Yellowstone National Park 2018 Trip Reports
Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin
10 through 13 April 2018 - Yellowstone National Park
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~ April 2018 ~
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Tuesday - April 10th
37 degrees in Gardiner but 27 degrees at Hellroaring this morning warming up to a nice 46 degrees. I saw my first killdeer this morning near Junction Butte. I also so my first osprey flying in Hellroaring this morning. Moose, a cow and two big calves were in Soda Butte Valley south of the cone this morning. At 7:30 a.m. Bruce P found six of the Junction Butte wolves moving east south of Picnic Pullout in Lamar Valley. Missing this morning were the gray 907F and 1109F, they are believed to be pregnant. At 8:10 a.m. all three Lamar Canyon wolves were found in Round Prairie by Alan and Sue O moving east. At 10:00 a.m. 907F was found bedded near the den at Slough Creek. At 11:40 a.m. Richard and Rita had two black bears on Garnet Hill which appeared to be a sow and a yearling cub. At 1:00 p.m. we had a large black bear with a green ear tag near Yellowstone River Picnic area. Later it moved to the old sheep carcass under the Yellowstone River Bridge. A fresh bison carcass was discovered today about 20 yards for the Soda Butte Cone.
Wednesday - April 11th
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46 degrees and raining in Gardiner this morning and still raining at Hellroaring with 37 degrees. The ospreys are rebuilding their nest in the Lamar Canyon. We had fifteen trumpeter swans in a small pond near the bend at Hellroaring Creek. It warmed up to 46 degrees today. At 9:30 a.m. the small black bear that has not been walking to well lately was just north and west of Hitching Post. Apparently someone I know saw a bison throw it in the air the other day and tried unsuccessfully to step on it. It has not been seen for the rest of this report. At 1:45 p.m. the large black bear with the green ear tag was again on the old sheep carcass under the Yellowstone Bridge.
Thursday - April 12th
44 degrees in Gardiner but 34 degrees at Hellroaring this morning warming up to 39 degrees. Soon after daylight the snow began making viewing difficult. At 7:55 a.m. Doug M (wolf watcher) called with a grizzly near the mixed conifer aspen forest in Slough Creek. As the weather moved in Jim F called to say that he had the grizzly in view from Aspen West Pullout. A brief sighting of ten minutes or so before the grizzly disappeared into the weather and the forest. We could not view anything over a half of mile or so. Soon the snow started sticking on the roads so most of us headed back to Gardiner. The roads were about as bad as I have seen, I was slipping going up Tower Hill in my all wheel drive car and almost hit a small bison herd in a curve near Phantom Lake. Mid afternoon the weather cleared and I made a quick trip to Slough Creek and back with no sightings.
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Friday - April 13th
33 degrees at Gardiner but 26 degrees on the Blacktail this morning warming up to 39 degrees. The snow began just after first light and soon the visibility was severely reduced again. The bison carcass at the Soda Butte Cone got moved out towards the river by the rangers this morning. Maybe either a bear or wolves will find it now. At 7:00 a.m. Doug M (wolf watcher) found a large dark grizzly from Upper Hellroaring this morning. It was to the west and moving south but remained in view for about fifteen minutes. Some of my bear watching friends got there to watch him for a while. Jort V found a dead fox off the road just west of Hubbard Hill this morning with a golden eagle on the carcass. Just the dead fox when I went thru. At 10:20 a.m. 926F of the Lamar Canyon pack was moving west from north of the road near Soda Butte cone. She soon bedded. At 11:00 a.m. Little T and Small Dot were found also moving west and I viewed them from just east of Footbridge Pullout. I had a THREE DOG DAY today.
I reviewed some of my notes from previous years and noted that my sightings of grizzlies are about one quarter of the past few years. But this winter has been a long and snowy one and I assume that a lot of the bears just are not out yet.
People Seen
Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Doug M, Melba C, Bonnie M, Evan S, Nathan V, and Alan and Sue O. From Colorado: Jim and Bobbie F. From the Netherlands: Jort V. From California: Bob and Nell H. From Mississippi: Chuck and Wynelle M. From Canada: Jeff A. From Florida: Rick and Vicky K and Gloria S and her mother. From Indiana: Jeff and Terri B. Bear Watchers: From Wyoming: Richard and Rita R. From Louisiana: Bruce P. From Montana: Jack G. Others seen this report: From Montana: Bob L, Cliff B, MacNeil L, Jenny B, Reggie and Linda C, and Tonya M. And I almost forgot: From Utah: Bob B.
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Yellowstone National Park
Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park
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| Yellowstone Geyser and Thermal Videos | |
|---|---|
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| Beehive Geyser Eruption Two | Pocket Basin |
| Fan and Mortar | Roaring Mountain |
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| Entrance Cities and Gateway Towns | |||
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| Links | |
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| The Great Outdoors Net | Great Outdoor Recreational Places |
| Gardiner, Montana | West Yellowstone, Montana |
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