Yellowstone National Park 2021 Trip Reports

Trip Report ~ Bear & Wolf Sightings ~ by Bill Hamblin

10 through 13 June 2021
Yellowstone National Park

~ June 2021 ~

Thursday - June 10th

48 degrees in Silver Gate but 41 degrees in Lamar Valley warming up to 64 degrees. I had a THREE DOG DAY today. At 5:25 a.m. I found a grizzly digging in the Bowl. At 5:55 a.m. John G on his last day in the park found a courting pair of grizzlies on Penny Lane viewed from Footbridge Pullout. The pair was in and out of view for most of the morning. At 7:40 a.m. we had a black bedded wolf south of Fisherman's Pullout viewed from Lamar Canyon East. Later I viewed it from Dorothy's Pullout and discovered it was on a bison calf carcass. The cow was still in the area trying to run off the wolf from the mostly eaten bison calf carcass. At 7:50 a.m. the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two cubs of the year (coys) was in sight from Lamar Canyon West. At 11:00 a.m. a gray wolf approached the Sage Den at Slough Creek then shook off a bunch of dirt before proceeding up hill and out of sight. At 11:15 a.m. we had a large grizzly on the western slope of Middle Ridge. He dug around for almost an hour before proceeding over the hill and out of sight. The Middle Ridge family had been in that area of Middle Ridge earlier, but this grizzly proceeded over the hill on a different route.

Friday - June 11th

34 degrees in Silver Gate this morning warming up to 68 degrees. I had a THREE DOG DAY today. At 5:25 a.m. Gary G found a grizzly near the skyline in a meadow east of the Bell. Later Gary G found the grizzly in a lower clearing, and it turned out to be two grizzlies. A nice courting pair of grizzlies in view for only ten minutes. At 6:05 a.m. I found a courting pair of grizzlies on Penny Lane viewed from the Confluence. Soon after others watched from Hitching Post. At 7:00 a.m. one black, one gray and 1275M a black collared wolf of the Junction Butte wolf pack were seen near Amethyst Bench. They were in no hurry this morning and were bedded for quite a while and we moved on to other things. At 7:45 a.m. I found the Specimen Ridge grizzly sow with two coys in the trees on the east end of Specimen Ridge. Only in and out of view for fifteen minutes, but later they came down below the trees of Specimen Ridge for a couple hours of good viewing. At 8:00 a.m. Doug M (wolf watcher) called with a black bear grazing in the A-Z Meadow viewed from Dorothy's, Coyote, or Fisherman's. At 10:00 a.m. we had a cinnamon black bear in the tree line southwest of Long Pullout in Little America. At 4:00 p.m. we watched a black bear below Specimen Ridge viewed from Slough Creek. At 4:40 p.m. I found the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two coys high in a clearing east of Middle Ridge. Only in view for a little while but later in view for well over an hour. From 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. a total of seven black and two gray adult wolves plus two gray and one black puppy were seen near the Slough Creek den.

Saturday - June 12th

37 degrees this morning warming up to a hot 79 degrees. I had a weasel run across the road near Hitching Post today. A moose at the church between Silver Gate and Cooke City tonight. I had a THREE DOG DAY today. At 5:15 a.m. I spotted a black bear below No Bear Meadow viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 5:25 a.m. I found a black bear high right of Salad Bowl viewed from Coyote. At 6:05 a.m. Gary G found the Specimen Ridge grizzly sow with two coys low on Middle Ridge from Lamar Canyon West. At 6:50 a.m. Gary G found the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two coys high on Middle Ridge also from Lamar Canyon West. At 7:00 a.m. a black adult wolf and two gray and one black puppy were seen at the Slough Creek den. At 7:50 a.m.1228F a gray collared wolf leaving an antelope fawn carcass south the Institute. At 8:10 a.m. a black bear was seen in the tree line southwest of Picnic Pullout. At 8:20 a.m. two black wolves were spotted moving east south of the Confluence. At noon, a black bear sow with one black and one brown coy were in the Slough Bowl. They were in sight for well over one hour. At 12:40 p.m. four gray puppies were seen playing near the Goal Post in the wolf den area. At 3:30 p.m. we had a nice black bear just off the road near Thunderer. At 4:50 p.m. I found the two 2 1/2-year-old sub adults on the backside of Ski Slope above the snow from Coyote. In view for a while and out again for a better look later this afternoon.

Sunday - June 13th

37 degrees this morning in Silver Gate warming up to a hot 80 degrees. I had a THREE DOG DAY today. At 5:50 a.m. I found the Middle Ridge grizzly sow with two coys in the same Inverted T Meadow as last evening. Later this morning they moved to the top of Salad Bowl (Divide Ridge). At 6:00 a.m. Gary G found a grizzly sow with two coys in the Yellow Grass Meadow in Slough Creek (only second time we got to see this family). At 6:20 a.m. a black wolf was seen at the Slough Creek den. At 6:40 a.m. Doug M (bear watcher) found the two 2 1/2-year-old sub adult grizzlies in the same place as last evening, on the backside of Ski Slope above the snow viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 7:00 a.m. I found a nice sized cinnamon black bear on the lower part of Middle Ridge viewed from Coyote Overlook. At 7:15 a.m. Randi M while watching the cinnamon black bear found a black bear coming into the same area. Soon the black bear chased the cinnamon off, but then returned milling around before both going their separate ways. At 9:30 a.m. Randi M found the K-2 grizzly with two coys on K-2 again (they had not been seen in a week and a half or so). At 6:15 p.m. Gary G found the Specimen Ridge grizzly sow with two coys low on the Divide Ridge from Slough Creek. Good viewing as the sun was on them as they moved east and out of sight. At 7:00 p.m. two black and one gray adult wolves and two black and two gray puppies were in view near the Slough Creek den.

People Seen

Wolf Watchers: From Montana: Rick M, Taylor B, Doug M, Dan and Laurie L, Joe K, Reve and Susan C, Janice and Cindy H, and Jeremy S. From California: Kathie L. From New York: Rick and Maureen B. From Washington: Patrick J. From Mississippi: Gary G and Chuck and Wynelle M. From Utah: Paul and Ryan H. And from Oregon: Bruce and Kelly H. Bear Watchers: From Illinois: Wayne K and Mike G. From Washington: John G and Randi M. From Montana: Doug M. From Wyoming: Richard and Rita R and Terri W. From Colorado: Ricki and Tanner H. From Georgia: Sandi R. From Utah: Larry M. and from Utah: Scott and Joann M. Others seen: From Montana: Carl S, Grant J, Claire L, Brad B, Will S, Cara M, Jim H, Emil M, Evan S, Josh M, Bob L, Chris H, and Audra C. From Wyoming: Jim G. From the Netherlands: Jort V. From Vermont: John K and Beth. And from Arizona: David and Phyllis.

Yellowstone National Park

Lamar Valley Map - Yellowstone National Park