Yellowstone National Park 2021 Trip Reports

Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

28 through 31 March 2021
Yellowstone National Park

~ March 2021 ~

Sunday - March 28th

It was 38 degrees first thing this morning and windy all day warming up to 51 degrees Very high winds all day and throughout the night. I saw my first killdeer this morning. I also watched a large moose just off road near Upper Hellroaring this afternoon. At 8:30 a.m. the Junction Butte wolves left a bison calf carcass north of Wrecker Pullout and moved and bedded in Buffalo Ford viewed from Boulder Pullout. They were there all day. My count was 9 black and 3 grays. I had a THREE DOG DAY today.

Monday - March 29th

It was 40 degrees this morning in Gardiner with high winds and the temperatures dropped with the high of only 29 degrees on the Blacktail this afternoon. We had snow in the morning. I saw a moose at Floating Island Lake this morning and a golden eagle flying over Hellroaring this afternoon. At 7:20 a.m. after being gone for a day the Wapiti Lake wolf pack was back on the bull bison carcass near the Petrified Tree Pullout (see map). They were in view all day with two hours at the carcass this morning and another hour in the afternoon. When they went out of sight they simply moved over the ridge and we watched them for Elk Creek Pullout (see linked map). My count was 3 blacks and 3 grays; again, only a part of the pack was present which did not include the alpha pair.

Tuesday - March 30th

It was a cold 23 degrees in Gardiner with a high of 27 degrees in the park with winds all day. The Junction Butte wolves had been out of sight all day yesterday. At about 12:30 p.m. today the were seen on a bison carcass in the Yellowstone River Corridor south of Wrecker Pullout. They came into view at Junction Lake viewed from Rick's Pullout but had bedded before I saw them. Probably 20-22 wolves there but I could only count 5 blacks and 3 grays and that was only because a small herd of bison moved through the area and made some of the wolves move. I also have a THREE DOG DAY today.

Wednesday - March 31st

Another cold morning with 20 degrees in Gardiner but 9 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to a pleasant 42 degrees with a lot of sun. I saw my first Bluebird of the year today. At 8:15 a.m. the Junction Butte wolf pack was located north of Boulder Pullout just across the river corridor. They were bedded and there was bird activity in a small nearby gully. They were there until at least 5:00 p.m. tonight and my big count was 8 blacks and 5 grays but more than likely the entire pack of 20 plus was there. At 8:45 a.m. three wolves killed an elk south of Midpoint Pullout in Lamar Valley. It was a long-drawn-out battle before the elk was dispatched. I only saw a collared black with a lot of gray hairs and a black un-collared wolf when I arrived after the elk was dispatched. The collared wolf was still on the carcass at 4:00 p.m.

People Seen

Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Doug M, Melba C, Wendy B, Barb M, Reve and Susan, Jeremy S, Audra C, Pastor Don, and Don V. From California: Kathie L, and Dan and Laurie L. From Washington: Froane and Judy S. From Canada: Jeff and Jeannie A. Bear Watchers seen this report: From Montana: Doug M and Margaret L. From Louisiana: Bruce P. Others seen this report: From Montana: Cliff B, Taylor B, Carl S, Grant J, Brandon N, Emil M, Bob L, and part of the Rich Family: Greg, Tracie, Kyle, and Tyler. And from the Netherlands: Jort V.

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park