Wild Memories Photography Tours

When I left the park yesterday the Junction Buttes had traveled south, out of sight and the Prospect Peak were still bedded close by. I wondered what would happen during the night.

“They” say that we are not supposed to get attached to these wild animals, or assign human feelings to them, but I wonder – how could we not?  How could we watch their lives, day in and day out, see their separate personalities, and not care?  Well, one thing is for sure, it is in my genetic makeup to care.

And, when I arrived very early this morning, cars were going back and forth and Rick said that they had signals but that they weren’t good.  And, so I just sort of drove slow, followed, looked and listened.

Once again the Prospects were close by but signals were weak on the Junctions.  And, so I was looking for the Prospects when they heard howling over on the west end of Little America.  And, so, off I went, into the beginning of a long morning of drama.

The Junctions were traveling east, at the base of Specimen Ridge and I expected them to go up high, far away from us, but it was curious that they did not.  What was more curious was that 890 – a wolf that avoids humans at all costs – was staying the closest to us and not leaving.  He usually leads the parade away.

There were 7 Junctions – the alphas, grey pup, 3 grey yearlings and one black pup.

890 kept looking towards us and one would have thought that he wanted to cross the road, back to their area, but after all played out, that is doubtful.  Turned out that the Prospects, all 14 of them, were just across the way on a bison calf carcass, so there was no way that the Junctions were headed over there.

A lot of howling, coming from many directions, and moving back and forth.

There was one family meet up, with tails wagging and happy times, and then the howling continued.

890 kept going back and forth, with 870 doing her best to follow, but laying down at every chance.  I have to say that 890 must really like his mate because there were many times that he stopped to wait for her.  He has not given up on her, which tells me that she will be okay.  She definitely struggles and is suffering from pain but she kept going.

As I stood there, tears ran down my face.  I did not feel all of that emotional, but the scene was difficult to watch, and so, without my permission, the tears fell.

The other thing about 890, that I have noticed, is that he seems to be a family guy.  When his pups are missing he doesn’t stop until they are found.  I have seen this from him a couple of times.

Well, today, he was not looking to cross the road, he was calling his missing son – the black pup that 926 chased away last week.  His son was across the road and he was intent on getting him back to his pack.

It was tough keeping track of all of those wolves as some were coming and going.  We saw 907 take off but never saw her return – though it was thought that she returned with a black, she did not – that was another gray with the pup.  I am thinking that they were ducking behind us and circling, keeping us on our toes.

When I saw that black headed towards the Junctions, panic set in and I thought that the Prospects were making their move.  And, then Doug reported that all of the Prospects were up and moving our way.  Believe I cursed.  But, nothing added up because it was unlikely that the Junctions would have stayed so close to the Prospects if they felt threatened.

As it turned out, the Junctions were not paying any attention to the Prospects, daddy just wanted his boy.

Once the pup returned, the Junctions went on their way, heading east.  We last saw them on a ridge, with three blacks, now totaling 8.  I was the only one who knew that the pup had returned, probably because I was viewing with a wider angle than a scope, but the news sure made everyone happy.  Me, I was ecstatic.

I then went to watch the Prospects and got there in time to see them leaving the carcass and bedding nearby.

Oh, and I forgot, the day began with 911 and the black female, heading east.  There were 24 wolves in a one mile radius today.  That is a lot of wolves.