YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

Well, as Story Warren said, it feels like 2013 all over again, with Spitfire roaming the roads and looking for anything to eat.

It was such a sad time when 926 was taking care of her sister, Middle Grey, and she got down to skin over bones because she put her own needs aside to keep those pups alive.  Well, when I saw her mousing near the road a few days ago I feared that she would soon be scooping up road kill and not worrying about the cars and people around her.  But, when the went out hunting a couple of days ago, I hope and prayed they would find food.

Unfortunately, it looks like 926 returned to the den and her pups with an empty stomach and so, she set out this morning and roamed the road.  To make matters worse two guides from Brushbuck Guides shadowed and followed her every movement, with their guest hanging out the doors as they drove.  And, then they stopped in the road, continuously, and blocked traffic.  They followed 926 for about 3 miles before Lizzie and Rick got ahead of them and put a stop to their travel.  I turned them into rangers for some of the most abhorrent behavior I have ever seen by guides.

What the guides did was absolutely awful but I must admit to also being distraught that 926 was being forced to the road to find food.  Quite obviously, 925 was an amazing provider because we never saw the wolves going without food.  Not sure what the deal is with the 4 guys but they seem a little worthless.

Also, one of the yearlings was out.  Story found her on the den hill, looking like she wanted to cross.  But, she left and I found her on the east side, heading down slope until the same guides came rushing in, slamming door and talking loudly.  I had to ask them to be quiet a couple of times but that thought me rude.  The yearling disappeared back up the hill but did manage to get across and go mousing out towards Cache Creek a little later in the morning.

926 crossed the road and wandered close for some time until heading out towards the creek, looking for food.  Eventually, she returned to the road and crisscrossed several times, finally disappearing further east.  According to signals she seemed to be staying put so we hope she had food.

Okay, so the big mystery for today, and I didn’t make it back to Lamar tonight to learn the answer, was that Rick was getting a signal on another wolf.  One that was collared in Wyoming back in 2009 and had been missing for 5 years.  The guys did not return to the den with her and so it was all very curious but we did not see another wolf while she was out traveling so Rick was thinking that there might be another explanation.

In other wolf news, I saw 755 tonight, in the rendezvous area.  Some also saw the female and a couple of pups but I missed them.

Scarface has been in the Dunraven area recently and it was good to spend some time with him yesterday.

Simon had Raspberry all day today but not many photo ops.

The big event was the bison cow, yearling, carcass in Hayden.  The bison was hit by a car and died about 100 yards from the road.  The Canyon rangers went above and beyond to allow visitors to have an amazing wildlife experience watching a grizzly sow and her two cubs on a carcass.  The sow is the Hayden sow and it was a treat to see her so close.