Yellowstone National Park 2016 Trip Reports
Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin
16 through 22 May 2016
~ May 2016 ~
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Buffalo Youngsters Playing - April 16th, 2016 - Lamar Valley
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