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Yellowstone National Park 2016 Trip Reports





Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

16 through 22 May 2016




Yellowstone Buffalo taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright John William All Rights Reserved

~ May 2016 ~





Yellowstone Grizzly Bear taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler

Monday - May 16th


I got back into the park this afternoon.  At 3:30 p.m. I spotted a black bear on Gannett Hill viewed from Hellroaring Overlook.  At 4:15 p.m. I spotted a grizzly sow with two cubs of the year (COY's) low on Specimen Ridge viewed from Long Pullout.  At 4:45 p.m. we had a black bear low west in K Meadow viewed from Footbridge Pullout.  At 5:30 p.m. we also had a small grizzly north of YES Pullout near the Institute.  At 5:40 p.m. we watched a cinnamon black bear north of YES.  At 7:20 p.m. I found a black bear below Square Meadow viewed from the Institute.


Tuesday - May 17th


41 degrees in Silver Gate but 34 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to a nice 64 degrees.  I stopped at Floating Island Lake but only had coots and ruddy ducks today.  At 6:15 a.m. the small grizzly with a lot of blond was in the bowl viewed from Midpoint.  At 6:45 a.m. I spotted a grizzly sow with one yearling north of Coyote Overlook.  At 6:55 a.m. I also found a grizzly on specimen moving south and west.  At 7:10 a.m. I spotted a dark grizzly high in the Salad Bowl.  At 8:15 a.m. we had a small grizzly in A-Z Meadow.  At 9:15 a.m. I spotted a small grizzly in a strip opening high south and west of Footbridge below the snow.  At 11:40 a.m. a large black bear was on a carcass at Junction Butte (bison carcass).  At 12:30 p.m. we had a black bear sow with two COY's at Calcite Springs.  At 12:45 p.m. the other black sow with two COY's crossed the road in front of me near Rainy Lake (I did not see the two cubs).   At 1:30 p.m. we had a black bear with one yearling cub at Petrified Tree.  At 2:15 p.m. a two year old black bear was grazing near Rainy Lake.  At 2:30 p.m. the grizzly with two COY's was on Specimen Ridge.  Between 3:15 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. one black and three gray adult wolves as well as seven pups (five black and two gray) of the Junction Butte wolf pack at the Slough Creek Den.  Between 5:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. three black and two gray Mollie's wolves were south of Midpoint.  At 7:45 p.m. I found a black bear south of Picnic Pullout in the tree line.


Wednesday - May 18th


Yellowstone Antelope taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright John William All Rights Reserved

28 degrees in Silver Gate and 30 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 64 degrees.  At 5:40 a.m. I spotted a grizzly sow with one yearling north of Coyote Overlook.  At 6:00 a.m. I found a grizzly sow with one COY on Druid Peak viewed from the Institute but better from Trash Can Pullout.  At 7:00 a.m. we had a courting pair of grizzlies north of Coyote Overlook.  At 7:05 a.m. the grizzly with two COY'S was on Specimen Ridge.  At 8:15 a.m. three black and two gray Mollie's wolves were on Amethyst Bench.  At 10:00 a.m. we watched a brown grizzly south of Footbridge Pullout.  At 3:00 p.m. a black and a cinnamon black bear were high on #1 finger of Norris.  I hiked about 2 1/2 miles in on the ski trail from the western Baronette Bridge and 2 1/2 miles back with John G, and Randi  M. today.  At 4:30 p.m. I spotted a brown black bear high north and west of YES Pullout.  At 4:45 p.m. I found a lone grizzly north of Coyote Overlook.  At 5:00 p.m. we had a large black bear near Tower Junction grazing.  At 7:30 p.m. we watched a big black bear south of Picnic Pullout.  At 7:45 p.m. I spotted a small light grizzly north of Picnic Pullout.  At 8:00 p.m. we watched a small black bear in the old Druid rendezvous area.  At 8:05 p.m. 965M and 993M of the Lamar Canyon wolf pack were south and west of Footbridge Pullout.  At 8:15 p.m. I spotted a large grizzly with a Yellowstone stripe on the #2 finger of Norris.


Thursday - May 19th


Buffalo and Magpie in Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler

48 degrees in Silver Gate and 43 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 60 degrees today.  A cow moose and a yearling calf were grazing in the willows by the confluence today.  At 4:50 a.m. I spotted a grizzly grazing off road about 50 yards near Thunderer Pullout.  At 5:30 a.m. John G found the grizzly with two COY's on Specimen Ridge viewed from Coyote Overlook.  At 5:40 a.m. I found a grizzly on the #2 finger of Norris.  At 6:45 a.m. Randi M. found the grizzly sow with one COY on Druid Peak.  At 6:30 a.m. Ralph N. found a courting pair of grizzlies high on the #3 finger of Norris.  At 6:40 a.m. we had a black bear in the tree line below K Meadow viewed from Footbridge Pullout.  At 7:40 a.m. we watched a grizzly below the bowl viewed from YES Pullout.  At 8:00 a.m. we had a colorful grizzly north of Picnic Pullout.  At 9:00 a.m. I spotted a small colorful grizzly in a clearing south of the #1 finger on Norris.  At 9:20 a.m. we had a grizzly sow with one yearling on the # 5 finger of Norris.   At 12:30 p.m. we watched a large black bear at Lower Hellroaring Pullout.  At 3:00 p.m. I spotted a small black bear at Lower Hellroaring Pullout.  At 5:10 p.m. I found a large grizzly with a the Yellowstone stripe on the #2 finger on Norris. I hiked to Trout Lake looking for otters today (they were there yesterday, but not today).  At 6:50 p.m. I spotted a black bear in the tree line south and east of Footbridge Pullout.  At 7:00 p.m. I also spotted a small dark brown grizzly north and east of the Institute.  At 7:20 p.m. we had an un-collared black wolf north of the river and south of the road near the Institute.


Friday - May 20th


Yellowstone Elk taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler

37 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 64 degrees with afternoon rain storms.  A moose cow and yearling calf was at the confluence today.  Also four vultures circling in Lamar Valley this morning.  Dunraven Pass opened today one week ahead of schedule.  At 5:40 a.m. John G found a courting pair of grizzlies on Ski Slope.  At 5:50 a.m. I spotted the grizzly with the two COY's was viewed on the Middle Ridge of Crystal from Coyote Overlook.   At 6:30 a.m. we had a grizzly in the old Druid rendezvous area.  At 6:30 a.m. three black wolves were north of Picnic Area (a quick view, but sure it was Lamar Canyon or Mollie's wolves).  At 6:45 a.m. Randi M found the grizzly with one yearling on the #2 finger of Norris.  A 6:50 a.m. Bob and Nell found a grizzly digging north of Picnic Pullout.  At 6:55 a.m. Doug M (bear watcher) found a courting pair of grizzlies on Norris viewed from Trash Can Pullout. At 8:20 a.m. John G found a small light grizzly in the bowl from Midpoint Pullout.  At 9:15 a.m. six gray and two black of the Junction Butte wolves were spotted moving west thru the Horizontal Forest in Slough Creek.  At 10:20 a.m. s small back bear low right on A-Z Meadow.  At 10:45 a.m. a courting pair of grizzlies in a clearing south of Bear Meadow.  At 10:50 a.m. a 3rd grizzly was escorted out of the area by the boar of the courting pair in the clearing south of Bear Meadow.  At 11:10 a.m. we had a small colorful grizzly on Ski Slope out feeding for over an hour.  At 11:45 a.m. a grizzly crossed Square Meadow from west to east.  At 3:40 a.m. a courting pair of grizzlies high on K-3 Meadow found by John G.  At 5:15 p.m. we had a black bear north and west of the Picnic area.  At 5:25 p.m. we also had a cinnamon black bear north of Picnic Pullout.  At 5:30 a.m. a small light grizzly north of Picnic Pullout found by Jack G.  At 5:40 p.m. John B found a large grizzly north of the Institute.


Saturday - May 21st


Buffalo in Lamar Valley taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler

32 degrees in Silver Gate and 37 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to just 46 degrees as rain storms moving thru today.  Dunraven Pass closed today.  I had four vultures again in Lamar Valley today.  At 6:15 a.m. I spotted a grizzly digging in the bowl viewed from the Institute.  At 6:25 a.m. a small light grizzly found by John G. on Druid Peak.  At 6:55 a.m. we had a dark grizzly on the #1 finger of Norris, then moved to the #2 finger of Norris.  At 7:30 a.m. we watched a grizzly digging north of the Institute.  At 7:50 a.m. we had a small grizzly high on A-Z Meadow.  At 9:00 a.m. we watched a grizzly sow with two COY's on the Middle Ridge of Crystal Creek viewed from Coyote Overlook.  At 9:40 a.m. I spotted a courting pair of grizzlies high and southeast of the bowl.  At 10:30 a.m. I found a courting pair of grizzlies on K3 viewed from Footbridge Pullout.  At 10:40 a.m. a cinnamon black bear was on Dead Puppy Hill.  At 4:00 p.m. I spotted a grizzly sow with one COY north of Soda Butte East first viewed from Footbridge Pullout and then far east in the Soda Butte Valley.  At 5:00 p.m. we had a large grizzly in Bear Meadow.  At 7:00 p.m. my last sighting for the day was a black bear below A-Z Meadow viewed from Coyote Overlook.




Sunday - May 22nd


Buffalo in Lamar Valley taken Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler

32 degrees in Silver Gate and 37 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to just 46 degrees with rain storms and low visibility all day.  At 5:50 a.m. I spotted a grizzly high and on the west end on A-Z Meadow.  At 6:00 a.m. we had four gray and three black adult wolves and two black pups of the Junction Butte pack near the Slough Creek Den.  At 6:05 a.m. I found the grizzly sow with two COY's on the Middle Ridge in Crystal Drainage.  At 6:35 a.m. we had a black bear low below Square Meadow.  At 6:40 a.m. Doug M (bear watcher) found a grizzly near the tree line in the old Druid rendezvous areas.  At 7:20 a.m. a black wolf (probably an 8-mile wolf) was harassed by three coyotes north of Midpoint Pullout.  At 8:00 a.m. John G. found the grizzly with the COY north of Soda Butte East.  At 9:45 a.m. I found a grizzly high north of Picnic Pullout eating on something it found.  At 10:35 a.m. we had a large dark boar grizzly on the Middle Ridge of Crystal Drainage.  At 4:25 p.m. we watched a small black bear in K-2.  At 5:45 p.m. 965M and 993M of the Lamar Canyon wolf pack were north of the Institute.


People Seen


Wolf Watchers:  From Montana:  Rick M, Doug M, Lizzie C, Dan and Laurie L, Barb M, Deby D, Josh A, Ilona P, Ryan and Anna A, Bob and Elizabeth N, Leo L and Mike M.  From Colorado:  Anne W, Ric and Kathy T, Mark and Carol R, and Steve M.  From Washington:  Betzi S.  From California:  Bob and Nell H, and Kathie L.  From Idaho:  Craig C, and Kim and Joyce C.  From Wyoming:  Larry and Linda H.  From Florida:  Ray and Lynn R.  From Oklahoma:  Robert and Pam.  From Utah:  Jerry C and Julia, Pam and Denny D, and Richard B and his wife.  From the UK:  Abby.  From Ohio:  Dan and Pam M.  From New York:  Rick and Maureen B.  From Oregon:  Bruce and Kelly.




Mount Haynes in Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler Bunsen Peak in Spring 2016 ~ © Copyright All Rights Reserved John William Uhler



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