Hastings,
That part of Lewis and Clark's journey was along a major Indian route over the Rockies. There were few game animals not because of wolves, but because of Indians, who constantly traveled the route during late spring, summer and early fall. They not only hunted along the route, but the horses they rode (and used to pack their gear and game), grazed the hell out of it. I've read various versions of the L&C journals several times, and cannot remember them seeing many (if any) wolves in that area.
Meanwhile, they had no difficulty living off wild game when they journeyed up and down the Missouri River through the plains--where they saw plenty of wolves near the very abundant bison herds. Along with buffalo, they also saw and ate plenty of deer and elk. However, some of today's anthropologists and historians suspect the abundant plains game was partially due to recent epidemics that killed off thousands of the major predators of the plains, the members of various tribes.
