Yellowstone National Park 2018 Trip Reports
Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin
12 through 14 May 2018 - Yellowstone National Park
~ May 2018 ~
Saturday - May 12th
42 degrees in Gardiner and 36 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 60 degrees. I saw a moose south of the Soda Butte Cone this morning and a cow moose near Geode Creek on my way back to Gardiner this evening. I had a vulture flying in Lamar Valley this morning. At 5:45 a.m. we spotted the four Junction Butte wolf pack male wolves south of the Institute moving west. At 5:55 a.m. I spotted a black bear in the tree line in the large meadow behind the eastern end of Jasper Bench. Also at 5:55 a.m. Little T was on the carcass south and west of Hubbard Hill (amazingly the four Junction Butte wolves did not detect the carcass or Little T). At 6:30 a.m. we had a black bear in a low clearing southeast of Footbridge Pullout. At 6:40 a.m. we had a grizzly digging near Jennings Rock in K Meadow (the grizzly was there quite a bit of the day as I saw it at 3:00 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. in the same spot in K Meadow). At 8:25 a.m. Rick H found the grizzly sow with one cub of the year (coy) digging in A-Z Meadow. At 8:40 a.m. we had a small light grizzly running around in the Salad Bowl viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 9:30 a.m. John G and Randi M found a new family group for us to watch. A grizzly sow with a large yearling bedded in the rocks on top of Specimen Ridge viewed from the Peregrine Pullout in Little America. This family finally moved east to Specimen Ridge and was in good view from Slough Creek Restroom. At 10:30 a.m. a small light grizzly was seen digging on the skyline north of the Institute. At 10:35 a.m. we had a black bear below the A-Z Meadow viewed from the Institute. At 10:45 a.m. we watched a medium sized grizzly came to the carcass south and west of Hubbard Hill (this grizzly was still in the area on 3:50 p.m.). At 11:05 a.m. the grizzly with two yearling cubs was on # 3 finger of Norris viewed first from Footbridge but better from the turnouts in Soda Butte Valley. At 3:10 p.m. I found a large black bear southeast of Footbridge in the tree line. At 4:10 p.m. the grizzly sow with one two year old cub was on Specimen Ridge (they moved down and ended up just west of the Crystal Drainage, good viewing from the Slough Creek Restroom). At 5:40 p.m. 969F, the uncollared black female and four black pups were seen at the Slough Creek den (the count is up to 10 or 11, with three grays and the rest black).
Sunday - May 13th
43 degrees in Gardiner this morning but 39 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 63 degrees. A moose was feeding in the Pebble Creek Campground this afternoon. At 5:40 a.m. I spotted a large grizzly near the carcass south and west of Hubbard Hill viewed from YES (Yellowstone Ecosystem) Pullout. The Lamar River is really moving this time of year, and when the grizzly crossed the river going south it pushed him down the river well over 100 yards. At 6:00 a.m. Randi M found a small grizzly digging south and west of Picnic area near the tree line. At 7:20 a.m. a large grizzly in the old Druid Rendezvous area viewed from Picnic Pullout. At 7:25 a.m. a large brown black bear was south of Hubbard Hill in the tree line. At 7:45 a.m. the grizzly sow with two yearlings was on the # 3 finger on Norris digging and playing. At 8:35 a.m. we had a small grizzly running around in K Meadow viewed from Footbridge Pullout. At 9:00 a.m. the grizzly sow with one large yearling cub nursing high on Specimen Ridge (they eventually moved and good viewing on Specimen Ridge clearing viewed from Lamar Canyon West and Coyote Overlook in Lamar Valley). At 9:30 a cinnamon black bear grazing was in the tree line south and west of Long Pullout. At 10:50 a.m. a small grizzly was digging northeast of Coyote Overlook. At 10:20 a.m. we had a nice sized grizzly on Amethyst Bench chasing bison (it finally ended up at the carcass southwest of Hubbard Hill for the rest of the day). At 10:40 a.m. my last sighting for the day was the sow grizzly with one two year old cub southwest of Fisherman's Pullout.
Monday - May 14th
42 degrees in Gardiner but 36 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 53 degrees with lots of clouds. I was at the Institute this morning when a jeep passed me going west. It stopped in the road and I saw something cross the road north to south which I thought was an otter. I went to investigate and found a large beaver in the little fast flowing stream there. Two moose were reported south of the Soda Butte cone this morning. There are two small gray chicks on the bald eagle nest south of Coyote Overlook today. I started the day with Bruce P just west of YES Pullout scoping the carcass area. Then I went to Coyote Overlook to join John G and Randi M. They were watching a large grizzly at the carcass area (must have been in a gully or something as we couldn't see him from near YES). This grizzly again swam the river and again got pushed down the river for well over 100 yards. At 5:50 a.m. we watched the grizzly sow with one two year old cub moving slowly on Salad Bowl viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 6:45 a.m. John G found a medium colorful grizzly just north of the Institute (it wanted to cross to the carcass, but too many people). About an hour and a half later the grizzly did cross to the carcass near Hubbard Hill. At 7:30 a.m. we noticed a large grizzly following the track of the sow with one two year old cub over Salad Bowl. At 7:40 a.m. John B. had a small grizzly digging on the top of K Meadow viewed from Footbridge Pullout. At 7:40 a.m. a nice sized cinnamon black bear was spotted northeast of Footbridge Pullout. At 7:45 a.m. I found a large dark grizzly digging on # 2 finger of Norris viewed from Footbridge Pullout. At 7:50 a.m. Randi M found the grizzly sow with two yearlings digging and playing on # 3 finger on Norris. At 10:30 a.m. 926F the black female of the Lamar Canyon wolf pack came to the carcass area. After about thirty minutes she crossed the road going north right thru a bunch of cars. We moved to Picnic Area and saw her again. Somewhere north of the road she found an elk leg assembly and was carrying that back to the den area. At 10:35 a.m. Randi M called me to Dorothy's Pullout. They had a courting pair of grizzlies bedded on the top of Salad Bowl with a small grizzly moving around near them. Here's what we think. The sow with one two year old cub were followed by the large grizzly over the top of Salad Bowl to the Crystal Drainage side. Then the boar and sow got together running the two year old cub off. Amazingly the courting pair were comfortable enough to nap on the top of Salad Bowl. Usually there is a day or so of following, with the sow and cub running away. Then they get together. Never seen a courting pair get together so quickly, ever. At 1:00 p.m. my last sighting was a black bear at Lower Hellroaring.
People Seen
Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Doug M, Melba C, Josh A, Chuck and Debbie, Alan O, Dan and Laurie L, and Lizzie C. From California: Bob and Nell H. From Colorado: Rick and Len H, and Ric and Kathy T. From Utah: Jerry and Julia C, and Denny and Pam D. From Indiana: Jeff and Terri B. From the Netherlands: Jort V. From Iowa: Jim and Joellyn B. From Wyoming: Larry and Linda H. From Texas: Carol S and Carl L. And From Idaho: Craig C. Bear Watchers: From Washington: John G, Randi M, and John B. From Louisiana: Bruce P. From Utah: Dean and Jeri D, Dave H, and Mark H. From Wisconsin: Don L. From Idaho: Blake M and Emmett. From Illinois: Wayne K. From Ohio: Jim and Tywla E. From Montana: Jack G, Scott M, and Doug M. From California: Cole W. Others seen this report: From California: Lee and Christy H. From Montana: Cliff B, Cara M, MacNeil L, Emil M, and Leo L. From Utah: Josh S. From Colorado: Jim and Bobbie F. From Arizona: David and Phyllis. And finally and lastly from Utah: Bob B.
Note: This is my last trip report for a while. My stay with WIFI in Gardiner is over, so I will send reports out when I go home every few weeks now.
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