YNP/Day Eight: Barely Missing the Bison and the Bear!

Sunday would be our last full day in the park. Once again, we slept in and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, punctuated with a walk-by of the bison shown in the photo above. I'd been sitting there around the morning campfire enjoying a cup of coffee, when this guy decided to wander past!

Early in the day we returned to Soda Butte for some fishing which was unsuccessful on all counts; neither Glenn nor I caught anything despite our best efforts. We again had a midday meal and decided to return to the Lamar River bridge, site of my previous fishing success. First, Glenn 'coached' me at a pool near our campsite. Despite many missed chances, I only landed one small brook trout. Off to the Lamar!

On the drive out of Slough Creek, we paused to ask a couple what they were peering at with their binoculars -- three bighorn sheep! We lingered as well for a bit; the sheep are not commonly something we see. Then, the drive to the Lamar along which we spotted in the distance our sixth bear of the trip, a blackie meandering along the river.

Fishing appeared to be on the upswing until a late day summer rainstorm stalled overhead, so we called it a night and slipped back to our campground. On the drive back in we once again saw the park ranger, air cannon in hand, presumably trying to fend off the pesky, ornery bison of a week earlier.

Rain pittered throughout the night providing us with reminders that the packing up would be wet. Monday morning the rain stopped but dripped from the trees. As we were preparing to leave, the neighboring camper stopped to chat. She asked "Did you miss the big excitement last night?" Apparently, since we had no clue what she was talking about.

The ranger with the air cannon? Yes, trying to drive off a pesky animal. This time, though, it was a BEAR that had been in OUR CAMPSITE! They'd evacuated much of the little campground while it made its way through and when we returned, we mistook the activity as directed at our poor bison buddy of seven days prior!

On the drive out, we treated ourselves to a breakfast buffet at Canyon Lodge. Good thing. Immediately following that, we were tied up for 45 minutes or more in a traffic jam. . .caused by a group of cow and calf bisons that decided the road belonged to them. Who's to argue?

We finally pulled into our driveway about 4:15 that afternoon -- sad to leave the park once again, talking of a weekend fishing trip back in late September or early October. But we couldn't be down. Especially since while driving through Inkom, we spotted our SMILEY GUY in his mom's arms outside the bank. And, he waved to us. Something none of the wildlife has ever done in Yellowstone!