Wolves continue to kill
Submitted by Steve Alder
These pictures were taken during four separate trips within just an 11-day period from 2-28-2008 through 3-9-2008. The location of the predation was along a small section of road at Orogrande Creek, which empties into the North Fork of the Clearwater River in North Central Idaho.
Idaho Fish & Game officials put a gate in below Pine Creek banning access to the river where the majority of the elk winter, claiming snowmobilers might cause trauma and undue stress to the elk.
This small section of this huge country is indicative of how severe the predation has been this winter as elk have been trapped by deep snow and are easily killed by wolves.
This elk was killed above the road and a bloody trail indicated where the wolves drug it down to the road. It was found that most of these elk in this area were killed by a pack of six wolves. Their killing strategy was very sophisticated. Four of the six wolves in the pack would run above the road in heavy timber where the elk would be located and flank the elk downhill towards the road where the two remaining wolves would be strategically located to cut off and make a frontal assault on the elk if necessary. Photo by Lewis Turcott
This cow had been “gutted” on the run and ran into the creek for safety where it eventually died. Due to the cold water the wolves won’t feed on, it as they have many more elk in the area to kill that will die in warmer conditions. Photo by Lewis Turcott
Photo from January of 1997 before the wolves found our large elk herds and began the devastation. This photo was taken along the North Fork of the Clearwater River in North Central Idaho. A courteous snowmobiler stops to allow the elk to move along in front of him as to minimize any undue stress on these wintering animals. Photo by Lewis Turcott