10M
aka "The Big Guy"
The First Free Wolf in Yellowstone
10M's contribution to wolf recovery endures today—a legacy that no hunter can ever take away.
Wolves in the story
In Yellowstone, some wolves are fitted with radio collars by researchers for scientific monitoring. Collared wolves are identified by their radio collar number, with 'F' indicating female and 'M' male.
For example, 10M was fitted with radio collar 10, and he is a male. 06 was nicknamed for her 2006 birth year.
10M: Known as "The Big Guy" for his impressive size and striking appearance, he was the first wolf to emerge from an acclimation pen as a free wolf in Yellowstone.
9F: The alpha female of the Rose Creek pack and mate of 10M, mother of the first wild wolf pups born in Yellowstone in over half a century.
7F: The daughter of 9F
21M: The son of 9F and 10M, born in Red Lodge, Montana.
06: A great-granddaughter of 9F and 10M, who, like her father 21M, carried on their remarkable legacy.
Wolf reintroduction
In January 1995, fourteen wolves were captured in Alberta, Canada, and transported over 1,000 miles to Yellowstone National Park. These wolves had a critical mission: to restore an iconic species to the American West, one that had been missing for seven decades.
A momentous return
The return of wolves to Yellowstone was an eagerly anticipated and joyous occasion. On Jan. 12, 1996, school children lined the road at the North Entrance, waving American flags and cheering as the truck carrying this precious cargo arrived. Among the wolves were a breeding female, 9F, and her daughter, 7F, who were taken to an acclimation pen near Rose Creek in Lamar Valley. However, this pack was not complete without an alpha male.
10M arrives
Eight days later, a second shipment of wolves arrived at Yellowstone that included an especially impressive male wolf, unrelated to 9F, whom biologists believed would make her the perfect mate. Weighing in at a hefty 122 pounds, reintroduction staff called wolf 10M “The Big Guy”. His coat was a striking silvery-beige, and his golden eyes didn't hesitate to look directly at the reintroduction staff. Bold, confident, and charismatic, this wolf was every bit an alpha male.
Matchmaking success
The shipping crate containing 10M was carried to the Rose Creek acclimation pen. The kennel door was raised, and 10M ran straight to 9F, eager to become acquainted with his new mate. She was equally magnificent, with a beautiful black coat sprinkled with flecks of brown and silver. There was no guarantee the unrelated wolves, especially in close confines would bond. 10M wanted to immediately take charge, so things didn't start well for the couple. However, after the initial tension wore off, the couple paced the pen side-by-side and slept curled up together. The matchmaking worked, giving biologists another reason to celebrate.
Free to roam Yellowstone
At the end of a two-month acclimation period, reintroduction staff opened the gate to the Rose Creek pen to allow the wolves to leave freely. When biologists returned later, 10M had already exited through the gate and was standing on a hillside watching them intently and howling as snowflakes fell onto his lustrous coat.
Though 10M was free to explore Yellowstone, he wasn't about to leave 9F behind. He waited patiently until his mate joined him, and together they founded the Rose Creek pack, named after their acclimation pen in Lamar Valley. However, 9F’s daughter, 7F, chose a different path. She separated from her mom and stepfather almost immediately, traveling the Northern Tier of Yellowstone as a lone wolf. She became adept at hunting on her own and providing for herself. Eventually, she encountered 2M from the Crystal Creek pack, and together they formed the Leopold pack—a story that marks another chapter in Yellowstone’s wolf reintroduction.
A tragic end
9F and 10M made their way across the Beartooth Plateau and left the park, stopping near Red Lodge, Montana. Heavily pregnant, 9F sought out a den site. On the morning of April 26, 1995, 10M was searching the area when two locals spotted him standing on a ridge. Despite federal protections under the Endangered Species Act that safeguarded gray wolves, one of the men grabbed his rifle and fired anyway.
Tragically, 10M only survived 34 days in the wild before a bullet ended his life.
9F found her beloved mate and laid down beside his headless and skinless body, left behind by the locals who killed him. On that same day, she gave birth to eight pups beneath a spruce tree. These were the first wild wolf pups born in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in over half a century. Among their offspring was 21M, who would become the grandfather of the legendary 06, making 9F and 10M her great-grandparents.
In honor of 10M, join us in the fight to protect wolves from trophy hunting and trapping.
The 06 Legacy is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit dedicated to protecting America's gray wolves through education, awareness, and electing pro-wolf officials to office.
10M Resources
Killing of Wolf Number Ten: The True Story
Thomas
McNamee
Wolf 10 was shot and killed just outside the protected lands of Yellowstone National Park with a high-powered rifle. His mate, Wolf 09, dug a den next to his body and gave birth to eight pups. This is their story. 2014
Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone's Underdog
Rick
McIntyre
The story of Wolf 8, brought to Yellowstone in 1995. An unlikely hero, Wolf 8 struggled as the runt of the litter, but grew into a great protector of his family. He became stepfather to Wolf 9's pups after her mate was killed and went on to sire pups with Wolf 9 and one of her daughters. (The Alpha Wolves of Yellowstone, Book 1). 2019
Yellowstone Wolves: the First Year
Gary
Ferguson
The award winning nature writer beautifully tells the story of how wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone.
The 06 Legacy is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting America's gray wolves.
