So yes, I did start my day out looking for the Lamar Canyon pack. Several other wolf watchers were also, and everyone was coming up empty. It wasn’t surprising they weren’t around, as something spooked them off the carcass yesterday, and they may not have wanted to go back.
I heard the Junction Butte pack was spotted further east, so decision time – do I stay and see if I can find the Lamars (pretty much like looking for a needle in a haystack), or drive to see the Junction Butte pack (who I have not seen this year yet)? So I stayed looking for the Lamars who could be 20 miles away from where we had them yesterday.
After finally determining that I had a better chance of getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery than finding the Lamars, I decided to check out the Junction Butte pack. Went to the spot that the wolf crew figured they would show up, but they didn’t appear. They bedded somewhere out of sight from all of us.
I went back further east, as the Prospect Peak pack was seen, although at a great distance. Unfortunately, one would have had to climb a snow covered butte to see them, so only the wolf crew had them in sight.
Mid-afternoon I again went back to see if the Lamars were in town – still nothing Hmmmm – was I to be skunked on seeing a wolf today? Did I miss my only chance of seeing the Junction Buttes this morning? Making my way back east, I decided to stop when I came the the Junction Butte wolf crew. The Junctions,I was told, hadn’t moved since early morning and were still out of sight.
With daylight fading, one of the wolf crew spotted one of the Junctions, then another, and another, until all 8 were accounted for. They disappeared into the trees, but popped out further down and gathered for a group howl. They worked their way down the slope, briefly chased a bull elk, and then eventually dropped out of sight. I walked back to my car listening to their howl as the sun set.
