FANTASTIC WEEK - SPENDING TIME HANGING OUT IN SOUTHERN MONTANA AND NORTHERN WYOMING - Mid december 2017

As a last moment decision I decided to fly out to Bozeman, MT and drive down to Gardiner, MT for the week of December 18th.  Spent a lot of time hanging out and enjoying the beauty of the area.  Had no real expectations other than to just enjoy my time on this trip.  The weather was actually pretty good.  A few sunny days and the rest of the time it was snowing off and on with early morning temps around 10 degrees in the higher elevations.

One of the best experiences was listening two rival wolf packs howling back and forth in the Slough Creek area.  The Junctions had just finished eating on a carcass when the Mollies wolf pack was coming in from the east.  Then the Junction pack started howling up a storm to make them sound like a large pack.  The Mollies started howling back.  This lasted for over 20 minutes before the Mollies turned around and headed back east.  Even I couldn't see them (others with spotting scopes could) it was an amazing wildlife experience.  Here are two more:

One of the days I spend some time with a small group of Moose grazing on Willow branches and playing around.

Colorful Fall Weekend Pigeon River State Forest, MI With A Wildlife Surprise - End of october 2017

A last moment decision to take my dog Watson and go camping in the Pigeon River State forest area for the weekend.  I found this area last year that is very secluded off a small lake that I like to camp on which is right in the middle of Elk country.  Early Saturday morning I was out sitting on an Elk trail hopping to have some Elk come by.   As the sun was starting to hit the tops of the trees I looked up and couldn't believe what I saw.  There was a Porcupine just above to my right on a large branch of the tree.  How lucky was I to be in the right spot at the right time again.  As I watch the Porcupine never really moved except to change head position.  As the morning went by I decided to head back to camp around 11AM and took some pictures.  The Porcupine at times would open it's eye but never really moved.  Later that afternoon I came back around 4:30PM and he was still there and had not moved it's position.  I sat there hoping to see an Elk till dark but never saw any but that Porcupine still had not moved.  The next morning I was out before sun rise and the Porcupine was gone.  What a great Wildlife experience!  Here are some pictures of the weekend....

Surprise Greetings - Hawk Junction, ON Canada - End of august 2017

Late in the afternoon I was hiking down this trail in the thick bush when out jumps this medium size male Black Bear.  At first he didn't see me but as I started to photograph him he looked right at me.  I didn't move but as he accessed the situation he turned and went back into the thick bush.

On another day I was sitting on a Beaver pond when Mr. Beaver did a swim by to check me out.

 Just another set of great experiences I've had in the wild.

Spiritual Experience - Lamar Valley - Mid april 2017

I was up in Soda Butte valley early morning when it started snowing these huge flakes to the point you really couldn't see much.  So I decided to head back through Lamar Valley when I came across this large heard of Bison heading east.  I pulled over at one of the areas you could pull off and parked (took the picture below).  There was no wind, very quite with no other sounds out there but just the faint sounds of the Bison grunting as they headed east.  For me it was such a spiritual experience as the snow continued to fall.  I just stood there taking it all in when I thought of the song by Rod Stewart "Madolin Wind".  When I finally left I played Madolin Wind from my iPhone thinking about what I had just experienced.  Another amazing moment to remember. 

Juvenile Bald Eagle Steels Fish From Otter 12/28/2016

I was photographing an Otter that had just caught a Bullhead fish on the shores of Lake Superior.  The Otter drops the Bullhead for just a second and then all of a sudden this Juvenile Bald Eagle coming from behind me flies right over my head and grabs the fish.  This happened so fast I was lucky to get a photo of the Eagle flying off with the fish.  What an experience that was!

Amazing Encounter - Grizzlies and Wolves Early fall 2016

I was hiking in the back country by myself (light drizzle) when I was just coming out of the tree line onto a meadow.  Out of the corner of my eye to my left something caught my attention.  When I looked over in that direction there was this Grizzly raking grass onto a carcass.  I backed up to the tree line and stood for a long time watching this Grizzly.  The Grizzly new I was there but was very comfortable with me watching.  It was amazing to see him fall asleep on the carcass for a good 20 minutes when all of a sudden he stood straight up, looked my way and ran opposite way.  That is when I looked to my left and there was another larger Grizzly sitting about 35 yards away (I never heard him come in) from me in the tree line.  He then ran down and started eating on the carcass.  Wow, that was an amazing experience but there more to come.  After a while this Grizzly left the carcass.  I continued to sit there waiting for one of the Grizzlies to come back when all of a sudden with an "Oh My God" moment happened.  This juvenile Gray Wolf came walking from the other side of the the meadow to the carcass.  I made a small noise and the Wolf stoped and looked right at me ( was so pissed at myself for that).  He then went back across the meadow to the other ridge.  As he climbed the ridge the rest of the Wolf pack was standing there.   At one point they started howling (see picture below).  Once they were done they disappeared over the ridge.  What amazing spiritual experience this was and I will never forget it.

BULL MOOSE IN RUT ENCOUNTER - CARIBOO MOUNTAINS BC CA SEPTEMBER 2016

Hiking with my guide Gary and his dog Dixie in the high country of the Cariboo Mountains.  As we were heading back we were hiking though some thick areas with Gary in the lead I noticed the Dixie stoped and was looking right in from of Gary.  I looked and there was this big Bull Moose standing still just in front of Gary (Gary didn't see him until he moved).  I called out to Gary as softly as I could to stop.  Gary stoped but the Moose realized we saw him  As the Moose in rut walked away did a female Moose call and the Bull looked at me and that is when I got this shot.  Not the best but considering how thick it was it was a good shot.  Just another amazing experience in the back country.  Oh, buy the way, our total hiking distance was 16 miles for the day.  With 30 lbs on my back including all my camera gear that was a long day.

Black Bear Sow and Two Cinnamon Cubs Encounter - Squamish, BC CA September 2016

I went for a hike outside of Squamish, BC CA about mid day to do some scouting.  As I was walking through the rain forest by myself very quietly this Cinnamon cub came running out of the heavy foliage onto the trail in front of me.  As it stoped and he looked right at me I couldn't help but take this picture.  Just after I took the picture I saw mom with another cub further back.  Then I took a quick picture of Mom.  I was 22 paces away (I checked it after they left) and stood very still.  As I'm standing very still I thought through my options. I decided to talk quietly as I slowly walked backwards.  As I was slowly backing up they watched me and about after 10 steps back they walked perpendicular to the trail and I never saw them again.  Another amazing experience with wildlife!

YELLOWSTONE, LAMAR VALLEY - BISON FUNERAL - 04/30/2016

Late in the day on Friday, April 29th 2016 there was this Female Bison struggling to give birth.  A crowd of people were gathering to see if they could help in this birthing process but a Ranger stopped by and said don't interfere in the process of nature.  So I left for the day not wanting to watch the slow death of the cow and calf.  

Since it was my last morning in the park I decided to go and see what predators would show up.  I arrived before sunrise to find about 50 people already there.  Amazing how fast news travels in Yellowstone.  What was so amazing about this experience what what happened after I arrived.  At first there was a few Coyotes sniffing around the carcass.  Then in the distance was the Bison heard moving around in circles.  Then all of a sudden a group of 5 Female Bison came out of the heard and walked over to the dead Bison.  Each one was nudging the dead Bison to wake her up but she didn't.  As they realized their friend would not get up they all stood around her for about 15 mins like they were saying their good byes.  Then they all left and headed back to the heard.  What a great experience to witness such a moving moment in time.  As you can see, Mother Nature can be harsh.

Very Sad Day - Yellowstone, Soda Butte Valley - Lamar Wolf Pup Killed - 02/02/2016

I was in Soda Butte Valley by the cone when we saw one of the 3 Lamar Wolf Pups crossing the road.  It was very early as the sun had not risen yet.  As we took some pictures we could hear many wolves howling.  As we drove towards Pebble Creek we saw a few of the Wolf Project Team sitting on the side of the  road.  We stoped to talk when they pointed out that one of the Lamar Black pups was just killed by an 18 large Mollies wolf pack.  As we were talking with them you could hear them howling just inside the tree line overlooking the valley (listen to the video below).  For me it was such a sad day but that's life in the wild.

Yellowstone, Little America - Junction ButteWolf Takes Down Elk - 02/03/2016

This morning just east of Little America along the east end of Specimen Ridge we were following the Junction Butte Wolf pack when all of a sudden this Grey Wolf is chasing this female Elk out of the tree line.  Fortunately I had my camera ready and unfortunately for me the Elk was taken down just on the other side of a ridge.   The only thing we could see after the kill was all the Eagles and Ravens flying in.  It was amazing experience to witness this Wolf take down the Elk.  Sometimes it's all about being in the right place at the right time.

Scarface Meeting 10/25/2015

One day I was hiking back from a hiking trip I took by myself out on Hellroaring hiking trail, Yellowstone.  It was getting let and I was hiking back and as I approached the suspension walkway of the Yellowstone river I looked up and saw this Grizzly walking down the trail towards me.  To my surprise I'm looking across the walkway and he is coming right towards me.  He took a look right at me and just kept coming.  At this point I really didn't have anywhere to go because the river was right there so I backed off the trail by a huge bolder and stood there as still as I could.  Here is a set of pictures I took of my awesome encounter with Scarface.

As Scarface walked by me he looked right at me and then just keep going.  I wish I could of took that picture but to be honest this was somewhat of a hair raising experience.  After this took place I continue my hike out and kept thinking what if I would have been halfway across the suspension bridge.  How would I handle that!

It wasn't until the following April when Yellowstone came out with a official statement that 3 weeks after these pictures were taken Scarface was shot and killed just outside of Gardiner, MT.  I was in Gardiner when this statement came out and I found out I was one of the last people to see him and get some photos of him.  It was a sad day for me but I will always remember this amazing experience.

Bighorn Sheep, Day Of Fun - Jasper AB, CA National Park 09/28/2015

One day I was driving down the road in Jasper National Park when I look up high on a ledge and saw a group of Bighorn Sheep (8 of them).  Since it was late in the day I decided I would come back in the morning and hike up there.  It took me almost an hour to get up into the high meadow where they were.  This meadow overlooked a lake.  The hard part was they were all on the 60% + slope heading down to the lake with the last 100 ft straight down.  As I got many good photographs during the morning they all took off down the slope over the ledge down to the lake.  So I decided to hike back up to the meadow walk around the edge of the cliffs to a point where I could find a way to hike down there (see the picture below.  The red line shows the path I took to get where they were hanging out.  Since I was by myself I took it very carefully because one slip and I was going down into the lake to be never found again.  After a good 45 min hike they were still there which I was very happy with.  Once there they were very comfortable with me.  I was able to spend a good 90 mins with them taken lots of good photographs of my experience.  At one point one of the young Bighorns walked towards me but I had no where to go so I stood very still and he walk right past me to the point where I could have touched him.  This was an amazing day where I saw no one else but just me and the Bighorn Sheep.  I had a big smile on my face for days after this experience!

Juvenile Bald Eagle Rescue - Northport, MI - Early August 2014

Earlier in the day I was photographing Bald Eagles just north of Northport, MI.  Late in the day I the sun was setting I was driving back to where I was staying.  I as I came around the bend I thought I saw a Turkey Vulture standing on the side of the road.  But as I past it I said to my wife Margaret that's a Bald Eagle.  I quickly pull over and stoped.  Just as I did this the Eagle started walking across the road like it was drunk.  Then I saw two cars coming and I quickly ran out in the road to stop them.  The Eagle made it to the ditch where it fell over.  I thought it had just died but as I got near it she opened her eyes.  At this point I called my Birder friends to see who I should contact.  They recommended Wings of Wonder in Empire, MI which was a 45 min drive from there.  Just as I got off the phone a passer by stoped to see what was going on.  She said that she live down the street from a Michigan DNR Biologist and would see if he was home.  We were lucky that he was and he came to help.  He used a blanket to cover the Eagle in to her into a dog cage (see picture of him holding her up).  He then took her to Wings of Wonder where Rebecca who operates WOW was ready to take care this Eagle.

The next day I called Rebecca to see how the Eagle was.  She said the Eagle was quit malnourished.  It was touch and go for a few days but Nora (the nickname we gave the eagle) was coming around.  Then in early November Rebecca was happy to release Nora back into the wild.  It was a very happy day for me to know I was part of saving a Juvenile Bald Eagle.  Also, I made a very nice donation to support the care Nora received and I continue to support WOW every year since.  WOW is a great wildlife rehabilitation organization.  Here is a link to their site: http://www.wingsofwonder.org