I leave Gardiner at 6:30 and head up the OGR as first light is beginning in the east.

At the Nature Trail I join Doug McCartney and Cara (In Our Nature). It’s much colder here, only 18 degrees, a far more “normal” temp!

We find a few bull elk but no wolves. Doug says he’s heard the Wolf Project is determined to collar Shrimps today. Around 7:15 I continue east.

When I arrive at Tower, I learn that the early birds did see a few wolves on Vader Hill (likely Junctions) but they have already moved north out of sight.

I try scoping from Wrecker grade and Yellowstone bridge but have no luck.

Susan and Reve go to the big lot near Petrified Tree while I join Helena and Cara on Boulder hill.

Around 8:30 we finally get a call from Michael at Hellroaring. He’s found three black wolves on the main open slope.

I join him (as do many others) and find his three blacks just east of the creek, climbing up and trending east. One black is smaller than the other two, who are both collared. They interact quite casually as they inspect several bison herds.

My impression is that they are all comfortable with each other, so are likely from the same pack. They could be Junction, or maybe Rescue. My money is on Junction.

They stay in view for more than an hour, exploring the area, sniffing a lot. They make their way higher and higher, trending gradually east and eventually disappearing into the upper drainage of Little Buffalo Creek.

I move to the big lot near Petrified tree and find several elk. Then I see three coyotes who display some courting behavior. Michael stops at Elk Creek as does Rick. They both see the wolf trio very briefly.

Visitors returning from the east tell us that the Project found the Shrimp Lake wolves on a carcass just west of Pebble Creek campground and are attempting to collar them. Apparently, LE has had to close some pullouts to keep curious onlookers (and photographers) out of the way.

I talk to Rick at Elk Creek. He is still looking for wolves. He says Kai told him that the trio is comprised of Junction 1385F and Rescue male 1392M. So maybe they are courting? He says he suspects that the smaller uncollared black is likely a Junction female, just tagging along.

Rick says he is not looking for the trio but for two other wolves whose signals are in the area: Former Junction 1386F and her current beau, 1407M of the Willow Creek pack.

They are definitely a courting pair. I scope with Rick a while but then head east to see what’s going on with the Shrimps.

As I approach Round Prairie, I see many cars parked at the two main lots west of Pebble Creek. The entrance to Pebble Creek is blocked as is the small trailhead lot east of it. Rangers are waving cars on, to keep traffic flowing.

A gaggle of eager photographers (including friends Julie A , Becky B and Joe K) are huddled together on the south side near the “Pebble Creek” sign, with cameras pointed north.

The collaring is finished, but Taylor remains at her scope, perhaps to make sure the wolves wake up safely from the sedatives they were given during the operation.

I stop to talk with my friends while the car ahead of me idles. Joe tells me they saw a bobcat visiting the carcass when the wolves were elsewhere.

I turn around at Thunderer and join Michael at the central RP lot. He was watching a moose, but it is now out of sight. He says it was quite a circus earlier but he thinks they got two collars on the elusive pack: the black female and the alpha male. He adds that collars were placed on some Cougar Creek wolves today, too.

I continue west, stopping now and again, enjoying the now-sunny day. At Curve, a coyote crosses the road. When I arrive back at Nature Trail Lynette waves me over. She is alone today as Calvin is under the weather.

She happily relates that she just found a wolf! I follow her excellent directions and see a solo black, big and fluffy, very likely a youngster.

She says she heard howling and finally found it, way, way out there to the southwest.

The wolf howls again and starts to run in a very joyful, bouncy manner, as if responding to a return howl unheard by us. This black wolf is the picture of health, athletic and graceful, hopping from one boulder to the next.

Now it enters some much deeper snow, but it keeps up its bounding gait. I tell Lynette, this wolf is happy to be alive and she grins in agreement.

We lose it behind some thick trees but then find it again. This happens three times but because the wolf stays on a steady line to the south, allowing us to anticipate where it will likely come out. Finally, it enters a very thick forest and we lose it for good.

On my way down the winding OGR, I note the continued presence of pronghorn on the lower slopes, maybe a dozen. This is the first time I have ever seen pronghorn in the Park in February.

Tonight, I’ve accepted an invitation to dine with my friends Susan & Reve. They are gracious hosts and the vegan meal they’ve prepared is fascinating and delicious.

Today I saw: bison, coyotes, elk, pronghorn, 4 wolves (1385F, 1392M, an uncollared black (likely a Junction female), plus a single Rescue black and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.