Bill Hamblin of Pocatello graciously contributed the followed story of the recent movement of the Druid's litters of pups to their traditional rendezvous site near Chalcedony Creek on Specimen Ridge. I love reporting the detailed observations of wolf watchers, when possible. Thanks Bill!

As a note, folks should recall that wolf 302M is the Leopold pack wolf that mated will all the Druid females last winter (except 42F), hangs around the pack and is the suspected father of one or more of the litters. This report makes me think he might be joining the Druid Pack, but then speculation about that since late last winter.

Thursday. July 3. About 6 or 7 pups crossed the road, crossed the Soda Butte Creek then all but one recrossed to the den area.  One gray pup stayed across/south side of the river. 

Friday July 4th.  At daylight we had seven wolves and the gray pup in the rendezvous area. Meanwhile down the valley we found 302M who crossed the road to the south, then recrossed to road to the northeast of the Yellowstone Institute [Lamar Ranger Station], visited the den area (seen on the ledge trail). 

Saturday July 5th.  Apparently prior to daylight six pups moved in darkness to the rendezvous area.  Then at about 6:30 a.m. we spotted six pups (four black and two gray) north of the road and west of hitching post.  286F, 42F and "half black" [female] led them to the road, actually the adults crossed and the pups slowly came down, four of then (2 black and 2 gray) played for a few minutes in the road then followed the adults across. Apparently the crossing of the Soda Butte Creek was accomplished easily, but they balked at the Lamar River. 42F crossed, encouraged the pups to cross, went back across for them, recrossed the river, picked up 3 -5 different sticks and one either lump of dirt or a buffalo clip, trying to encourage the pups to cross, finally about 45 minutes later then finally crossed. They slowly proceeded to the rendezvous area, the pups stopping often to rest. They got to within 50 yards or so for the rendezvous (eroded area) when the pups decided to go back. The adults couldn't change their minds, so they all headed back. They recrossed to Lamar (without  any hesitation this time), and bedded before recrossing the Soda Butte Creek. Meanwhile we found 21M, two other adults and the six pups moving in the rendezvous area and heading up Chalcedony drainage.

Later that weekend. A couple of the adults, but not 21M returned later, but not the pups (they must have went up high). 302M was located near Pebble Creek Campground, actually walked through the campground in the morning hours, and rewalked through the campsite about 4:30 p.m. heading back. He too eventually went up Chalcedony Creek. About 2:00 p.m. 42F recrossed to road to the den area. At night, we had the two adults with the four pups south of the confluence still bedded, 42F recrossed the road, "U black" [female]  and the last two black pups north of the road (they looked to cross but turned back because of traffic, 302M was moving through to Chalcedony.

Sunday. July 6. We saw several adults with the four pups in the rendezvous area. Then right after daylight 42F and two adults led three black pups across the road and eventually got to the rendezvous area. As I was leaving, I counted 13 wolves (seven of them puppies moving south out of the rendezvous area towards Chalcedony Creek.  Maybe this year they are going to a higher rendezvous area.  302M was not found this morning. Also interestingly, 253M was gone Thursday and Friday, returned Saturday night, and this a.m. was bedded in the rendezvous area but away from the other adults and puppies, but got up as I was leaving, to join the pack moving towards Chalcedony Creek. A few questions, what happened to the first gray pup (maybe part of the 6 who went up with 21M, and then three black pups this morning, and only two seen last night.  Rick McIntyre is pretty sure 13 pups is the final count -- 7 blacks and 6 grays.  The first six puppies appeared to be moving faster and easier than the last group/groups, maybe larger, but couldn't be sure.  Also just before I left, the "U black" recrossed to the densite then recrossed going south (speculation she was just checking to make sure all the puppies were gone from the den area).  This morning too a large grizzly moved through the rendezvous area in the sagebrush, got harassed by two adults, then moved back through the area and went south into the trees.