Three members of the Idaho, Twin Peaks Pack shot in control action.
January 27, 2000, update 2-5-00
The Twin Peaks Pack, which has been one of the most remote wolf packs in Idaho, came down to civilization recently and killed a calf at Kurt Hurless' place near Clayton, Idaho and chased his horses.
As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, authorized "lethal control" of some of the pack, and today Wildlife Services shot three of the pack. Three uncollared wolves were killed -- two sub-adults and a pup.
The pack formed during 1996-7 in the remote headwaters of Warm Springs Creek/Loon Creek on the eastern edge of the Frank Church Wilderness. There are plenty of winter deer and elk in the area for a wolf pack, even one as large as this one. However, this winter they moved over the mountains and south to the main fork of the Salmon River between Stanley and Challis, Idaho near the small hamlet of Clayton.
The Post Register had an interesting story about the wolves, Ranchers angry at wolf attacks on livestock, By Candace Burns. I knew the wolves were hanging around Hurless property, and there was going to be an effort install a siren that is activated when a radio collared wolf is nearby (three wolves in the pack are collared). However, events overtook the effort to be preemptive. I understand the device may still be installed if the wolves do not leave the area.
Control actions on packs where several members are shot have, in my opinion, generally been successful at stopping or reducing depredations. Hopefully Wildlife Services shot the wolves they intended and the pack will stay away from cattle, or head back to Loon Creek where there is plenty of elk steak and no cows. There are plenty of wintering deer and elk in the general area of Clayton, but also a number of small bottomland ranches. The pack may have tasted beef from consuming the afterbirth of several calves. This is the time of the year when the first calves are born and/or aborted calves appear. The control action has not yet officially been declared to have ended.
It was my great pleasure to hear this pack howl in 1997 when I hiked up to the Buffalo Hump area near the top of Squaw Creek.
Update Feb. 4, 2000. Well the wolves did not head back over the mountain to Loon Creek. They have remained in the area, and killed two bull elk upon which they have been feeding. They are still within a mile or so of Hurless property. Meanwhile, the "gizmo" which emits sounds of gunfire, followed by people yelling when a radio-collared wolf approaches, has been installed on Hurless property.
Hurless's cows are calving (about 60 so far), and he is very concerned about further wolf depredation, although the fact that the wolves have killed elk should be a good sign. There are plenty of wintering deer and elk in area.
The Idaho Cattle Association is claiming the wrong wolves were shot. According to the rumor the pack numbered 13, not eleven, and five wolves split and went east, and it was from these the 3 were shot. From my investigation there is no factual basis to this rumor, although I can not rule it out entirely.
There has been a lot of uproar over this one small dead calf, but this often happens when wolves enter a new area and kill some livestock.
Added Feb. 5, 2000. Story in the Challis Messenger. Three wolves shot after killing calf, chasing horses by Todd Adams; also Will wolf shooting scare Twin Peaks pack away? by Todd Adams
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