I checked out where the wolf poisoning happened
 

6-17-2005.
 

Fish and Wildlife Service LE officials reportedly say (according to the Associated Press) that they are stumped about the poisoning of wolf B204M, near Clear Creek and the boundary of the Frank Church Wilderness.

I decided to go check out the crime scene.

This Idaho poison site is not like the Wagonhammer Springs site where poison meatballs were set out over a year ago, killing dogs and other animals. Wagonhammer Springs is right on US 93 and is sort of a picnic/rest area where an incautious and maybe poorly planned poisoner would strike -- throw the stuff around while no cars are pulled up and hope a wolf comes by.

Clear Creek, on the other hand, is accessible only after a long drive down the Salmon River Forest Service road to the mouth of Panther Creek and then about 5 miles up Panther Creek to the Clear Creek Trailhead.

Panther Creek is a major creek and crossing over it to the Clear Creek trail on its west side requires a major ford in early May, when the poison was likely planted. The trailhead and the trail to the mouth of Clear Creek, and all visitors, are plainly visible to passing traffic on the gravel road Panther Creek road.

There is one alternative. Upstream about a half mile there is a private bridge passing over the creek onto a parcel of private property and a cabin. From the cabin it is an easy walk downstream to the west side of Panther Creek right up into Clear Creek. Entering Clear Creek anywhere but near its mouth is not feasible in May due to high mountains with snow.

I suspect then that whoever did this knew there was a wolf in the area and took advantage of good wading skills or the private bridge (perhaps at night). They were also around enough to notice a lone wolf. That means they were around the area a lot because they would have to notice the wolf often enough to prompt the acquisition of the poison, make the bait, and deploy it where the wolf frequented -- an otherwise very unlikely place to put poison.

See photos below.

Below. The trailhead. Notice the red fishermen's vehicle at left. I easily watched them.

Some folks may recall that the giant Clear Creek Fire of 2000 came out of this area to become the  largest fire in the U.S. that bad fire summer (over 300,000 acres).

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  Copyright © 2005  Ralph Maughan

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