YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Yesterday, our big story was the hunt, which turned out to be an all day event.

Around mid-morning I was driving past the den area when I suddenly saw some elk running and watched as one bowed its back and nearly went down.  MacNeil was behind me and he saw the wolf either close to the elk or attached to its rear.  We kept watching and could see that the elk and some bison were nervous but could not see the wolves.

That was about the time that Bill called to say that he had just seen a black run across the road to the south.  We didn’t go right away because we did not hear the part about 3 elk running ahead of her (the wolf turned out to be 926).

When I did finally decide to see what was happening, I discovered 926 in some bushes, across Soda Butte Creek from a young cow elk that had a deep wound to its right inner thigh.

Some bison were headed towards 926, which prompted her to get up and move.  Believe me, the bison were no help during the course of the day.  She swam across the river and approached the elk but she tried to clobber the wolf with her hooves before jumping back in the river.

I had a front row seat to watch 926 try to hunt the elk.  Several times she got up and chased her in the cold water.  The elk got pretty smart about knowing right where to jump back in the creek because the strong current swept 926 down stream every time.  But, our little black wolf got right back up and resumed her hunt.

Like I said, the bison were not much help to the wolf and she had to stay out of their way and watch her back while trying to hunt.

When 926 got back up on the shore at least one bison tried to chase her.

And so the day went.  Though, at one point, the elk went around the curve in the creek and ended up further away from us, after which viewing and photography became difficult.

We watched all day.  A huge crowd gathered but at least every other car asked me where Scarface was.  I did get some pleasure of telling them that he was at the next pullout.

During the course of the hunt we heard the others howl only once from the den area.  I joked that between Scarface lingering close by and the guys in the den – they were all just wondering when dinner would be served.

I left fairly late, after 926 left the elk and returned to her den.  Today I was told that at 8:11 a.m., 926 came back down to the elk and had evidently finished it off since there was food out there.  But, later, Rick told me that the other three Lamars did come down and the elk was killed immediately.  I hate to see anything suffer so was glad to hear that the elk’s did not go on all night.  The carcass was nearly finished this morning and Scarface was on his way east.  Twin did come in but I left.

Later this evening Bill found 4 Junctions on the skyline in Lamar.  I eventually went that way, when the wolves came down closer (but not close enough) and was able to see 890, 911, 970 and 969.  They did some hunting and wandering.

I left the JB’s and returned to the den area where I discovered that Spit and Twin had gone south.  Only, it turned out to be the Lamar Yearling, now thought to be Big T, that was with Twin.  So good to see them getting along well.  The yearling and Twin headed out across the way and eventually went towards Cache Creek where 926 joined them.

What a thrill it was to see my first one on one greeting with mother and daughter, since she returned.  They licked and liked each other and then went about their way – traveling off on a new adventure with full bellies.