Some Yellowstone northern range wolf news

9-17-03. Update 9-29

Wolf watching is often slow on the northern range of Yellowstone during August and September, but this year has been an exception.

A bison bull showed up dead on Jasper Bench in the Lamar Valley in late August. His death was probably not the result of predation, but wolves soon found this massive source of food. The Druids, the Slough Creek Pack, and the Geode Pack were all attracted by the carcass in Druid territory. One confrontation between the new Slough Creek Pack and the Druids was seen. The Druids chased off Slough Creek, especially including former Druid 217F, now the alpha female of Slough Creek Pack.  It is possible too there were unseen confrontations between the packs at night.

During successive days the Druids, and the Slough Creek fed on the bison. The Geode Pack too was seen nearby and might have fed on this bison at night. One member of the Slough Creek pack was, however, allowed to feed with the Druids, probably indicating she is a former Druid, but a not a high ranking member of the Slough Creek Pack.

Visual observation shows the Druid Pack to be the largest with 9 adults and sub-adults and 9 pups. Thirteen pups were counted this spring, and it is possible there are still more than 9 pups, given the difficulty distinguishing pups, but 9 current survivors is the most likely number.

Slough Creek has 5 adult wolves and 7 pups and Geode Creek Pack has 6 adults, and maybe 4 pups (although no more than 2 pups have been seen at once recently).

Part time Leopold wolf 302M continued to try and join the Druids during the summer (he being the probable father of two of their litters this year). He was accepted by the younger females, but 21M, the old alpha male continued to reject him. 302M was seen with an unknown, uncollared gray female a couple days ago. If this persists, perhaps he will give up on the Druid Pack.

The Agate Creek Pack has been seen often this summer from the various road overlooks of Antelope Creek on the way to Mt. Washburn.

There isn't much left of the bison now, although grizzly bears showed up for the first time in the last couple days. They had not been seen much in the Lamar Valley in August.

Brief update 9-29. The Druids have not been seen much the last 2 days, but 302M (without the gray wolf he had been with) did pass through the empty rendezvous site yesterday. Druid 255F was a lone wolf at the site this morning and a grizzly bear was also seen at the site.

A couple days ago the Slough Creek Pack was on Jasper Bench.

Many people have been having good views of the Agate Creek pack from the Antelope Creek overlooks on the Mt. Washburn road.

This information came from Park ranger Rick McIntyre.

  Copyright © 2003 Ralph Maughan