In my wolf report of Feb. 3. was the description of the formation of a new wolf trio consisting of 2 black males and the Druid "U-black" yearling female. Since then the other two "teenaged" (yearling) Druid females have left the pack and joined with their sister and the two black males. One female is collared, 255F, the other, called, "the half black," is not. The two black males are thought to be brothers. This leaves the once fabulous Druid Pack down to the alpha pair 21M, and 42F, 3-legged 253M, a black pup 286F, and a gray pup. An uncollared yearling male has also left the pack the last several days.

Rick McIntyre said the 3 females were the best hunters in the Druid Pack. The alpha pair is getting old, and the other male (253M) is basically 3-legged. He did say the gray pup is getting to be a good hunter and made a great lunge to the throat on an elk kill two days ago.

McIntyre indicted the situation was fluid and wolves may rejoin the Druid Pack as denning season approaches, but for now the new group of 5 is cohesive and was even seen chasing the larger and older group of wolves led former Druid 217F (and her mate 261M from Mollys Pack).

The general northern range situation on wolves continues to be fluid, with an enormous concentration of wolves in the Junction Butte/Little America area. On Sunday, McIntyre spotted 30 wolves in Little America or within a mile -- 210M's group, 251F's group, 217F's group, 255F's group, the Agate Pack, and an unidentified black and gray pair.

251F's group is new. She was a low ranking female in the Agate Pack and has gathered with several other wolves. Mentioned in the last report, 210M's group is a former Leopold wolf and several others.

The Agate Pack, currently with 8 wolves, returned to the Tower/Little America area after an absence of about a month. They had been back to the south in the Antelope Creek country.

Added 2-22. Druid wolf pack dwindles in park. By Mike Stake. Billings Gazette Wyoming Bureau