Probably the animals we saw the most of this year, were moose, in some of my favorite destinations- Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alberta. Early on in our travels, say the first week, we were coasting through Henry's Fork, Idaho as the sun was fading, dipping well below the mountainous horizon when Shaun spotted something in the river. We pulled over and sure enough there was a bull moose feeding and drinking in the middle of the river. He was silhouetted against daylight's final score- deep purple fading into night, and he was beautiful. I ratcheted up the ISO on my camera and whipped out the 150-600mm zoom lens and captured a nice, if very grainy, image of him against the background of one of Montana's numerous picturesque mountain ranges. Sometimes you capture shots you know are ones you can hang on yours (or someone else's) wall, but sometimes you just want to capture the scene just in case so you'll never forget it. This encounter was the latter.
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| A bull moose takes care of business during dusk along the Henry's Fork River in Idaho |
As we traveled from the Hebgen Lake area to a coveted hotel night in Big Sky, I spotted a cow and calf just about to embark on a mid summer day swim in a seasonal tarn just off the highway. We pulled over and enjoyed watching them swim and splash around in the water.
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| Going for a swim to cool off on a hot July day |
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| And then back into the forest |
Wyoming is almost synonymous with moose, especially Jackson and the surrounding areas, and we had no shortage of sightings there. We have seen moose there in all seasons, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would have to be fall. The foliage, the enormity of the bull moose antlers, and the ridiculous rut behaviors. We stayed in the Gros Ventre campground two separate times in late August and early/mid September and had plenty of encounters. Several moose inhabited the wooded area behind the campground, along the Gros Ventre River where we fished parts of two different days. The first day we encountered three females and two bulls along the river, relaxing in the evening sun. We observed from a safe distance before heading upriver to fish (and catch amazing cutthroat by the way). The second morning, we headed even further upriver, walking through willows (a favorite snack of moose) and heard a slow but demonstrative grunt- female with calves! Detour time. Bull moose get a lot of the attention for their testosterone fueled aggression, but I am here to tell you, a cow with calves is far more threatening. We gave her and the hidden from view calves a wide berth and found a more open route to the river (where we also caught amazing cutthroat, had a visit from an otter, and fished among the ducks). A few days later we spotted the same female, this time with her calves, on the banks of the Gros Ventre as we drove back to the campground from an afternoon hike.
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| Willows are definitely a favorite |
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| Panting in the September sun |
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| Mother with two calves going for a drink in the Gros Ventre |
Pinedale is about an hour to an hour and a half drive from Jackson and a great place to escape the typical Jackson tourist and instead immerse yourself in the Pinedale dirtbag culture. Renowned for its climbing scene, the Wind River Range boasts surreal scenery and opportunities for solitude if you're willing to walk far enough away from the main attractions. As we drove toward our hiking destination early one September morning, we spotted a bull moose walking leisurely across a pasture field and pulled off the road to take a look. A good rule of thumb is to always scan the scene because what initially caught your eye may not even be the best part. On our left were three bulls, one nestled in a dense willow bush feeding and two younger males locked into a sparring match, antlers intertwined, the cool, autumn air meeting their fiery exhales to produce a crisp cloud. We watched them for several minutes from within the car and at a safe distance before continuing toward our trailhead.
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| Walking away from a 3 on 1 fight? |
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| These antlers were massive |
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| The variation in antlers among the bulls is pretty fascinating |
Back in the Gros Ventre, we were treated one last time, this time by the moose heading straight through the campground, eating, sparring, and taking up a ton of space. It was disheartening to see so many photographers push the limits of safety and responsibility trying to get so close to them. We again kept an appropriate distance (and were even thanked by the camp host), enjoying the scene for a few minutes before giving way and letting someone else have our spot to view them. As we checked out, one of the camp hosts told us a couple of younger bulls had ransacked someone's tent that morning, the irony being that party had gotten up early to go look for moose. Probably a good thing nobody was home!
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| Enormous animals |
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| This is plenty close enough for me, thanks |
Before heading up to Banff for larch season, we spent a quick night in Glacier National Park to break up the drive and to get a look at how the fall colors were shaping up there. If you read my last entry about bear sightings, I mentioned going to a lake we knew was often frequented by moose as we waited for the bears to become visible again. When we got to the lake, there was a lone cow in the middle of the lake with a backdrop dominated by the granite walls that surround Iceberg Lake in the distance. She was swimming, diving, and feeding on underwater vegetation. It was a fairly cloudy day, but on occasions, a ray of light would burst through the clouds and illuminate her perfectly. It was such a peaceful, serene experience, our only company a lone photographer further down the lakeshore.
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| One of my favorite sightings from the whole year |
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| She didn't seem to mind us, though she knew we were there |
After rising early the next morning to photograph Swiftcurrent Lake, we headed out, making our way toward Canada, when a lone bull trotted across the road in front of us and proceeded to negotiate his way upriver among the vibrant fall colors.
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| We did not expect to see this guy so early in the morning |
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| Admiring the moose and the colors |
Some of our favorite animal sightings this year were moose. They were abundant and seemed to find the most picturesque backdrops for our pleasure. As with any wildlife encounter, whether in the backcountry or in a National Park, always leave plenty of space between you and the animal- at least 50 yards for moose (100 yards for bears or wolves). Thanks for following along!
