DAY TEN - Sunday, June 22

ROMPING PROSPECT PUPS

It feels chillier this morning but it’s probably due to the dampness.

I had dreams about animals last night! The moon is bright, the birds are noisy. There are some really cool clouds over Baronette.

At Eastern Curve two pronghorn cross the road in front of me. I stop at Footbridge just to enjoy the view.

I head west and skip Trash Can. Pull into Picnic. A few folks are here and they show me two bull moose in the rendezvous. This morning there are no carnivors on carcass. Actually I should not call is a carcass anymore! It’s just a hide and bones.

I join Rick at Slough. We are looking for 870. I head out to the Knob, joining Jeremy and Linda. Thanks to them, I see her for about a half minute, running through the mixed conifer & aspen forest to the west. There is a nice group of elk here, with one remaining calf. They move very alertly but not in any panic.

870 is out of sight quickly and most people miss her. There is speculation that she might have gotten an elk calf overnight and is now heading back to her babes. We debate a bit, then decide to head to Blacktail.

I see mule deer at Junction Butte and notice many more wildflowers as my trip has progressed. A mountain blue bird flies over head. So pretty!

I see a black bear at Elk Creek but I don’t stop very long. Then I see a marmot on side of the road.

I park at the Nature trail and walk out, joining Rick, Kathie, Bill, Dorothy and Linda.

We get a nice sighting today; two pups, (one black one gray) and all six adults including 763 and 821. We see lots of interactions with the pups, lots of rompings and playing and a couple of heartwarming greetings.

The whole family is last seen heading into the ravine.

The day becomes more overcast by the hour and now rain is threatening yet again. This has been a very wet spring – which is VERY good.

Alas, it’s time for me to bid everyone goodbye.

On my way I see a horse pack trip going out Blacktail Creek trail. I see a very pretty buckskin, an even prettier Appaloosa and a couple of paints. One of these days…..

I stop in Mammoth to try to see the owls. With the help of another visitor, I find a parent bird but the fledglings have already moved and I can’t find them.

I stop to visit with Allison once more to tell her goodbye and to thank her for another great trip.

Today I saw: 1 black bear, a mountain blue bird, bison, coyote, mule deer, elk, a marmot, 2 moose, 9 wolves (870F of the Junctions, plus 8 wolves of the Prospect Peak Pack (763M, 821F, four other adults and two of the three pups), and the spirit of Allison

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