I head out in the dark with Laurie & Dan close behind.

Our first stop is at the Confluence. Scarface is walking along the riverbank, offering great views to all. Then Doug finds a moose way up on K2. Thanks to him I see it – first time I’ve ever seen one way up there!

It’s now 11AM and we still have found no wolves. It’s about 70 degree already. Rick had only weak signals for Lamar this morning. We spread out from Slough to Round Prairie but besides bison, pronghorn and magpies, the only animal I see is a long Elk from mid-point.

I decide to join the folks heading out along the Lamar River trail, way out above the old river bank, hoping to see Lamar activity way up in the den area. Charles from Texas is here with Mark & Carol. I haven’t seen Charles for years so we have a great reunion. And Jeremy is here, too – great to see him again as well.

I don’t see any wolves but we do see mule deer and two coyotes in the den forest area.

While I am out here, Rick sees one black wolf coming towards the den area from the east – a black yearling with a bone, but he doesn’t tell anyone!!! Later in the day four more were seen traveling that same route but I missed them all. Grrrr!

I get a bit concerned about being in the sun so I head back to the car and drive west to Dorothy’s where I watch a pronghorn with a fawn for a while. And several gobbling sandhills. Then I head up to Silver Gate to attend the presentation for Rick that Marlene put together.

It’s very nice and Rick gives a great talk about 21. It’s also nice to see so many of my wolfer buds. The total count is more than 50. Marlene surprises Laurie with a plaque and two more cutout wolves. She makes a nice speech, too.

Afterwards, I head back west. Doug Dance and I plan to meet for dinner at Roosevelt tonight. On my way I have two bear jams, one at Yellowstone Picnic and another just past the Yellowstone Bridge.

We have a nice dinner, talking Game of Thrones among other things. But after dinner we make a choice to drive to the S curves where I show Doug where we scope for Prospects but no luck. Then he heads to Gardiner and I go back east.

On the way back I neglect to turn on my radio so I miss a really great Lamar sighting from Geriatric that started around 6PM. Well, ya can’t be in two places at once I guess!

Only when I get to Dorothy’s again do I realize what’s going on. I arrive at Geriatric in time to see two black wolf butts disappear along the Cache Creek trail.

They had crossed at Eastern Curve around 6PM and were south of the road at the base of Dead Puppy. Chloe heard it on the radio & called Laurie in Silver Gate from Round Prairie. They traveled through the Middle Flats, romping and playing, the whole pack, in sight for nearly 3 hours!

Laurie said they all look healthy, so I’m glad of that!

TODAY I SAW: 2 black bears, 1 grizzly bear (Scarface), bison, 2 coyotes, 2 mule deer, elk, pronghorn (including one fawn), 2 Lamar wolf butts and the spirit of Allison.