Chech out west 2019

[cbbama99]

Outstanding pics, Chech. You have really got a good eye for some beautiful shots.

[Chechem]

Tuesday August 3rd:


Best day yet for wolf watching.  I got to the Lamar Valley at daybreak, and my buddies and I climbed the mighty hill for best viewing.  It's more than a hill; a steep, rugged climb through sage, loose rocks, and ground-squirrel holes.  On the map it's called Cardiac Hill (appropriately).

Right away we saw the wolf puppies milling around their rendezvous area (near a wetland).  They were a mile away, but in clear sight.  Within half an hour there were wolves howling over the mountain behind us, several approaching the rendezvous from the valley floor at left, and three trying to cross the road to our right.

What a show as the "puppies" (60-lb 3/4 grown, wolves) raced uphill toward an old bison carcass, playing as the went.

Anyhow, we watched it all from 300' higher than our cars parked below.  So high that the photo of the black-yearling wolf looks like it's right below me (see photo).

Oh yeah, a grizzly boar was down there along the Lamar River too.

During the afternoon the show repeated, as we watched all 7 puppies and 4 adults hunt among the sage for rodents and such.




The guy at his car was totally shocked when this wolf popped out of the sage and crossed within 40' of him.  We laughed, because after it crossed (and he froze there) we saw him scramble into his car for a camera.  He missed the shot of a lifetime!


This black wolf howled from a ridge to our right.


This gray wolf trotted behind us (along the hillside) within 200 yards.




This petrified tree stump was at the top of our viewpoint.


This shows you how high up we were.  I took this photo of an old bull bison to our left along the ridge line.  That's the Lamar River and valley (with a herd of bison) beyond him.


My first real danger (lately).  I was walking along the hilltop in dense sage when I heard a grunt.  To my left, about 50' away, was this old bull lying in dense grass and sage.  His left horn was camouflaged with sage.  He never stood up, but it surprised me how well he was hidden there.


Junction-pack Wolf #907 (subordinate female) leading a group of puppies to the carcass.

[2Stater]

He must be related to me. I have the worst photography timing in the world. 

Great pics, Chech. Just awesome!

[ricky023]

Wow that hill side shot across the valley was breath taking even on the site here. I can only imagine what it was like in person. God Bless. RTR!

[Chechem]

Wednesday September 4th:


Up and off by 4:10am.  Saw a red fox along the Gibbon River.  By noon I had also seen coyotes and wolves: a 3-dog day!  


Another incredible day at Lamar Valley in YNP.  I arrived before daybreak, gathered my gear, and walked up "Cardiac Hill".  Soon Rick McIntyre joined me high up above the valley (200' higher than the road I was told).

Within minutes we had 4 wolves, then 6, then a grizzly to their right, then 9 wolves.  Finally some adults came in from hunting and regurgitated for the 7 pups, who came running.  Now we had 17 wolves!!

The gathering of wolves included all 7 puppies born nearby and all of the adults except #1109, a female who has 3 pups at a different location.  What a day!

We watched wolves in all directions it seemed.  Here are pics.  


This shows better the perch we had.


Distant wolf howling.


Black wolf in the sage.


Black wolf along the river.


Wolf lying down right in front of a grizzly, who appears to be sniffing the air to test the wolf.


Wading a nearly dry stream.


Griz


Wolf wading the Lamar River.

 

[2Stater]

More great pics, Chech. Looks like you were in the perfect location.

[ricky023]

Wow the telescope looks like a big deal. Great pics. RTR!

[Chechem]

Wow the telescope looks like a big deal. Great pics. RTR!

Yes, one needs a scope to see we’ll from a mile away.

[Chechem]

I have some photos from September 6th to download yet, but had these 2 on my cell phone ready to go:


Sometimes these big bison sneak up on you.  Yes, that's my tripod and stool.

There were 10 of us lined up watching wolves at daybreak.  You can't tell from this photo, but it was barely daylight when I took this pic.  A lady (Miss G) to my right suddenly said, "We've gotta go", and I looked right to see this bull bison walking toward us, just 15' away already.  Everyone quickly backed away from their cameras and tripods, and the bull walked up, turned right and passed between Miss G's tripod and mine, then stopped right at mine.  It stood there.  Both my camera and scope were on tripods next to him, as was my Bama cap and stool.

I went to my car to get my cell phone.  Bully stood there.  I snapped pics; he didn't move.  Everyone was taking pics and laughing.  Miss G suggested I try the "bag trick".  A ranger had told me bulls don't like plastic bags, so I got one from my car and rattled it at him.  NOTHING.  Then I walked to the right of our cameras and started shuffling my shoes on the roadside gravel.  It made a grinding sound.  He turned and looked at me, then he walked into the prairie.  Whew, no damage!


The long Wyoming highway at dawn.


Nightmare world of St. Louis.  Sunday traffic backed up for miles over the Missouri River.

[2Stater]

You outdid yourself with the pics, Chech. Great stuff!

[ricky023]

  great pics as always Chechem. RTR!

[Chechem]

Friday-Saturday September 6th-7th:

This was the same day the bison nearly wrecked my gear (see photo above).  It was drizzling rain, so the photos weren't great.  But what's cool is these pics document the first day that puppies from den #2 came out to play.  There was a bison carcass near these photos (in a ravine; out of view), so lots of animals came to eat it.


Mother wolf (at right) and several puppies.


Black puppy at left (running) and gray sitting at right.


Black wolf (at right) who walked right past a coyote sitting (at left).  The wolf stopped when he smelled it and spun around: "Huh?"  That raven saw the whole thing! 
 


Coyote along the Lamar River; heading to the carcass.


Mountain Goat billy resting 1/2-mile away.  He's at Baronette Mountain.


Pronghorn walking on cobble along the Lamar River.


Pronghorn along a ridge near Soda Butte Cone.


Golden Eagle on power pole along highway 120 in Wyoming.  I saw it at sunrise, and I stopped for a pic before it flew away.

[ricky023]

Pics are great. Thanks so very much especially the Eagle. RTR!

[bama57]

Awesome thanks for sharing also thanks for sharing this story about the buffalo and the tripod

[Chechem]

Addendum:

Miss G sent me pics from today (Monday).  Wolves killed another bison, and a grizzly was eating it.  Check this out!  Right where we sat on the hill to watch wolves on Friday:

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