Winter is the time of year in Yellowstone for bone-numbing cold temperatures and peace and solitude in the world’s first national park. It is also a battle of survival for many of the creatures who call the park their home. Due to the relative lack of traffic and visibility of wildlife against a white backdrop, winter is an excellent time to observe wildlife. My weeklong trip from February 23 to March 1, 2022 was no exception.
I was particularly interested in observing the Junction Butte wolves since I have observed them so often over the past several years, especially during the previous summer (2021). I was greatly concerned about them, and the other wolves, due to what the states of Montana and Idaho have done to aggressively reduce their numbers for no legitimate reason. Livestock losses to wolves are minimal in the region and elk and deer are over “objectives” set by the states. In addition, I also was psyched to simply be in the park during mid-winter and observe how other more visible animals, namely bison and elk, behaved.
For more, including to download it, please visit the book’s link:
Way, J.G. 2022. Yellowstone in Winter: The Recovering Wolves of the Northern Range. Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, Barnstable, Massachusetts. 394 pages. E-book. Open Access URL: http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/YellowstoneInWinter.
About Jonathan Way
Jonathan (Jon) Way has a B.S. (UMass Amherst), M.S. (UConn Storrs), and doctorate (Boston College) related to the study of eastern coyotes/coywolves. He is the author of the following books: 1) Suburban Howls, an account of his experiences studying eastern coyotes in Massachusetts; 2) My Yellowstone Experience, which details - in full color - the spectacular wildlife, scenery, and hydrothermal features that can be found in the world's first national park; 3) Northeastern U.S. National Parks: What Is and What Could Be makes the case to expand the National Park System in the Northeast by adding 3 new national parks that are 44,000 acres or bigger; 4) The Trip of a Lifetime: A Pictorial Diary of My Journey Out West consists of 560 pages and nearly 1,000 pictures of a 3.5 week trip out west in 2019, showcasing most of the large mammals found in North America; 5) Coywolf: Eastern Coyote Genetics, Ecology, Management, and Politics is a 280 page pictorial treatise of his over 20 years studying this creature; 6) Christmas in Yellowstone is a 200+ page, 259 picture book based on his 9 day trip to the park during the 2020 holiday season; 7) Mud, I mean April, in Yellowstone, which is a 330 page, 430 picture look at the park during the mud season when nature transitions from winter to spring; 8) Yellowstone Wildlife during Summer, which was a major project showing over 650 pictures of the park's amazing wildlife in over a decade of summers spent in the park; 9) A Yellowstone Summer with the Junction Butte Wolf Pack, which details, in 510 pictures, the life and times of a famous wolf pack followed during the summer by adoring fans; 10) Yellowstone in Winter: The Recovering Wolves of the Northern Range, which details, in over 450 pictures, the wildlife of Yellowstone, particular wolves and their prey, during the depths of winter; 11) Backpacking the Iconic Pemigewasset Wilderness, which describes my 3 day, 35 mile journey into the heart of the White Mountains, New Hampshire; 12) A Beary Special April in Yellowstone, which details his week and a half long encounter with a wild grizzly bear; and 13) Late Summer in Yellowstone. Jon founded and runs his organization, Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, where his goal is to conduct long-term ecological and behavioral research on eastern coyotes. He also supplements his research with regular trips to Yellowstone National Park and other national parks.
