Now that we are located in the Fishing Bridge area we have really been on a daily routine to get out early and stay out late. This has been pretty successful for viewing animals in the park. We are near the Hayden Valley which has been reported as a good location for seeing Bear and Wolf. We didn’t see anything except Elk and Bison there.
Our mornings started each day with a 5:00 alarm, I don’t think I have seen quite so many Sunrises in a row as I have from Fishing Bridge as we depart for our daily search of wildlife.
Lamar Valley has been the best for Wolves the days we have been out there. Along the Yellowstone River North of Fishing Bridge and on the East Entrance Road all the way to Sylvan Lake have been best for Grizzly Bear, Bull Elk and Buck Deer. Black Bear at the base of Mt. Washburn and just North of Le Hardy Cascades on the Yellowstone River, and Pronghorn in the Tower/Roosevelt area.
We spent one whole week getting up at 5:00 AM and rarely returning to camp before 3pm each day. Exhausting, but worth it for seeing some incredible sights; many of which I could not capture in a photograph. There is a point when you just want to enjoy the moment and not try to second guess the lighting and F-Stops. Below are a few of my favorite shots.
The Wolves in Lamar Valley were quite a ways away but easily seen with binoculars. There were approximately 5 adults and some pups, too hard to count how many of those. Then one stray black wolf came off the hillside behind us, crossed the road and passed within 60 yards of us. On his way across the stream he nearly crossed paths with a small herd of charging Bison and a lonely fisherman just below all this activity. I could see the fisherman was focused on his passion of catching a nice trout and was oblivious of the activity just above him. Since my photo was not real clear, in all the excitement, I didn’t hold the camera still, or zoom in, so I made a little diagram of the situation.
With the Lens I was using the pack of wolves were too far away for a decent photo.
Grizzly just out of the River – I was sitting quietly in the Jeep
Big Grizzly taken with 500mm lens
Crossing the Yellowstone
RUT is in the Air..
Young Bucks near Sylvan Lake
After spending some time testing out each others strength they both looked at me as if to say “What are you looking at”
One buck has velvet streaming down from his antlers and they were looking very red.
Pronghorn in Lamar Valley
Buck at Pelican Valley Trail Head, East Entrance Road
Elk at Canyon Area
Coyote along the Yellowstone River before Sunrise
Not exactly wildlife but I have to included “Lily” somewhere in this blog. At the overlook above Yellowstone lake south of Mary Bay.
I took the following picture at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, in West Yellowstone. They have several Grizzly bears that have been rescued either because they were injured or orphaned at a young age.
More visits to the Yellowstone Grand Canyon are next and then on to Grand Teton National Park. My wish was to photograph Bear and Moose on this trip. Moose Hunt is coming up when we get to the Teton area. I really can’t leave Wyoming without getting a nice picture of a MOOSE!
