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Day 3

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

            It was a cold, but sunny 31º this morning as we left the cabin.  In Round Prairie, a few people were watching the carcass site where the gray wolf was last night.  A lady told us they had just missed wolves on the carcass.  We suspected the wolves were back in the trees, or left for the den site, and continued on.  It turned out to be a good decision.  In Lamar Valley, eight Junction Butte wolves were traveling east toward the old Druid rendezvous, sniffing the ground, scent trailing.  There were seven blacks and one gray.  The gray was collared and I confirmed with Rick McIntyre, who was standing nearby, that this was 1392M, the alpha male.  Two black wolves, one who was 1479F, wore studded, shiny collars. 

            The wolves sniffed and traveled to a certain point, then turned around.  They seemed to be scent trailing the Mollies who have been in Lamar Valley and Soda Butte Valley since winter.  It was a relief when they turned around.  Although the two packs are familiar with each other, it would be terrible if a conflict occurred over territory. 

            The Junction Butte wolves then continued west through grass and sage, stopping to rest and test a herd of bison.  They went down into the river bed below Amethyst Bench, a black wolf moving ahead in a determined manner.  One wolf picked up a piece of an old carcass and carried it, dropping it occasionally, but picking it up again.  When they reached the base of Jasper Bench the wolves climbed up the slope, one by one.  By this time the black wolf leading had moved ahead and wasn’t visible.  At the top of Amethyst bench, a large herd of bison and calves were grazing contentedly – until the wolves arrived.  The wolves tested the bison first and then it grew into a full-blown chase, the wolves charging after the bison, circling the herd, bison and calves bunching up and running everywhere.  The wolves looked like a bunch of border collies herding livestock. 

            The hunt was unsuccessful and the wolves were strongly encouraged to leave by four big bison.  Heading west into some deadfall and trees, the wolves disappeared from sight, supposedly returning to the den.  We didn’t see them again, but we did see the black wolf who went ahead earlier.  She made it to Crystal and crossed the road (after much trouble avoiding people and traffic) and returned to the den.  We were lucky to be at Slough Creek to see her return and greet six black pups who poured out of the den.  The pups climbed through the sage and grass, tiny little black wolves.  There was also a gray wolf at the den babysitting. 

            Driving back through Lamar Valley, looking for the Junction Butte wolves, we heard wolves were seen in Round Prairie, so we hurried back where seven Mollies had left the carcass and were moving west.  We arrived just in time to see six gray wolves and a black travel to the end of Round Prairie into the trees toward Soda Butte.  These wolves are big – big and healthy.  Very good hunters, they apparently killed a bison.  Most of the gray wolves are very light.  I noticed two collars.  The Mollies disappeared into the trees and we rushed to Hikers Bridge to wait for them. 

            It’s astonishing how fast wolves can cover territory.  We waited and it wasn’t long before the first wolf, a black, appeared on a bench across Soda Butte Creek followed by two grays.  After a little while, those wolves were followed by four grays following the same route.  The wolves disappeared behind the trees, then reappeared in the sage and grass, and finally out of sight. 

            It became cloudy and began to snow while we were watching and sharing our scope.  All day it rained and snowed on and off.  We spent the rest of the afternoon looking for pika and coyotes and badgers, as well as checking on the Junction Butte den.  The cow moose with twins grazed on a hillside near Pebble Creek late this afternoon.  It was nice to see this family again.  About six o’clock, seeing more dark gray clouds and rain on the way, we turned back toward Silver Gate where it started to snow again. 

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