As the recent story by Bill Hamlin indicated, the Druids seemed to be going "higher." In fact, they stayed but briefly at their Chalcedony Creek rendezvous site, and then moved to nearby Opal Creek which is a bit further up the Lamar River. One gray pup, however, remained at Chalcedony and appeared "stranded." Yesterday, the alpha male and some other wolves showed up and the gray pup was seen following alpha 21M up into the trees. Rick McIntyre told me that Opal Creek and Chalcedony Creek are alternate rendezvous sites -- both are used. Folks might note that all the creeks descending from Specimen Ridge are named after stones: Agate Creek, Amethyst Creek, Chalcedony Creek. Crystal Creek, Flint Creek, Jasper Creek, Opal Creek. Geode Creek, after which the Geode Creek Pack is named, might seem like a companion drainage, but no, it flows northward into the Yellowstone west of the Lamar Valley near Hellroaring Creek.

The Druids are ranging throughout the area hunting, and a couple days ago they discovered an adult female bison grazing by herself --  a bit unusual. The Druids chased her and something made them attack. From a distance no one could see anything wrong with the bison, but an inspection of her carcass indicates she probably had a poorly healed or healing broken leg. It took 90 minutes to kill her. During the chase, and probably her demise, she seriously broke her leg. Eventually she was dragged down. During the battle, 21M  learned that his famous "throat bite" doesn't work with bison. The pack fed on her for 4 days. A grizzly bear also came by and there were the usual coyotes and ravens. Her carcass, now just a hide, was on Jasper Creek bench.

The pups are of two size classes indicating that 42F had a litter (they would be the larger pups, and she always dens early), and later, one or more of the other pack females had a litter.

Folks will remember that three of the Druid females (now two years old) mated last winter with Leopold black wolf 302M, who oddly and seemingly dangerously keeps making the 25 mile trip from Leopold territory to the Druid den site. The other day he visited the den site and found the pack was gone, but he soon discovered the Chalcedony rendezvous area. There, in a friendly way he interacted with a pup and soon with two of the Druid females. However, wolf watchers  saw what he couldn't -- 42F and 21M heading his way. When they saw him, they charged, but they only chased him a ways. So he continues to hang around the pack when the alphas are not there, Yet he often goes back home.

Doug Smith told me this behavior is unusual. Rick McIntrye suggested one hypothesis that perhaps 21M doesn't kill him because he is familiar now and also kin of sort. His mother was Leopold 7F, a daughter of famous Rose Creek number 9F, so 21M, born to 9F, is related to him. It is not known, however, whether wolves can distinguish relatives from that generational distance. Any any rate, McIntrye says 302M is easy going, clearly is not now aiming to be alpha male and may not seem threatening, unlike his probable  brother 301M, also a Leopold, with whom he ran list winter while courting Druid females. Maybe he will eventually be allowed to join the Druid Pack.

As a side note, bison are very abundant in the Park this year; their numbers surpassing 4000. The Lamar Valley has many hundreds and elk have mostly moved to higher ground.