YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Another cold morning, though not as cold as yesterday with 8 degrees.  Today it was 12 and a little crisp.

I half expected the action to be on the Blacktail with the Lamars but heard early on that 926’s signal was in Little America and so kept driving – hoping fruitlessly that the pups were in the same area.

The unexpected happened – with no clue of the whereabouts of the wolves or who was around, I was driving along and spotted a black standing off in the distance.  I do so love moments like this – to just happen to see a wild wolf standing there.  Beautiful views of the pack, although the grey pup was missing.  970 looks huge and 969 looks fairly large but 907 is difficult to tell if she is pregnant.  The pack was as relaxed as I have ever seen them – very quiet and content.  Really good to see for a change, considering how much they have endured.

They moved on just a ways and we found them hazing some bison.  But, the bison raised tail and gave chase and so they moved on.  Eventually they showed up further west, hazing some more bison without success.  And, then they disappeared for awhile until we found them on the other side of the river.  Earlier I had noticed that there were so many elk – and wondered why they didn’t just go for them.  Well, they did.  The chase was on and compared to watching these guys hunt earlier in the year, they are doing well.  After singling out one elk a grey and black gave chase but were a little behind.  Then, all of the sudden a grey came out of no where, 907 I think, and she was hot on the heels.  We lost them as they went into the river corridor but eventually learned that the hunt was successful.  It was a great experience for a lot of folks to see wolves at work.

There was a grizzly to the west, up high at Slough Creek.  I know that the bears are out in force but really haven’t seen many yet.

We looked and looked for 926’s group but couldn’t find them.  One guy had them earlier at Floating Island but after that was just signals here and there.  The pups were still on the Blacktail, best we could tell.

I imagine that 821 of the PPP’s is denning or very close as they breed early.

Most of the bull elk have lost their antlers, but not all.  This guy had some fair re-growth already.  And, a case of scabies on his shoulders.

For some reason the pronghorn are appealing to me this spring and I have been photographing them quite a lot – in the Little America area.

A long nap – just conked out in a pullout, wrote a letter and then, with no wolves to see, I went for a hike up to Tower.  It was wonderful!

Things are picking up in the park, slowly.

Until tomorrow.

Deby