INTRODUCTION

I usually skip visiting Yellowstone in the summer months, to avoid peak crowds, peak heat and the dangers of the bison rut. I actually WAS in the Park in early August this year, but that trip was strictly to accompany Becky as we spread Chloe’s ashes in her many favorite spots.

We did not do any wildlife watching during the short time we were there, so with this visit, I turned my focus back to wolves.

All summer long, I have been reading reports of the great sightings my friends have been having from various pullouts along the Slough Creek Campground road.

Most years, the Junction Pack would have moved their pups to a rendezvous site when they are about 8 weeks old (end of June/early July) and often that site is not in easy view from the road. But this year they have remained in the general Slough area all summer, remaining a dependable location for visitors and wolf enthusiasts to see wolves.

I am eager to see them myself before they start following the pack on hunts to places that might be out of sight.

WOLF UPDATE

JUNCTION BUTTE PACK: When I last saw the Junctions in June, they had two pups at the traditional den at Slough. They and their mother, alpha female 907F, were being consistently fed by a somewhat revolving crew of pack members. The most stalwart were the alpha male, gray 2-year old 1478F and black yearling 1479F.

An uncollared black male and an uncollared gray male showed up frequently as did subordinate females 1385F, 1477F and an uncollared gray female, but rarely were there more than 7 adults in the den area on a single day.

Well, in mid-July, it was discovered that a second litter had been born in an unknown Northern Range location to Junction 1386F. On the evening of July 18, wolf watchers got a real treat when she led three black pups, all a bit larger than 907’s litter, to the traditional den.

Those who witnessed it said happy greetings ensued, although 907’s pups seemed a bit bewildered at first. It didn’t take long for them to settle in as one big(ger) happy family.

Throughout August, the Junctions have been lucky to have had easy access to ample food thanks to a series rut-wounded bison bulls dying in their territory.

While it is common for bison bulls to die of rut-inflicted injuries, this year the timing was impeccable. For three weeks in a row, a new carcass would appear just as the earlier one became depleted.

The first died in Lamar, then one dropped on a hill north of Dave’s Hill and east of the campground road. Another appeared in Little America south of Long pullout. The most recent one died right in Slough Creek itself, between the gravel lot and the den hill!

Of course, Yellowstone’s bears are also drawn to these carcasses, but there is plenty to go around. Bison who are inclined to fight during the rut are almost always in excellent health before receiving their fatal injuries, so their bodies offer the maximum amount of meat to lucky predators.

The end result is that the Junctions most likely did not need to hunt for their food at all. On August 31, while I was visiting, a fourth carcass was discovered north of the road in Little America near the Peregrine Hills.

RESCUE CREEK PACK: I don’t have a lot of info on this pack at the moment. I was told they denned north of the road this year but have since moved their pups to the usual rendezvous well south of the road.

Visuals have been few and far between. Doug McLaughlin is no longer around to sit at Nature Trail scanning for them. I know they have new pups (the rumor is at least seven). But I’ve not seen them, nor have I spent much time looking for them.

MOLLIE’S PACK: I recently learned that the Mollies did have pups this year in the traditional Pelican Valley area but they did not survive. I do not have details yet but will report them if/when I do.

Throughout the summer several Mollie’s pack members continued to visit eastern Lamar, but not as regularly as they did during the spring. They have also been sighted in their own territory off and on.

Just after I left the Park in early September, I missed a visit by 1048 and 1090 to Lamar. They did not stay long this time.