The Billings Gazette reports that 11 of the 20 or so members of the Nez Perce pack have returned to Yellowstone. Perhaps, more will follow as they did in the past.  "Wandering pack returns to park."

So where have they been? It hasn't been determined. Why do they leave? I asked Doug Smith and Ed Bangs about 5 days ago that they might have learned that there is plenty of food outside the Park in November due to the elk hunt. Both agree that was a reasonable, though unproven explanation.

Bangs told me some of the packs north and west of the Park, the Taylor Peaks Pack especially, had been observed to live on little but the remains of the hunt for a 2 month period.

Where are the rest of pack? In years past they have trickled back to the Park, but it is possible, and I think likely, that more than just Nez Perce 72M dispersed. The Nez Perce Pack has been an awfully big pack for a part of the Park that does not have a large prey base other than the difficult bison.