Wild Memories Photography Tours

After a lot of days of pure, sweet quiet in Yellowstone, today kind of erupted like a mini volcano teasing the final blow.

When I arrived in Little America watchers were watching the Junctions on a faraway hill.  I could clearly see some milling about but had heard that the Lamars might be in town and so went further east.  The Lamar Canyons had been gone for about 12 days and I was anxious to see how they were doing.

In Lamar some folks had gotten a glimpse of a couple of wolves and so we began looking.  Nine Lamars were eventually found north of the ranch, way up on a hill.  Rick had signals for 965 but we did not see him.  And, still no sign of the second black pup – I fear that my little wandering sweetheart is gone.

The wolves continued higher and to my eye I thought that they were looking some better – well-fed and more fur.  But, some of that could be winter fur.  I thought that the pups looked larger and that they were feeling a bit better.  Rick thought that everyone looked about the same except for Little T, who he thought had lost more fur on the top of her tail.  All in all they seemed to be doing pretty good and you know it was great to see them.

With the Lamars out of sight I decided to head home.  But, then I stopped for another look at the Junctions.  At first they seemed boring and I readied to leave when I remembered something and so stopped to talk with Rick.  That was when the pack began gathering and howling.  Fifteen wolves howling is quite a chorus!  And then to the east they went.

Once again I decided to head for home but soon found a carcass with a grizzly.  Felt kind of bad for the watchers because they had been standing about 130 yards from the carcass earlier and did not know it was there.  But, for me it was an amazing, quiet experience with a grizzly.

Well, to tell the truth, he was a little scary.  A recently collared back-country boar with red ear tags.  I stood on the hill above him, about 120 yards away and began photographing the bruin and all seemed well.  I hadn’t hidden or snuck or anything and he seemed to be fine.  NOT!

And then he turned and looked at me.  I assumed he would check me out and go back to eating.  NO!

No, he came my way instead, though not far.  But, far enough to make me want to run for my life.  He didn’t have the look of a friendly bear at all.  I know bears and carcasses and they just want to make sure that no one is going to take their food, and so I stepped back.  That worked!  He turned and ran.  Damn!

But, he only went a little ways before stopping to look again.

Got his paws wet and then decided he’d rather have food.

He returned to the carcass, tossed it around good, grabbed a big hunk of meat and took off running.

Less than 5 minutes had gone by and he was headed out.  The bear swam the river and left.  When I went to get a closer look at the carcass, there wasn’t much left for him to get and so I figured he would not be back.  Did see some birds and a coyote later.

Well, I figured that by this time the Junctions would be in Lamar and my gut had a bad feeling about what they were up to and so back east I went.

The Junctions were on Jasper Bench and still headed east, making it down onto Amethyst in no time at all.  They sniffed around and then suddenly something got their attention and they were off and running, on the chase for an unknown something.  I wondered about coyotes because they were everywhere.  In fact, I have never seen as many coyotes in one day as today.

The pack came down to the river, much closer than I had ever seen them before, doing some serious sniffing.

What I did not know at the time was that a grey wolf had been seen earlier and he had taken the same path the Junctions were taking.

But, I remember clearly, the run of the 14 Prospect Peaks last year when they headed east in search of the Junctions.  And, when these guys got going, it was clear that their mission was the same.  Ironically, there were 14 on this run.  We had seen 15 earlier – that means 4 grey pups are still missing – and the other black, 968, who is getting picked on pretty bad, had split off.

They crossed the river and took off at a dead run that went on for miles.

What I eventually found out was that the JBs were in search of 965M from the Lamars.  It was apparent that they meant serious business and that he would not survive if they found him.  Not sure of his offense but think that they just picked up his scent in what they deem as their territory and that was all.  Unfortunately, the JB/Lamar territorial war has now begun.  I was hoping for a little time before this happened.  Ten against 14 – 18 wolves that are much healthier would be a blood bath.  I am sure that the Lamars will try and just stay out of their way but if 970 makes a bid for the den hill, who knows what will happen.  965 led the Junctions in the opposite direction of his own pack and to the south, away from the den hill.  I do not believe that they found him because there was a lot of sniffing in circles on a faraway tall hill.

When the wolves retreated and went out of sight, I left for the day.  From no excitement or sightings to the beginning of a war that I am dreading – it was an emotional day.

Deby