“Jewel” – Phantom Hill Wolf pack member B445
July 24, 2014
Here is another tragic story of a young Idaho wolf, cut down before she had a chance to live. I’ll continue to repost these stories the rest of the week in remembrance of the wolves and wolf packs we’ve lost at the hands of Wildlife Services, wolf hunts, ranching and poaching. We can’t forget them, they are why we are fighting this battle!
October 31, 2009
Jewel, a young beta female, of the Phantom Hill Wolf Pack in Idaho, was shot dead in the Eagle Creek drainage, north of Ketchum. She was only two years old but had already made her mark upon the pack. When the alpha female took an extended vacation this year, Jewel assumed “nanny duties”, caring for the pups during the alpha’s absence.
Jewel died for nothing yesterday. Here is her story from Western Watersheds Project website
Courtesy to Lynne Stone for photos and content.
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Lynne Stone documents her encounter with Jewel:
Over a week ago I was hiking north of Ketchum, when a young Phantom Hill Pack wolf trotted into view. From her appearance I knew she was B445, the most recently collared Phantom wolf. When my dog, Bo, noticed the wolf, he bounded after her, but when I called Bo back, the wolf stopped and turned around and continued to watch us with curiosity.
I had observed from afar, a few weeks before, when B445 was caught by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and collared. I watched through a spotting scope, as she woke up from being drugged, and staggered toward the rest of her pack.
Jewel (B445) © Lynne Stone 2007
B445 is often the nanny wolf to her younger brothers and sisters that make up this year’s pups, stepping into the role after Judith, B326 went on her adventure this year. At least three pups have been seen. There are probably more. I heard them howling recently at night and it sounded like three to four pups howling in response to the rest of the pack.
B445 was still shedding out her thick winter coat of fur when I saw her close-up. Now that weeks of rain (unusual for central Idaho!) has stopped, the weather is finally warm, and B445’s fur will soon be sleek.
During my recent eye-to-eye encounter with B445, I was never for a moment afraid. What I observed, was that B445 was very curious of us (my dog and self), as we were intruders into her pack’s territory. I thought of B445’s older sister, B326 – Judith, and how that this younger wolf, was certainly a jewel. Her beautiful silky movements, her intelligent, inquiring amber eyes — well, the name Jewel seemed to fit her.
http://www.westernwatersheds.org/issues/species/wolves/jewelphantomhillb445-jewel/
(All Idaho wolves when caught and radio-collared are given a number with the letter B preceding it.)
Photos and account © Lynne Stone 2009
Categories posted in: Wolf Wars, Idaho wolf hunt
Tags: Idaho wolf hunt, wolves in the crossfire, Jewel, Phantom Hill Pack, Lynne Stone, Western Watersheds Project
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Wolf And Wildlife Studies: Jay Mallonee (Independent Wolf Biologist)
Wolf Song of Alaska
Wolves in english ! Les loups en anglais !
WWP's Gray Wolf Page
Yellowstone To Yukon Conservation Initiative
Howling For Justice 
RIP sweetie…
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wildlife services is rogue bunch of fanatics. the whole thing should be overhauled, people fired, or simply eliminated!
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Why do the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, collar her, and then allow her to be shot? Because she is only 2 years old, they could have followed her movements for many years to come and really learnt about wolves. There is something amiss in Idaho!
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Very tragic. My heart aches for the loss of all these beautiful wolves. Collaring wolves gives these state wildlife agencies a more efficient way to kill wolves, and stems from the arrogant belief that we have a right to conquer and control nature. I often wish this insane culture would collapse so that all life can thrive again.
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I totally agree
We are a miserable group .. Him and deadliest predator on the planet !
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What a beauty you are, Jewel. Thank you, Lynne, for giving us a moment into the short life of this amazing wolf and for the remembrances of all the wolves and packs.
Heartbreaking.
May we look to the wild and all animals to learn how to be on this planet as it seems we humans haven’t been able to figure it out yet.
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Horrific. Just hope this can be stopped.
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Just yesterday, I led a field trip to the mountains where Jewel was born, raised and lived – and I will never forget her or her Phantom Hill Pack. Thank you, Nabeki – for remembering her and all the other wolves, wherever they lived.
Here in Idaho it’s hard to comprehend the contempt that the wolf haters have for wolves. Or, understand how so-called wildlife agencies work overtime to come up with ways to treat wolves with nearly the same cruelty/horror that was used when wolves were eradicated in the 1900’s. The only thing IDFG and the misnamed USDA agency Wildlife Services is not using is poison, not yet.
We cannot give up. This is tough work so we must be tough. The Governor of Idaho seems to be obsessed with eradicating all but 150 wolves from here so things are going to get even worse.
While my home state of Oregon is welcoming the first wolf pups born in the Southern Cascades since before I was born, here in Idaho wolf pups are treated like vermin – no mercy at all.
I don’t have answers on how to stop what is happening in Idaho to our wolves, but we have to keep publicizing it to the rest of the world, which I hope, is far more humane.
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I remembered well when you told me about Jewel, she was such a sweet girl. I know how much she meant to you and was so incredibly sad when they killed her. It’s almost unimaginable what they’re doing to wolves in Idaho. It’s a nightmare but as you said we can’t give up and have to keep telling their story to the world so that one day this madness will stop. Bless little Jewel. ❤
For the wolves, For the wild ones,
Nabeki
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RIP my sweet, a lifetime tortured, baby, cross the Rainbow Bridge
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She’s a beauty
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Ditto all of the above. It’s an outrage. We take everything from wild animals and all they want is a peaceful existence.
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