Tuesday August 3rd:
Best day yet for wolf watching. I got to the Lamar Valley at daybreak, and my buddies and I climbed the mighty hill for best viewing. It's more than a hill; a steep, rugged climb through sage, loose rocks, and ground-squirrel holes. On the map it's called Cardiac Hill (appropriately).
Right away we saw the wolf puppies milling around their rendezvous area (near a wetland). They were a mile away, but in clear sight. Within half an hour there were wolves howling over the mountain behind us, several approaching the rendezvous from the valley floor at left, and three trying to cross the road to our right.
What a show as the "puppies" (60-lb 3/4 grown, wolves) raced uphill toward an old bison carcass, playing as the went.
Anyhow, we watched it all from 300' higher than our cars parked below. So high that the photo of the black-yearling wolf looks like it's right below me (see photo).
Oh yeah, a grizzly boar was down there along the Lamar River too.
During the afternoon the show repeated, as we watched all 7 puppies and 4 adults hunt among the sage for rodents and such.
The guy at his car was totally shocked when this wolf popped out of the sage and crossed within 40' of him. We laughed, because after it crossed (and he froze there) we saw him scramble into his car for a camera. He missed the shot of a lifetime!
This black wolf howled from a ridge to our right.
This gray wolf trotted behind us (along the hillside) within 200 yards.
This petrified tree stump was at the top of our viewpoint.
This shows you how high up we were. I took this photo of an old bull bison to our left along the ridge line. That's the Lamar River and valley (with a herd of bison) beyond him.
My first real danger (lately). I was walking along the hilltop in dense sage when I heard a grunt. To my left, about 50' away, was this old bull lying in dense grass and sage. His left horn was camouflaged with sage. He never stood up, but it surprised me how well he was hidden there.
Junction-pack Wolf #907 (subordinate female) leading a group of puppies to the carcass.