Winter hunting patterns of wolves in and near Glacier National Park, Montana

Wolves (Canis lupus) will become an important mortality factor on ungulate populations as they recolonize the western United States. Innovative means of altering the wolf-ungulate dynamic to enhance either prey security or the predator population may be necessary to meet management objectives. From 1990 to 1996, we examined multiscale factors affecting hunting success of wolves during winter in a multi-prey system in northwestern Montana and southeastern British Columbia, Canada. Within their home ranges, wolves concentrated their hunting in wintering areas of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). They used areas with features that facilitated travel (low snow and vegetative cover) and habitats that were favored by deer. Along their travel routes, wolves killed deer in areas with higher densities of deer and lower densities of elk (Cervus elaphus) and moose (Alces alces) than expected, based on occurrence of these prey. They killed deer in areas with greater hiding-stalking cover, less slope, and closer to water than expected, based on occurrence along wolf travel routes. More deer were killed in the main valley bottom and ravines than in other landscape classes located along travel routes. Within deer home ranges, wolves killed more deer at flatter sites and at sites with lower densities of deer.