F, the alpha female has her den at her mother's (no. 9's) traditional den site. Alpha male, no. 8M was found dead of natural causes in the summer of 2000. This pack had a double litter. The pack is increasingly fragmented. 16 adults, 11 pups.
Sheep Mountain	no	no	This pack was heavily controlled (6 killed) last year. Still it should be a viable pack. It did not count as a breeding pair in '99 because the alpha male was terminated. The pack has now been captured and is in "shock therapy" at Ted Turners ranch. ~~One member is still at large.~~ She has been killed by Wildlife Services after numerous unsuccessful attempts to dart her. The captured alpha female, no. 16F, died of overhandling in the early course of the experiment. The 3 remaining members of the pack were released after 6 months of conditioning into their traditional territory near Dome Mountain on Dec. 5. If they kill any livestock again, all three wolves will be shot.
Soda Butte	no yes	no	This was to have been the year when 14F found another mate and had her first litter in 3 years, but she was killed by a moose in early April. In a big surprise a lone pup was spotted from the air on 5/29! It turns out the pack has 7 pups! 126F is the new alpha female. There are 6 adults.
Sunlight Basin	yes	yes	Denned near where they denned last year (in deep timber). There are four black pups. 6 adults, 4 pups.
Teton	no	no	Apparently the "new" wolf in this pack was not a male that successfully mated with 24F (14F's lone daughter from 1995). This pack did not count as a breeding pair in '99 because the alpha male was killed on the highway. This pack has been roaming widely. They have set up a very large territory this year, ranging from near Moran Jct in GTNP to 80 miles southeastward in the upper Green River. A member of the pack was recently killed under suspicious circumstances. 1 adult, 5-6 yearlings.
~~"Valentine"~~ This will probably not be the official name. In fact they may end up as two packs. 153's pack has been named Absaroka and 9's, Beartooth	yes	new	153F and and 164M denned in deep timber. Absaroka Pack. 2 adults, 3-5 pups. Famous no. 9F, was thought to have denned alone and lost her pups, because she was seen far from her den hunting alone. . . but, no. She is with another wolf, a large gray wolf. She does hunt over a wide area, but she always returns to the same timbered spot Pups are still NOT confirmed for no. 9.
"Swan Lake Pack" not yet an official name	yes	new	152F and mate + 5 pups. She originated with the Leopold Pack. All seven members of the pack are gray. They are frequently being heard at Mammoth Hot Springs.
"Taylor Peaks"	yes	new	115F and 2 other adult wolves. She was from Chief Joseph Pack.. They are in the lower Madison Valley (near the Gravelly Range). 3 adults, 4 pups.
Wall Creek (Gravelly Range)	yes	new	There is clearly a new pack near the Wall Creek State Game area on the northern end of the Gravellys. Both the male and female are uncollared. Pups are maybe.