Mexican Wolf Census Shows Continued Population Growth

by Michael Doyle, E&E News

The Mexican wolf population last year continued a remarkable surge in which the numbers of the federally protected species have now more than doubled since 2017, the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has announced.

The 241 documented Mexican wolves counted in Arizona and New Mexico mark the first time the population has exceeded 200 since the animals were reintroduced into the wild in 1998. The 2022 population estimate jumped from the minimum of 196 wolves in 2021 and added up to the seventh consecutive year of population growth.

“This milestone has been 25 years in the making,” Brady McGee, FWS Mexican Wolf Recovery Coordinator, said in a statement, adding that “in 2022, we recorded more packs, more breeding pairs, and a growing occupied range, proving we are on the path to recovery. “

The population is split between 136 wolves in New Mexico and 105 in Arizona.

Jim deVos, Arizona Game and Fish Department Mexican wolf coordinator, agreed that “recovery has accelerated at an amazing rate [as] by every possible measure, progress was made.”

DeVos cited, among other signs of progress, the fact that 31 breeding pairs produced 121 pups, of which 81 were documented to have survived to the time of the count.

The animal, considered a subspecies of the gray wolf, has been protected under the Endangered Species Act since 1976 (Greenwire, August 25, 2017).

Last December, FWS finalized a species recovery plan following litigation and the receipt of some 48,000 public comments.

The final plan includes conducting education and outreach in local communities within occupied Mexican wolf range in the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area and other areas in order to improve hunter, rancher and public tolerance of wolves. The plan also calls for livestock conflict avoidance measures in hot spots of depredation activity to reduce depredation-related wolf removals. Examples include pasture rotations of livestock, fence repair and maintenance, and range riders.

S K A A R E R

B R A N G U S

The Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area spans portions of Arizona and New Mexico (Greenwire, June 29, 2017).

The wolf census takes place between November and April, when wolf recovery team members conduct ground and aerial surveys, using remote cameras, scat collection and visual observation.

A minimum of 59 packs were documented at the end of 2022: 40 in New Mexico and 19 in Arizona. A wolf pack is defined as two or more wolves that maintain an established home range. There were 109 collared wolves in the wild at the end of the year, which is 45 percent of the wild population.

In addition to the minimum wild population, there are approximately 380 Mexican wolves currently maintained in more than 60 facilities throughout the United States and Mexico through the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan.

MAX BRYANT FRAZE was born October 2, 1939, at the family home in Dora, to the home of Zillah Florene (Ragland) and Ralph Benjamin Fraze, and died at his home at the edge of Portales, surrounded by his family on February 11, 2023.

Max grew up in Dora, and graduated from high school in 1958. While in school, he played basketball, baseball and ran track. He also was a member of FFA, showing steers, judging and doing a little bit of rodeoing.

Max attended Eastern New Mexico University for a year, but decided that was not the route he wanted to go.

For a time, he worked as a house mover in Albuquerque before being drafted into the US Army. At his basic training, he was rated “Expert” on the rifle range during the coldest winter on record at Ft. Carson, Colorado. Max served in Germany during his time of service, and because he was one of the few men able to type, he was assigned as a court reporter. Following his discharge, he returned to Portales, and on June 6, 1965, he was married to Sharon Savage.

He worked for New Mexico Gas Co. until 1969, when he went to work as a feed salesman for Moorman’s Livestock Feed Co. In 1971, they moved to the Clovis area and then when he was promoted to District Sales Manager in 1973, they moved to Grape Creek, Texas. He was promoted again in 1976 to the position of State Sales Manager, and at that time they moved to Roswell.

His district covered all of New Mexico, as well as part of Texas and Oklahoma, so in 1983, they moved to Clovis to be more centrally located. Max left Moorman’s in the early 1990’s and went to work for Positive Feed as a salesman.

In addition, he ran wheat cattle and worked for a time for his son, Wesley, on his son’s dairy. Shortly after Sharon’s death in 2008, he stopped working in sales, and devoted his time to breeding and selling race horses. As a matter of providence, one of the colts he bred, won a race on the very day that Max died.

On May 16, 2015, he was married to Marjorie Powers. Max was a lifelong member of the Baptist church, and for the past several years had attended the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Portales. He was a member of the New Mexico Horse Breeders Association, the American Quarter Horse Association, and the Elks Club in Clovis.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie of their home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Wade and Julie Fraze, Portales and Wes and Wende Fraze, Hico, Texas; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren expected later this spring; his sister, Wilma Buzard, Portales; and his wife’s children, Bryce (Courtney) Powers, Amarillo, Texas; Jo Lynn Powers, Portales; and Marla (Scott) Schumacher, Manassas, Virginia.

JAMES (JIM) CHARLES WOODS passed away at the age of 98 on February 16, 2023 at the Farwell Care and Rehabilitation Center surrounded by family. Jim was born to Charlie G. and Lucy Moss Woods on July 8, 1924 in Grady, New Mexico.

Jim would often reminisce about his early years. He had memories of riding in the back of a horse drawn wagon with his brothers and sister to go shopping in Clovis. A trip to town would take two days. The family had to stop and camp out overnight in the Frio Draw.

He remembered walking home from Grady at night and seeing lanterns hanging outside of dugouts made of dirt and tumbleweeds. Throughout his life, he could recall most of the families who homesteaded on nearly every quarter section around his house.

By the age of 8, Jim could milk cows and churn butter faster than his mom and dad. By 14, Jim was a hand at driving tractors and operating all types of machinery. In high school, Jim worked for the largest farmer in Curry County and was made foreman over a harvesting crew of grown men.

Jim would often recall the highlight of his senior year in high school. His basketball team achieved a notable victory taking 4th at the state championship over all school divisions playing half-court style basketball.

Jim graduated high school in 1944, married Margie Hellen Queener on June 1, 1944, and in July of 1944 enlisted to serve in WWII. Jim was a member of the 96th Division, 381st Infantry, M Company 1st Platoon, 1st Squad. From July 1944 until the war was won, Jim fought on front lines, as a No. 1 Machine Gunner, taking the high ground, shouldering the machine gun to cover the troops advancing behind him.

After the war ended and treaties were signed, Jim was honorably discharged in February 1946. When he came home from the war, Jim was interviewed and quoted as saying: “If you were going to get killed, you might as well get killed going forward. No use being killed sitting still.”

Jim exemplified all the qualities of our country’s “Greatest Generation.” Jim would often tell his family, “A lot of good men didn’t come home, so I tried to honor their memory by being the best I could.”

Despite his hard headed streak, Jim was liked and respected by his neighbors. Good fences make good neighbors and Jim built the best. The five-strand barb wire tamped wood post fence built by Jim was strong, true, and straight.

He had a calling—he was a farmer. “The Good Lord only made so much land, so I owed it to Him to take care of it.” It was often said, “No one could out work Jim Woods” and it remained true well into his 90s.

A work ethic and strength he passed on to his sons and grandchildren, who are all successful in their own right. Jim spent his life farming, ranching, and serving the community he loved. He served on the Grady School Board, Curry County Farm Service Agency Board and held many offices within the Grady United Methodist Church.

He was an active member of New Mexico Wheat Growers and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Jim would often say, and Margie would agree, that his greatest accomplishment was marrying her, his wife of 78 years. Together they lived a marriage of devotion, loving each other in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, until his final day.

Jim is survived by his wife, Margie, son Michael and wife Maureen, son Pat and wife Eva. He is also survived by his granddaughter Loralee (Mackenzie), and seven grandsons, Shannon (Stephanie), Toby, Charlie (Jen), Derek (Michele), Adam (Chelsa), Brandon (Haley), and Ryan (Ashlie) along with 12 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Grady Methodist Church, P.O. Box 21, Grady, NM 88120. Donations made in Jim’s honor will be used to help those in need.

Editor’s Note: Email caren@aaalivestock.com. Memorial donations may be sent to the Cattlegrowers’ Foundation, a 501(c)3, tax deductable charitable foundation serving the rights of ranch families and educating citizens on governmental actions, policies and practices. Cattlegrowers Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 7517, Albuquerque, NM 87194. The New Mexico Stockman runs memorials as a courtesy to its readers. If families & friends would like to see more detail, verbatim pieces must be emailed to us, & may be printed at 10¢ per word.

John M. Heckendorn, Vice President

1209 US Rt 66, Suite C, Moriarty, NM 87035-3422

Office: 505-832-5092 • Cell: 505-379-8212 www.cbcnm.bank