Yellowstone National Park 2019 Trip Reports

Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

12 through 14 May 2019 - Yellowstone National Park

~ May 2019 ~

Sunday - May 12th

It was 42 degrees in Gardiner and 28 degrees in Lamar Valley this morning warming up to 69 degrees. The peregrine falcon nest at Calcite is across the river again this year and had three eggs in it. At 5:45 a.m. a black bear was seen on Amethyst Bench. At 6:00 a.m. a black wolf was bedded near the carcass south of Fisherman's Pullout. At 6:15 a.m. Richard and Rita R found a dark grizzly digging on Penny Lane with good viewing from the Confluence. At 6:40 a.m. we had a black wolf southeast of Footbridge Pullout. At 7:10 a.m. Evan S found the small light sub adult grizzly on the A-Z Meadow. At 7:20 a.m. the Slough Creek grizzly sow with two yearling cubs were again in the Slough Bowl quite close for great viewing. At 7:25 a.m. the grizzly sow and yearling were again on the Middle Ridge in Crystal best viewed from the Crystal Pullout. At 8:00 a.m. the grizzly sow with two cubs of the year (coys) were digging on Ski Slope viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 8:30 a.m. 907F the gray female from the Junction Butte pack came to the new bison carcass south of Dorothy's (people had watched bison die yesterday). At 8:55 a.m. Richard and Rita R found a small light grizzly on the skyline south of the Institute best viewed from the Midpoint Pullout. At 10:00 a.m. Randi M found the grizzly sow with two coys under the snow cornice high south and west of Footbridge Pullout. They had not moved very far from yesterdays sighting. At 10:45 a.m. we had a black bear on Amethyst Bench grazing. At 2:00 p.m. a black collared wolf traveled west to east at about a hundred yards north Dorothy's Pullout and eventually moved to the old bison carcass north of Old Road Pullout (it really was trying to cross the road to the new bison carcass south of Dorothy's). At 2:40 p.m. the black collared wolf pasted back to the west about a hundred yards north of Dorothy's Pullout to the delight of the tourists. At 3:00 p.m. the small light grizzly was seen on the # 1 Finger of Norris. At 4:25 p.m. we had a black bear southwest of the Confluence in the tree line viewed from the Confluence Pullout.

Monday - May 13th

A nice 44 degrees in Gardiner and 32 degrees in the Lamar Valley warming up to a warm 74 degrees. At 5:30 a.m. we had four Junction Butte black wolves bedded around the new bison carcass south of Dorothy's Pullout. At 6:15 a.m. a grizzly sow with one yearling cub were digging on Bear Meadow viewed from Midpoint and the Institute pullouts. At 9:00 a.m. we had a black bear on Square Meadow viewed from the Institute. At 9:15 a.m. we watched a large grizzly that was lower on Bear Meadow while the sow and yearling were above. The sow and yearling ran uphill and eventually up and over the hill going to the west. The large grizzly moved through No Bear Meadow and then disappeared. At 9:30 a.m. the grizzly sow with two cubs of the year were again on Ski Slope digging. They were in view for quite a while and reappeared at 1:00 p.m. staying in view for quite a while. At 10:30 a.m. we had a cinnamon black bear south of Midpoint Pullout in the tree line. At 10:40 a.m. 996M the black Junction Butte wolf traveled west on the south side of the road viewed from the Trashcan Pullout. At 11:10 a.m. I found one grizzly under the snow cornice high south and west of Footbridge Pullout (a lot of heat waves, probably the sow with two coys but I could not see the coys). At 1:00 p.m. a grizzly sow with yearling was low on Bear Meadow going east (may have been a different sow and yearling, but did not see the other for the rest of the day). At 1:45 p.m. Grant had a medium grizzly near Specimen Ridge viewed from the Crystal Pullout (it looked a lot like the Junction Butte sow who should have coys this spring, but was alone, hopefully if it was her she just left the cubs at the den). Not related, Raspberry and Snow have been seen near Lake Butte east of Fishing Bridge and Raspberry has no cubs.

Tuesday - May 14th

Starting to warm up, 48 degrees in Gardiner and 39 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to 70 degrees. At 5:45 a.m. two black wolves were spotted moving west south of the Old Road Pullout in Lamar Valley. At 7:50 a.m. Richard and Rita R found the grizzly sow with two coys on Ski Slope digging again. They were in view for a long time and were in view again at 10:45 a.m. At 8:15 a.m. the Slough Creek grizzly sow with two yearlings were north of Coyote Overlook. They came within two hundred yards before retreating uphill and out of view. They were again seen at 2:45 p.m. much higher north of Coyote Overlook. At 9:20 a.m. the small light grizzly was spotted on the # 1 Finger on Norris. It was in view again at 12:45 p.m. At 9:40 a.m. the grizzly sow with two coys was again under the snow cornice high south and west of Footbridge Pullout. They were in view again at 12:30 p.m. crossing a snow field before digging for a while before disappearing over a small ridge. At 11:00 p.m. two large grizzlies were seen high in Bear Meadow going over the ridgeline going south. At 11:20 a.m. the Druid Peak grizzly sow with seen for the first time this year on Druid Peak with two cubs of the year. Far viewing but good to see them out of the den. At 3:00 p.m. we had a cinnamon black bear east of Yellowstone Picnic Area. At 3:20 p.m. my last sighting for the day was a black bear with an orange ear tag at Phantom Lake.

People Seen

Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Doug M, Melba C, and Lizzie C. From Washington: David and Stephanie O. From Idaho: Craig C. From Utah: Jerry and Julia C, and Denny and Pam D. From Colorado: Jeremy S, Karol B and Mark and Carol R. From Arizona: Reve and Susan. From Oklahoma: Robert and Pam W. From California: Bob and Nell H, and Bill and Karen M. From Missouri: Frank H. From Texas: Carl L and Carol S. From Wyoming: Larry and Linda H. From Oregon: Richard and Linda Y. From Mississippi: Chuck and Wynelle M. Bear Watchers seen this report: From Washington: John G, Randi M and Hank L. From Wisconsin: Don L. From Utah: Dean and Jeri D, Mark H, and Dave H. From Indiana: Jeff and Terry B. From Wyoming: Richard and Rita R. From Louisiana: Bruce P. From Colorado: Ed A, and Rick and Len H. From Illinois: Wayne K, and Chicago Bob and Margaret P. From Florida/Georgia: Ken and Chris. From California: Les and Cole W with their family. From Montana: Chuck and Debbie. From Idaho: Jennings and Carma S. Others seen this report: From Montana: Cliff B, Evan S, Emil M, Chris H, Steve B, and Lee and Kristy H. From Colorado: Jim and Bobbie F. From Washington: Nick and Diane L. From Utah: Bob B.

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park