27 April 2002 - Saturday

Saturday afternoon about 2:15 pm, Carlene, Joseph and myself headed for Lamar Valley. There was a nice herd of about 25 mule deer feeding in one field just north of Gardiner. We live just south of Yankee Jim Canyon as you are headed north towards Livingston on Highway 89.

We saw elk all along the road on the drive from the north entrance to Mammoth. There were quite a few bison on the drive down from Mammoth to the Gardner River Bridge. It was a nice semi-cloudy day as we drove into the park.

As we came down the hill driving into Roosevelt, we noticed one of our friends, JT, parked across from the Tower Ranger Station. I got out and setup my scope and asked JT what he had. He said he had watched a grizzly cross the road just before the stop sign at the Roosevelt / Tower Junction and that it was up on the ridge on the south side of the valley. This was about 3:15 pm. JT stated that the griz was behind a large rock and out of sight at the time. We watched and sure enough the griz meandered out and in a short time was over the ridge.

We headed north towards Mammoth to a lookout to see if we could see the griz. In the mean time JT headed east towards the Yellowstone River to see if he could see the back or the ridge and the griz. We could not see the griz so we headed east towards Lamar. We pulled in at the Specimen Ridge turnout just past the Yellowstone Picnic grounds. We saw three of our friends there, Vdub, Scott and M. They had sighted two black bears on the Specimen Ridge Trail. We headed back up the trail and sported one small black bear, we couldn't find the other black bear. Vdub said that if looked like a sow and a yearling. We watched the black slowly make his way east down the ridge through some trees.

Elk above the bear on the ridge line were skitterish and took off running east above the bear. Maybe the sow was above the cub and looking for food. It was nice and warm and we enjoyed chatting. This was the first time we had been together since last October when we watched the Druids in Lamar.

We decided to head east down the valley to see if there was any wolf or bear activity. Nothing was happening in Little America except there were more elk than we had seen in that area for a long time. Nothing was happening at Slough Creek so we continue east towards Lamar.

We pulled over at the third turnout and joined a few folks watching a large gray wolf working his was east along the Lamar River. He was digging and eating ground squirrels and just slowly making his was east down the valley. We moved east down the valley to the next turnout.

A few wildlife watchers were looking for bears and wolves. They had not seen the gray that was headed their way. We looked north above the ridge line to a spot that the wolves had taken an elk down last night. We could not see the kill, but every so often we could see black ears and the very top of the head of a black wolf. This was somewhere around 6:15 pm. Finally the black wolf came out for a few minutes and then disappeared again.

Another black wolf appeared east of the other wolf. We watched it work its way east and over a ridge. The other black wolf near the kill site came out and started to walk east towards the area of the other wolf. It was kind of funny as the wolf was nearing some trees, it picked up a stick and continued to walk with the stick in its mouth into the trees.

In the mean time the wolf that we had watch move over the ridge was back in view just below where it had disappeared. So we don't know if it was the same wolf or another black. This black wolf slowly moved east into some trees and disappeared.

The wolf with the stick disappeared into the trees and out of sight. The wind had kicked up and was making it hard to hold the scopes steady. Most folks were bundling up. Soon the south ridge line (Specimen Ridge) disappeared into the clouds of snow as it was coming down and making its way towards us.

We all decided since the wolves had gone and we couldn't find any bears on either the north or south ridges, we would call in a day. It was great to spend some time with JT, Vdub, Scott and M and others along the way!

We invited JT and the rest of the crew over for supper and had a great meal and evening reminiscing and discussing family, friends and old times. Great day with family, friends and wildlife in Parkadise!

Wildlife Seen on This Trip

Antelope, bison, elk, black bear, magpies, mule deer, sandhill cranes, ravens, three or four of the Druid Peak pack and loons!

Take care my friends until next time!

Lamar Valley Sunset by John W. Uhler ©

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