Trip Report ~ by Bill Hamblin
25 - 27 June 2010
~ June 2010 ~
Friday - 25 June
I left work about noon, and quite a bit of traffic with trailers and motor homes abundant now. Didn't see anything on Dunraven or Antelope Creek so headed out to Lamar Valley. At 5:15 PM I found a grizzly sow with two cubs of the year (coys) on the clearing east of Square Meadow. Ran into Roger and Kay from northern Idaho, who are up for a few days. Kay spotted a badger with two half size little ones crossing the road near the Institute. At 5:40 PM I spotted a grizzly on the second finger of Norris. At 6:00 PM there was a grizzly in the big clearing south and slightly east of Coyote Overlook. At 6:10 PM I spotted a cinnamon black bear on A-Z Meadow. I spent the evening at trash can where we had two different grizzlies, three adult wolves and two puppies near the old Druid Rendezvous area. All the lodging and camping in the park was full so spent the night near Silver Gate. I woke up to thunder and lighting around 1:00 AM. Lots of rain and wind too.
Saturday - 26 June
I left camp around 4:05 AM and had a lot of ranger vehicles near the entrance. They had been out already, clearing at least two big trees that were in the road going to Lamar - stacking the logs of the trees just off the road. A little fog remained the first hour or two in the valley, sometimes blocking the high meadows. At 5:55 AM I found two separate grizzlies in the rendezvous area. At 6:05 AM I spotted a cinnamon black bear in the tree line near the rendezvous area. At 6:10 AM I found a grizzly sow with three coy's on the skyline on the clearing just east of Penny Lane. I had heard from Kathy that there was an old carcass south of the Institute near the drainage. At 7;00 to 8:00 AM or so we had three separate grizzlies south of the Institute near where the carcass was hidden in the trees. At 7:10 AM I found the grizzly sow with two coy's on Ski Slope. Doug from Gardiner was out this morning, and found a black bear with two coy's in the tree line south of the Institute. At 8:50 AM Doug and his friend McNeil pointed out a couple of grizzlies high on Penny Lane (at first assumed sub adults, but were actually a courting pair). I spent the rest of the morning near the Institute having a large grizzly in the bowl and the grizzly sow with two coy's on Ski Slope both out until after 12:00 AM. Weather was nice, about 65 and sunny, so was surprised they stayed out in the meadows that long. At 4:50 PM I found the two adult black males 754 and 755 with at least two puppies near the den site north of Slough Creek.
I spent the evening again at Trash can, with a total of four different grizzlies, one adult wolf and three puppies as well as a cinnamon and black bear in the tree line. Got talking to Roger and Kay after dark, but found a bear jam at 9:40 PM near Soda Butte with a large grizzly 50 yards off the road. I had a fox on the road before daylight near the Northeast Entrance so got my THREE DOG DAY today. Nice sleeping outside Silver Gate tonight, full moon with on wind.
Sunday - 27 June
Near daylight I spotted three different grizzlies in the rendezvous area. At 5:35 AM I found a large grizzly in Salad Bowl. Heading back to footbridge before the sun hit the valley, I found a large grizzly just north of the Hitching Post. No one coming so went down to 21's old crossing and watched as the grizzly walked across the road, then across the Hitching Post parking lot. One vehicle arrived to watch the grizzly scratch himself first on the hitching post for horses, then the sign right near the restrooms. In no hurry, he finally headed south towards the creek. At 5:55 AM I found a large black bear just off the valley floor beneath K meadow and a large grizzly in K Meadow. Probably the same large grizzly back in the bowl. Found a lone grizzly on Ski Slope this morning. My best spot of the weekend found a herd of 40 elk or so on the sky line way way south of the Institute. All bunched up meant a predator near, and found the grizzly sow with two coy's below the elk. On the way home, I hit a bear jam just north of Chittenden Road with the grizzly with two coy's 100 yards off the road (the hazing of two weeks ago did not last).
Other News
Lots of people now. Still a lot of elk in the valleys, most I have seen in years this late. The osprey chicks are getting bigger now. The eagle on the west entrance road has one very large chick. Rumors that a grizzly sow with three coy's in Hayden Valley (probably means the grizzly hit by a car a month ago is doing OK). The grizzly with four coy's is still seen off and on every day on Swan Lake Flats. Also a grizzly with one cub and a lone grizzly had been observed in Swan Lake Flats. Read tonight that 480M, the alpha male of Druid's body was found up Hellroaring Creek, been there since late winter they expect.
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by John William Uhler
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