Yellowstone National Park 2020 Trip Reports
Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin
September 4th through 9th, 2020
Yellowstone National Park
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~ September 2020 ~
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Friday - September 4th
Friday September 4th. I camped at Pebble Creek all nights except the last night I spent outside the North Gate. 35 degrees this morning warming up to 88 degrees. At 6:20 a.m. we had one adult wolf and 14 puppies in the usual area near the Slough Creek rendezvous area near the Marge Simpson Tree. Plus, we caught 11 adults moving west this morning finally disappearing in the Yellow Grass Meadow. At 6:35 a.m. a large dark grizzly was seen moving north above Slough Creek heading for the Diagonal Forest. It disappeared into the Diagonal Forest after five minutes but reappeared above the Den Area in Slough Creek. At 3:15 p.m. we had a brown black bear crossed the road from the south going north just east of Footbridge.
Saturday - September 5th
46 degrees this morning warming up to 94 degrees. At 6:20 a.m. 3 black and one gray puppy plus the gray male adult wolf were in the Slough Creek rendezvous area. At 7:40 a.m. 907F, 1228F, and one black yearling wolf plus 7 black and 2 gray puppies were south of Trashcan. The Junction Butte pack was now split for a time with pups in both Slough Creek and now Lamar Valley.
Sunday - September 6th
43 degrees this morning with smoke in the air but clearing in the p.m. with a high of 85 degrees. At 7:00 a.m. we had a black wolf in the Slough Creek rendezvous area. At 7:35 a.m. wolf 1048M bedded south of Midpoint Pullout. At 8:00 a.m. 7 black and 6 gray puppies plus 996M and two adult gray and three adult black adults were seen south of Trashcan Pullout (the old Druid Rendezvous Area). At noon we had 1228F, 1229F, 2 black pups, and a gray pup in the Slough Creek Rendezvous area.
Monday - September 7th
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39 degrees this morning warming up to 54 degrees with rain and snow in the p.m. At 6:30 a.m. we had 9 black and 5 gray puppies plus the following adult wolves 1047M, 1048M, 996M, 907F, 1228F, plus two black yearlings in the old Druid rendezvous area. At 8:50 a.m. 1229F and four black yearlings chased a spike bull elk into Slough Creek. The chase lasted for 15 minutes with the bull elk swimming away and crossing the creek several times. The elk survived; I think because only the yearlings were there in the chase. Also seen near Slough Creek was the alpha female, two black and one gray puppies. All eighteen puppies were seen today. What was discovered was that the puppy count in Slough Creek was changing. One day 3 puppies and the next day 6 puppies. Which meant that some of the puppies that moved to Lamar Valley to the old Druid rendezvous area were returning in the night back to Slough Creek rendezvous.
Tuesday - September 8th
20 degrees this morning warming up to 53 degrees. I had a THREE DOG DAY today. I spent most of my day looking for bears so spent little time watching for wolves. But I did see 3 black wolves in the old Druid rendezvous area and one black adult in the Slough Creek rendezvous area (wolf watchers had almost 30 between the two rendezvous areas). At 6:30 p.m. Dawson from Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson showed me a medium light grizzly south of Trashcan. It was grazing and digging lightly but was later seen chasing an adult wolf in the area.
Wednesday - September 9th
19 degrees this morning warming up to 65 degrees. I camped outside of the North Entrance tonight. At 6:20 a.m. we had 8 black and 5 gray puppies plus the three adult grays 907F, 1228F, and the adult male; 1047M, 1048M, 996M, and two black yearlings in the old Druid rendezvous area. At 9:00 a.m. with help from Lynette and Calvin and Gary G I watched the medium light grizzly south of Enclosure for 40 minutes or so. The wolves moved past the grizzly and the grizzly sat and watched. Then the grizzly took a long nap. During the evening I went north of the park and had some really good bear sightings.
People Seen
People seen this report: Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Doug M, Jeremy S, Barb M, and Joe K. From Missouri: Frank H. From Mississippi: Gary G. From Arizona: Reve and Susan. From Virginia: Dusty. From Kansas: Calvin and Lynette J. From Washington: Steve L. From Wyoming: Larry and Linda H. From New York: Wendy B. From Florida: Andy and Missy O. From South Dakota: Sam and Ginny G. From Utah: Pam and Denny D. From Texas: Carl L, and Carol S. Bear Watchers seen this report: From Montana: Margaret L, Lauri D, and Scott M. From Wisconsin: Jim and Karen S. From Idaho: Carla and Jennings S. From Illinois: Frank G. From Wyoming: Terri W. Others seen this report: From Montana: MacNeil L, Carl S, Bob L, Grant, Taylor B, Audra C, Cara M, and Quinn H. From the Netherlands: Jort V. From Idaho: Adam 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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| Gardiner, Montana | West Yellowstone, Montana |
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