The Alpha Male Returns

July 12, 2024

The day began with a decent sighting. Right away at 5:50, we had 1479F, 1477F, 907F and the pups in front of the right group of trees. They gathered for a mournful group howl, likely calling for the missing alpha male. I think there was another black adult, likely 1385F, participating in the howl.

At 6:24, a black bear came through the den area causing surprisingly little concern. At 6:40, the gray pup and 907F went back behind Flower Hill. 1477F laid down in the marsh and 1479F laid just below the left crest of Flower Hill. Both occasionally put their heads up to the delight of first-time viewers. At 8:26, 1477F walked up to Flower Hill.

A teenage boy and his mom shared some photos with me that they had taken on their way to Slough this morning at Phantom Lake. It sure looked like the alpha male but it was hard to tell and it was in the wrong area for a Junction Butte wolf.

Thinking the morning's excitement was over and the pack was bedded down for the day, John began to pack up the camera. Suddenly, Jason saw 907F get up, and we watched as she ran, no bounded, to the left. I shouted to John to come back out, and he set up as quickly as possible. All the wolves got up to follow 907F. The alpha male returned! They ran toward each other in a joyful reunion. We examined him for the white face, legs and tummy, and we all agreed it was him. To be sure, we radioed to anyone at Slough, and Rick M. answered, confirming his identity. We all cheered at the confirmation. He was moving slowly, so he is likely injured. While it is good to have him back, the pack is still in danger if he does not return to his former self.

The Return of the Alpha Male

We said our goodbyes to our new friend, Jason, as well as Kriztina on radio. The sighting of the alpha male sustained us for several hours of our drive toward home. Once I had cell service, I received a text from Debbie. She said that Taylor saw the alpha male two days ago. She never posted on Instagram about it, so I believe she kept that from the wolf watchers. I am so disappointed in her. 

Pups on Their Own Again

 July 11, 2024

Our ride into the park was a bit shorter since we're staying in Silver Gate. It was a little warmer than it has been, so I didn't need a heavy jacket or two jackets. The skies were clear and we had a rosy glow.

Photo courtesy of Debbie Morford

We got to see Debbie for the last time today, as she works early tomorrow saving the bears from human stupidity. She was harassed yesterday while working by a real jerk from California who planted himself next to Jason. We were sure to speak loudly about how important it was for the animals to break up the wildlife jams and we didn't talk to him. She saw the pups and then went to Lamar to see 907F and 1479F.

We had both pups by 6:15, and then saw them again briefly at about 7:30. They were alone for the second day in a row at the den site. We had lots of reports, both in-person from other visitors and on the radio, about 907F and 1479F. We hoped one of them would return while we watched since they were headed west but neither showed up by noon. Last night, 907F returned to feed the pups but there was no sign of the alpha male. It's been nine days; he is likely dead.

What will happen to the Junction Butte Pack? Perhaps another male will take over as the alpha. Maybe 907F will fade away. The pups could die without good hunters to bring them food. A grown wolf can survive on scavenged carcasses and small mammals, but I am not sure that can support two growing pups.

Tomorrow, we have one last viewing. If the pups are alone again, we may go to the Lamar to see 907F one last time, possibly our very last time.

Short Viewing with Concerning News

 July 10, 2024

We had to check out of our cabin in Gardiner today, so we left about 15 minutes later. Once again, we had clear skies but the temperature was in the upper 40s at Slough, and mid 60s in Gardiner. It was a beautiful sunrise with a pink cloud above the den site.

Speaking of the den site, we finally met unit 168, Kriztina, a true wolf watcher, and she explained to use that the hole we thought they'd dug just above the marsh is actually the sage den. From the lower vantage point, it looks like the area is at the bottom of the hill, but from above it's not, which matches the description of the sage den. The pups and other wolves have been disappearing into that area, which we now know means that they have been going into the den.

We also learned that the wolf watchers are concerned about the alpha male. They haven't seen him since a hunt on July 2, so it has been eight days. It is unusual for the alpha male not to return in such a while. He is also the primary hunter of the pack, and the subordinate wolves do not yet know how to hunt well. His loss could be even more devastating to the pack than 907F's.

We did see the gray pup come down the hill from the trees at 10:10 and go into the den. I also saw the black pup move about at the base of the trees but no more.

It was a busy morning despite the lack of wolf watching. Debbie joined us and was able to ask Jeremy questions about the plane that flew over. She knows Jeremy and talked to him for a while. He said that they like to fly over every week but most of the time it is every two weeks. It is not just the Junction Butte pack but all the packs in the park. The pilot, Mark, is a biologist but also takes another biologist with him. He saw both pups and the den site, and was looking for the adults over the ridge and up beyond Slough Campground.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fGhbsBbs_A

Meanwhile, Taylor gave a talk to a science school. It looked like high school students. She spoke well, but it was obvious to all three of us (me, John, Jason), that she didn't care much for the wolf watchers because they don't see it fair that she doesn't tell them about where the wolves are. She called the wolf watchers "bleeding hearts" and indicated that she was ready to move on. Kriztina confirmed the riff between the Wolf Research Project and the wolf watchers, saying that they won't reveal information to them anymore. They are worried that a photographer will get a hold of the information, and some have been doing things they shouldn't in the park with regard to wildlife. I can understand that, but it is a marked change from when Rick M. was head of the project. The wolf watchers have likely spent more years watching wolves than Taylor has spent on this earth; I would think they could be trusted.

Rick M. also came down to our lot and gave a talk to a group of elementary and middle school girls on a tour. Jeremy gave an interview to the Washington Post at some point during the day down there as well. It had something to do with the sound equipment the research project is using to study the wolf howl and how they communicate. He was looking for a tree to use to set up a demo. We saw him set his scope up for what looked like a three-year-old girl, and he showed her the golden eagle's nest nearby.

We spent the afternoon at our new cabin in Silver Gate. It's definitely not one we'll return to, but it's better than a tent. I think. We'll go out again this evening to see if we can see the adults return to the pups.

Active Early Morning Wolves

 July 9, 2024

Once again, we arrived at 5:30 with clear skies, though it was not as cold. I spotted the gray pup at 5:45 and then 1479F near the den hole. The black pup came out and there was lots of play among the three of them.

Jason arrived at his usual 6:00, and Debbie joined us, too, and we were all able to see the bison come through the area they were bedded at 6:15. At 6:25, 1479F headed left again, and we lost her once again behind the rocks. 

At 6:30, a second bison came through, which brought 907F out to the hole den above the marsh.

At 6:47, the black wolf I head been catching glimpses of all morning finally got up and moved a bit and laid down out of sight. She was on the marsh ledge. At the time, I didn't see a collar but wasn't sure who it was, but later determined it was 1385F, whose dark collar doesn't show.

At 7:15, 1885F took both pups to the marsh. Jason and Debbie followed 907F who went along Flower Hill and disappeared in the rocks. I watched 1385F take the pups up Flower Hill and then right toward the trees where they all disappeared.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrSUyXz9_vQ

At 11:15, another bison came through. The pups went into their hole, and 1385F disappeared behind the hill between the west and east group of trees. We did not see them again. We did meet unit 21, Bill, who works for the park service at Joshua Tree. He was on furlough and had just returned to the park today. We filled him in on the latest activities of the wolves. He hung back and watched us interact with tourists and seemed to appreciate our efforts. He was a former religious studies and later biology teacher as well.

Excellent Morning Viewing

 July 8, 2024

We set up quickly upon our 4:30 arrival with clear skies. At 5:44, 907F was up briefly to reposition herself and two minutes later a black wolf (not sure whether pup or yearling) moved about, too front of right trees. At 6:00, the gray pup was visible as well. There was some play in the marsh area.

It was a busy day with lots of people to help, including guides and tourists, children and adults alike. I didn't write anything else down, though I know we had sightings until 10:30. A bison moved through the area the wolves were bedded in, prompting 907F to get up along with the pups, who went to the safety of the hole the wolves dug on the ledge just above the marsh. We finally figured out that they had a den hole there because they kept disappearing there for hours at a time and it was too hot for them to just lay in the sun. 907F was not too concerned, as she allowed the bison to cross between her and her pups. She kept a watchful eye on them.

John also engaged an old fisherman who gave John a print of his artwork. He draws people and wildlife and even illustrated a children's book.

We stopped scoping at 10:45, tired from the previous days with nine and ten hours of scoping. Jason took the day to resupply and do laundry in Gardiner, and we had an iced latte that we sipped in the rocking chairs outside of Yellowstone Forever. We saw Jason there and talked for a while, and John called his friend, Mark Perry, to talk about photographing wolves. 

Back at the cabin, I popped across the street to the market, and just as I was leaving, I saw Steve. He and Jackie walked up to the cabin from the parking lot and visited with us for a couple of hours. It was really nice to get to know them better. We talked about travel, wolves, and Rick M. I shared that I thought Rick was perhaps ill, and we surmised that the perfect way for him to go would be on Bob's Knob watching the wolves, and then the wolves would all howl for him when he was gone. That brought Jackie to tears.

We were able to determine that Rick is the same age as John.

Lion's Meadow Pup Walk with 907F and 1479F

 July 7, 2024

We got up just a little earlier today at 4:15 so our arrival was at 5:35. We had clear skies and cool temperatures that later turned hot. 

I immediately had the black pup in front of the trees. It was up and down for the next half hour. At 6:15 both pups moved right with 1479F to the right of the first tree. 907F and 1478F (gray) went to the left of tree three and bedded, likely their "spot" I can see from Dave's Hill, where it appears as in front of the first tree. They have a nice, level spot there. We also saw 1477F (black), so we had four adults and the two pups.

At 7:50, 907F came down to the marsh for a long drink and then met with 1478F at the top of the hill. At 8:15, 1479F came down to the marsh with the pups and 907F following. They went to Lion's Meadow below and the pumps romped around until 9:00. As they returned to the top of the hill, four adults were together: 907F, 1479F, 1478F, and 1477F. 

At 10:30, 1479F and 1478F ran to the left and we lost them behind the rocks. No one on Bob's Knob saw where they went either. I conferred with Rick M. and we speculated that they would stay on the far side of the river since there were so many fishermen on the creek. We thought they might be seen by Marge Simpson Tree, and Rick went to scope there but did not radio that they were seen. They were probably long gone by then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lp5MOeB5YQ

Ashley, from New York City by way of New Zealand, took the prize for dedication. She was staying in Idaho and got up at 3:30 to make it by 6:00 to see the wolves. She was rewarded!

Naomi, a history teacher from Virginia, loved seeing the wolves.

This family did not get to see the wolves, but we shared lots of information about the pack with them.

We had lots of sharing with folks at times, though it was much quieter than yesterday. We shared John's YouTube channel, recommended Rick's books, and Nate Blakeslee's American Wolf, the book about '06 which turned us onto wolf watching in the first place. We connected with Maria and Marcus, and a couple from San Diego whose names escape me. They had a Ford Transit 350 and let us see inside!

We returned to Gardiner to have a homemade pizza and champagne to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary!

A Mollie's Tan Wolf Joins the Junction Buttes Again

July 6, 2024

We got up and out 15 minutes earlier so arrived at Slough Creek with mostly clear skies at 5:30. I got set up at the lower lot with John and immediately spotted 907F, who was up briefly. Then, 1478F and 1385F went up to the left running, and eventually wound their way up and over Junction Pass in the rosy sunlight.

At 6:00am, the pups were visible in front of right trees one and two behind the sage. At 7:05 1479F was between tree one and two and then right of the trees. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqPFIvx0zHo

At 7:45, there was a black bear above the diagonal forest. At 8:10 the black pup made a brief appearance in front of trees two and three. At 8:30 1479F went half way down the hill for what we thought would be a drink but then disappeared behind Flower Hill. Then, at 8:45 she ran down the hill through the drainage and Lion's Meadow going to the right, and was sitting by Slough Creek aby 9:15. We lost sight of her, despite John going to the hill above the creek to the west.

At 11:30, the Mollie's tan wolf made her appearance, coming down for a drink and a long cool-off in the marsh. She disappeared in five minutes but reappeared at 12:30.  

At 1:15, 1479F appeared in the lower right of the marsh area and greeted the Mollie's wolf. 1479F then went up to the trees and disappeared behind the sage.

At 2:15, we had intermittent sightings of the black pup near the left-most tree, and then at 2:45 saw 1479F behind the trees to the left of the right group.

It was another day of much socializing and sharing wolves with so many families. We and the wolves drew quite a crowd and shared our scopes and information with them. We shared John's YouTube channel with several people, and exchanged contact information with the couple from Scotland.

It was a pleasant day with sunshine and a breeze, moving the clouds along. We dressed better today for the intensity of the sun at over 6,000 feet, wearing layers that we could peel off as the day warmed up.

Finally, at 3:30, after ten hours of scoping, we were exhausted and called it a day with a promise to see Jason in the morning. We had a long bear jam on the way home near Wapati corner.

The Wolf Pups Big Adventure

July 5, 2024

We had a cloudless sky, which meant early sunshine on the den area but chilly temperatures for the first hour. Once the sun graced us, first me, then John, we warmed up considerably. John dropped me at Dave's Hill and drove down to the lower lot.

The puppies' big adventure started right away! At 6:00am, 907F took the pups, along with 1478F, a little to the left of then den, but then into and above the diagonal forest to the right. They went up quite high above the den area to the ridge above. The adults watched as the pups ventured down the steep drainage on their own. They eventually joined the pups and led them back to the den. The exercise ended almost two hours later at 7:45. At that point, 907F bedded on Flower Hill. The pups followed 1478F toward the rocks. They disappeared in the sage and 1478F laid next to Crescent Rock out of sight. 907F is preparing the pups for the journey to the Rendezvous, in which they will have to cross Slough Creek, the dirt road, the Yellowstone River, and the main road.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu0ew1f4JBg

At that point, I packed up my equipment and walked down to John. 

At 12:15, a black collared wolf that we believe to be 1479F due to her smaller size walked up from the marsh area. We figured we missed her arrival from the secret passage. She disappeared behind Flower Hill. 

At 1:40, the black pup had his own trip to the marsh for a drink! It was the first time we have seen him go all the way to the marsh. 

At 12:29, 1479F headed for a 10-minute drink and cool-off laying in the water at the marsh with the black pup following part of the way but disappearing. 1479F got up from the stream, shook off, and headed back up to the trees.

Once again, we shared our scopes with Jason and many first-time wolf viewers. People were so polite and grateful for our "kindness" and "friendliness." We were told that the sightings were "the highlight of the trip" and that we "made lifetime memories." We expressed the same, as it has been wonderful to share the wolves with others.

At 2:30, we decided to head back to Gardiner. We had a bison jam near Slough Creek, and then a moose jam at Floating Island Lake. We saw a cow and a calf, first of the trip. We also saw another black bear.

Nine hours of scoping makes for a long day! We are relaxing at our cabin now.

Fourth of July in Yellowstone: Wolves and More New Friends

July 4, 2024

We started the day with clear skies and a timely arrival, though the clouds gathered to the northeast, which blocked the sun for a while early on. Light is key for morning viewing at Slough, especially for videography and photography. 

I dropped John off at the lower lot and went to Dave's Hill as usual. I had the hill to myself for much of the morning. John spotted 907F at 6:00am heading far to the left. She seemed to walk with purpose, but eventually turned around and headed back. We could see her pups anxiously awaiting her return.

907F and her pups reunited, with a brief attempt at nursing, which the alpha female had little patience for. She bedded down, and then the puppies played for nearly an hour under the right group of trees. They wrestled, played keep away with an antler, and tumbled, with the gray pup jumping on the black pup. The gray pup explored on its own to the left.

Eventually, I was able to see 1478M near 907F, both wolves at the same time. We don't know where the other Junction adults were. In time, all wolves disappeared behind the trees.

Jason, whom we met yesterday, joined John first thing, and the two spent the morning spotting together and sharing the wolves with first-timers. A French couple was quite delighted to see the wolves, friendly and happy. Another couple waited for hours but didn't see wolves. I hope they come back tomorrow.

I actually fell asleep in the sunshine alone on Dave's Hill, so I decided to join John for safety reasons. I stopped to talk to Rick M. before joining John to see if there were sightings elsewhere. Joining John below, we also met Steve and Jackie, yearly visitors from Scotland. We had a nice chat with Steve regarding favorite places in the U.S. Just as he was leaving, a woman stopping by with binoculars spotted 907F far to the right when we had missed her. We got her in our scopes and then I ran to let Steve know before he left. He got a glimpse of 907F but Jackie did not. Steve was quite engaging, and we hope to see him and Jackie tomorrow. An older photographer with a heavy accent stopped by to ask for tips and whether an 800mm lens was enough just when Steve arrived. We suggested he try video, with which he had little experience, and told him we would be there tomorrow if he wanted help.

We returned to Gardiner at 1:30 and decided to rest the afternoon and evening. We had vegan bratwurst and potato chips on the deck outside and some wine. It was fairly quiet for the Fourth of July.

A Close(r) Sighting of 907F, the Most Famous Wolf in the World (at This Time)

July 3, 2024: Morning

We left at the usual hour and got up to Slough at 5:39am. It was chilly in the 30s and cloudy but dry at least.

I dropped John at the middle lot with Debbie and headed up to Dave's Hill. At 6:00am, there wasn't much going on until 7:00 when suddenly Jason, who was down with John, spotted 907F coming in from the Secret Passage. She was quite close and John got some nice footage of her, having to quickly turn his camera and find her. 

From my vantage, she was nowhere near as close, but I got to see her cross the river. Those down below cannot see the river. She waded about half way across and then moved into the current. It eventually swept her downriver, but she timed it perfectly so that she reached the other bank in a wide spot where she could hug the bank as it jutted back into a calm area. She climbed out, shook herself, and then began her slow ascent. 

We both had memorable sightings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH_egbmuqOY

She made her way up the hill to the den area where she eventually regurgitated for the pups. I could see them licking her face multiple times. I continually narrated the wolves' whereabouts to John via walkie talkie and John continually relayed that he was letting others use the scope for first-time wolf sightings. The Indian family who was there late yesterday morning came back this morning at 6:00. Thankfully, they got to see the pack this time. John and Debbie made memories for many young families.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXZ9xfoyBTg

After the feeding, she bedded down behind the hill in the trees, and the pups disappeared, too. We did not see them again.

We headed back to Gardiner at 10:00am.

Evening

After a couple hours of much needed sleep, we had appetizers, and then I made mushroom tacos to take to Floating Island Lake. Unfortunately, there was a grizzly jam there so we decided to move on to the Lamar Valley. We ate there and scoped the valley, seeing plenty of bison and pronghorn. The radio chatter was quiet, so we went to Slough. There, the light was terrible and it was extremely windy. I gave up because my eyes were watering and my scope shaking. John eventually did, too, and we headed home at 8:30.

Many Junction Butte Wolves and a Grizzly Bear

 

July 2, 2024: Morning

Our morning departure was a bit of a jumble but we managed to get to Slough at pretty much the same time as previous days. It was 42 degrees but no wind, so we were warmer. 

I dropped John off and headed for Dave's Hill, only to discover that my walkie talkie was dead. I headed back down to John below, much to his surprise. He and Debbie were set up and already had a few wolves. The clouds moved in for a bit, obscuring the sage den area, but eventually the sun came out and burned them off.

The excitement began early with 907F going down for a drink at 6:24. We had occasional sightings as the morning went on, but the most fun began at 9:00 when we saw five adults (three blacks and two grays, including 1479F and 907F) and the two puppies. Several wolves came out from the trees at once and headed down and to the left of the sage den. 

We had many first-time wolf watchers, young and old, that we shared our scopes with. John made an excellent video of the various sightings, and half the fun of it is listening to people's delight at seeing a wolf.

We saw the large brown-gray wolf again, learning from the wolf reports that he is actually a former Junction visiting from the Mollie's pack.

We noticed magpies in the pine trees for the first time today, and in watching the videos back at the cabin, it was quite apparent that they flew up from behind the trees whenever a wolf dashed back there, and they did indeed dash back in a motion we have seen before to scare off pesky scavengers. We believe they have a carcass behind the trees!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5vTyvlO-w&t=30s

While talking to an Indian family, we somehow managed to miss the brown-gray wolf at 10:15. We tried in vain to find a wolf for them until 11:00, when we finally gave up. We went to Dorothy's to take a nap in the warm sun in the car, then headed back to Gardiner.

We had our usual iced latte and sat in the rocking chairs outside Yellowstone Forever at around 5:00 pm.

Evening

We chose Blacktail Ponds for our evening viewing and dinner site. It was only a 25-minute drive, and we didn't much care whether or not we saw any wildlife. Having finished our spaghetti, we used the binocs to looks around—saw a bald eagle being chased by a redwing blackbird and some geese. At about 7:00, I noticed the cars to the west near the next pullout were stopped in the road, which means only one thing: wildlife.

A large golden brown male grizzly crossed the road there and moved across the sage and then finally up the hill at a diagonal, disappearing into the forest. He was huge, nearly the size of a bison and rimmed in sunlight. About 20 minutes later, a woman stopped and pointed out two black bears, one brown (male) and one black (female). We watched them move up and along the hill beyond the ponds, running at times. The brown bear tried to mount the black bear (it is mating season After all), but she did not appreciate his attentions and they scuffled a bit.

Satisfied, we succumbed to fatigue at 8:00 and headed back to Gardiner.