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Posted by Wendy (174.45.85.71) on 16:35:30 07/24/12
Hello Loons!
Just a quick post to let you know I had a wonderful week in the Park watching wolves, catching up with various friends, meeting new ones, and enjoying the beautiful place called Yellowstone.
Had a bit of welcome rain the first few days (7/13 and 7/14), saw members of the Canyon pack one morning and ran into Cathy Montana!
We ended up doing a bushwack hike on 7/20 with another hiking friend in the Blacktail. It was eye-opening and fun.
Saw various Lamar Pack wolves 7/15-7/21, including an amazing day when six of them (led by the famous 06) cornered a young bull elk at a bend in the Lamar river. It took them a while and several of them continually risked drowning but through teamwork and persistence, they eventually overpowered the elk and made short work of its nutrients. Luckily for me the elk's death occured out of sight and was VERY quick. The 06 then fed for a solid 45 minutes straight! She looked like she had 3 litters of pups inside her when she finally stopped!
Lots of bison jams - the lead-up to the rut is in full swing - bulls are shadowing cows, bellowing, strutting, and rolling in the dust. The little orange calves, just starting to turn brown, don't know what to make of it. It gets them excited and they race around, kicking up their legs.
In the Tower/blacktail area there are at least three black bear sows, each with a pair of coy - the cutest animals on the planet!
I took four new wolf-enthusiasts up to the old Rose Creek pen - on one of the hottest days, no less! We cooled our feet in Rose Creek afterwards.
Both Lamar and Soda Butte were muddy when I first arrived. Soda Butte cleared around 7/15; the Lamar was clear the day I left 7/21. Mornings were delightfully cool - afternoons got hot.
I showed probably about 150 people their first wolf in the wild on this trip. Wish I could have done that for more.
Will eventually write up a full report but you know it takes me longer and longer these days.
Hope you all get to Yellowstone soon!
Hugs,
W/D
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