Predator & Prey. Yellowstone National Park
Tracks In The Snow. Lamar River, Yellowstone
Mouse & Raptor. Yellowstone
Soda Butte Tributary & Tracks. Yellowstone
Wolf Tracks. These particular tracks belong to a member of the Mollies. My friend Jeff Hull and I watched this particular wolf cross the road the night before and we went back to check out the tracks the next morning. Yellowstone
Two sets of wolf tracks.
A super high iso image of a Mollie crossing the road. My friend Jeff and I watched many of the 19 Mollies cross the road to find 3 or so of their other members. The Mollies are generally bison hunters and have apparently left their home turf, the Pelican Valley, due to a low snow pack and tough hunting conditions. The Mollies are on average 15 pounds heavier than other wolves in Yellowstone. At the time I took this image the Lamar pack was only about 5 miles to the east and the Blacktail and Agate packs 2 to 5 miles to the west.
Many of the 11 member Lamar pack in their home turf, the Lamar Valley, Yellowstone. This is an 11 member pack. Not long after I took this image I watched a helicopter come roaring into the Lamar Valley with a side door open and a gunner standing on the outside rail. It was the Park Service and they darted two of the Lamar members. They also apparently on the same day darted two Mollies out of my sight. If the darted wolves were not already collared, collars were put on them and additionally blood and tissue samples were taken.
Bison & Wolf Tracks. Slough Creek
At the time I took this image a lone wolf, presumably a male, came within a hundred yards of the Mollies and called and called to the Mollies. The Mollies occassionally called back, and my intrepretation of the mollies' calls was, get the hell out of here. It's mating season and this wolf was likely looking for a mate. I am sure by now something played out and I will likely never know if this wolf was killed by the Mollies or if it was able to successfully mate with a female and then sneak off.
Bison & Slough Creek
North Hills & Moon. Lamar Valley.