The "Bear"

During the year of 2010, I had the opportunity to photograph three species of those bears that inhabit North America. The Black Bear, Brown Bear, and Grizzly Bear. I would love to photograph the remaining specie, the Polar Bear, however, to accomplish that task I would need to fly to the western and northern coast of Alaska. My primary objective was to photograph those species that can be obtained from our normal highway system. There is one, possibly two sub species of these bears that are found in southeast Alaska and western Canada. They would include the Cinnamon Bear and a nearly white bear that is known as the "Spirit Bear" in western Canada. This particular specie of bear could also be a sub-specie of the Brown or Grizzly Bear.

Black Bear Boar ~ Buffalo Bill State Park ~ Wyoming

Grizzly Sow ~ Shoshone River Valley ~ Wyoming

Grizzly Sow And Cub ~ Shoshone River Valley ~ Wyoming

Brown Bear ~ Hallo Bay, Alaska

Brown Bear ~ Hallo Bay, Alaska

Brown Bear ~ Hallo Bay, Alaska

Elk

Although, all of our antlered wildlife are beautiful animals and unique in their own way. I have a special fondness for the Elk. They are such a regal animal, their size and antler structure marks them as the monarch of their habitat area. It is amazing how gracefully they can move through heavy timber, despite the size of their antlers. In my travels this fall, I can happily report that our Elk population is very strong throughout the western states. I saw Elk in the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arizona. The biologists maintain that there are two species of Elk, the Mountain Elk and the Prairie Elk. Although, I could not tell the difference unless it was in the horn structure and body weight. In South Dakota, I had perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity when I had the chance to see seventeen Bull Elk in a large meadow. Several other Bull Elk were already moving into the heavy timber which I did not count. I would estimate that there were at least twenty-five Bull Elk herded up. Their size ranged from spikes to large "Royals". There was not a single cow of calf in the area. While watching them, hoping for better photography light, I had the chance to see several of the bulls sparring with one another. The night prior to seeing them, I had siwashed out and could hear their bugling throughout the night. Like themselves, their "bugle call" is distinct and a sound that you never tire of hearing.

~ Colorado ~

First snow of the season, the Bull in the next two pictures had a herd of nine cows and one "Spike Bull" that kept getting chased away by the herd Bull.

"Bugling Bull"

JASPER NATIONAL PARK ~ CANADA This particular "Royal" had a herd of eleven cows with him and provided me a couple of hours of entertainment in photographing him and his herd.

~ MONTANA ~

This monster Bull Elk was perhaps the largest Bull that I saw on my trip. The "rut" had not yet started and he was traveling with three smaller Bulls.

Black Hills ~ South Dakota

This "Royal" was considering the rut, although he was "bugling", he was conserving his energy for any bulls that wanted to challenge him as well as resting up for the rut.

The "Grand Slam"

For many years in the big game hunting circles, the ultimate goal for many hunters was to get a "Grand Slam". For the record books, the "Grand Slam" consisted of shooting one of each of the four species of wild sheep in North America in a one year period. This "Grand Slam" would include the Rocky Mountain Big Horn Ram, Desert Big Horn Ram, Stone (Stone's) Ram, and the Dall Ram.

This particular goal is very difficult to achieve today due to more restrictive hunting regulations and very limited permits. Occasionally special permits are issued for a particular specie and used as raffle or auction item in raising funding for wild sheep habitat and other projects. Today, to obtain a "tag" or special permit to hunt a specific breed, you can expect to spend multiple thousands of dollars just for a permit. The true "Grand Slam" is now history for hunters. I have not heard of one being achieved in a number of years.

However, with a camera you can still achieve a "Grand Slam" which was one of my ultimate goals for 2010.

Although, getting "close up" shots without the use of a telephoto lens is difficult, I feel very fortunate to get three out of the four of my rams with little or no telephoto. I found the Desert Ram the most difficult to achieve when you are on their home turf. I also feel fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time. Each of the species of rams will "hang out" together prior to and following the annual rut. I was able to observe and photograph a "Gang of Nine" Mountain Big Horn Rams in the Black Hills of South Dakota and a "Gang of Six" Desert Big Horn Rams in Nevada.

I am not a biologist nor an expert in regards to wild sheep. However, the Desert and Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep are related. The Rocky Mountain Big Horn has more body weight and larger in size than the Desert Big Horn. However, the horns of the Desert Ram are larger and has a slightly different curl than that of the Rocky Mountain Big Horn. At times, the horns of the Desert Big Horn appear to be out of proportion to their body size.

"Gang Of Six"

Desert Big Horn Rams ~ Area of Beatty, Nevada

Desert Big Horn Ram ~ Area of Beatty, Nevada

Rocky Mountain Big Horn Ram ~ Black Hills, South Dakota

The Stone Sheep and the Dall Sheep are also related according to my research. Each of them similar in size and horn curl similar. The primary difference is their coloration, each of them taking on the camouflage color of the background of the area in which they live. Both species live at the higher altitudes during the summer, moving down the slopes as the winter snow accumulates and covers their feeding areas. The Dall Sheep can be found throughout Alaska and northern Yukon Territory. The Stone or Stone's sheep is found in the Yukon Territory and occasionally in northern British Columbia. Dall Ram ~ Turnagain Arm, Alaska Stone Ram ~ Toad River Area, Yukon Territory

Natural Camouflage

Mother Nature is still the best when it comes to camouflage art and the protection of her animals. The three pictures below demonstrates her abilities. How many Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep do you count in the below picture?

Flock Of Big Horn Sheep at Thompson Falls, Montana

Desert Big Horn Ram ~ Area Of Beatty, Nevada

A Very Nice Buck Mule Deer In this Picture

(Wyoming)

There are times that even the majestic Bull Elk does not want to have their picture taken. (South Dakota ~ Black Hills)

North Dakota ~ "The Wild Ones"

This is the first in a series of wildlife photographs that I have taken this year. Each series will be dedicated to one specific group of wildlife that are biologically related. One of my primary goals this past trip was to photograph the "wild" horses that can be found throughout the western states. Some of these wild horse herds have been traced back to their origins of the early Spanish explorers. The "roots" of some of the other herds have not verified as to their origin and are classified as "Feral Horses". Those that are classified as "Feral Horses" are considered to be horses that have escaped or abandon by the early settlers in the west. These would include horses belonging to the American Indian, U.S. Calvary, ranchers, and from the large cattle herds that were driven into the Midwest and West in the 1800's. They have remained as "ancestors" to the country in which they roam. They live, raise their young, and die on the open range lands of the west. Today, you can see the "wild ones" in almost every western states with heavy concentrations in Nevada and Wyoming. I was fortunate to see them in North Dakota, Wyoming, and Nevada. The following photographs were taken in North Dakota, just south of the Missouri River. I felt very fortunate to be able to get into a position to await the herd to come to me in order to photograph them. The "herds" are normally small, anywhere from three to a dozen horses. The herd will always have a dominate "Mare" and the "Lead Stallion". The remaining herd will consist of young mares, colts, and young stallions. The young stallions will normally remain with the herd until they get old enough to challenge the "Lead Stallion". Lead Stallion bringing in his herd to water. This particular herd had a dozen horses, the big sorrel is the lead stallion and I am assuming the mare in front with the colt is the "Dominant Mare" When my presence was discovered, she assisted in moving the herd to safety.

"First Sign That Stallion Picked Up My Scent Or Sound"

"I Have Been Discovered"

"Ears Back, Sounding The Alarm, Swishing The Tail ~ Warning Signs"

"Pawing The Ground ~ Turning The Herd"

"Moving The Herd To Safety"

"Dominant Mare Sounding The Warning Call"

A second herd that I found was led by a black stallion, the younger horses and the two colts in the herd clearly carried the marking of their father, the white blaze on their forehead.

"Lunch Time On The Range"

During lunch, I got a little to close for comfort for the mare, she let me know that I had encroached far enough and led her colt to safety. "Lunch Is Interrupted"

Watching these horses, you have to respect them. They live and survive in a harsh environment. Hot in the summer months with the winter months providing harsher weather conditions than we see in my hometown in Alaska. They are a tough breed, they are the "Wild Ones".

Journey Is Over

After forty-two days on the road, I have returned to the sanctuary of my home on the bluff overlooking the Anchor River in Alaska. The standard question is always the same, "how was your trip?" The standard response is also always the same, "Ah, I had a great vacation!" However, in this particular case it was not "great", being fair I would have to rate it as just short of being fantastic! My only regret is that I wish my children and grandchildren could have experienced it as well. You do not realize what a beautiful country we live in until you get out and travel the highways and by-ways of America. It matters not whether you are looking at the fall colors in the high "rockies" or the high desert of Nevada, each area has a natural beauty of it's own. Although my primary mission was to photograph the variety of species of wildlife, you cannot appreciate them unless you also appreciate their environment. My 2010 goal of photographing each specie of "big game animals" in America was achieved. However, the photographing was secondary to the educational value of learning more about the species and observing them first hand. There were so many things that I saw for the first time in my life, the bull elk or deer locking horns in battle to prove dominance. The leadership of a wild stallion leading his herd to water. The mating ritual of the antlered species during their rutting season. The agility of the wild sheep. The warning sign of a mother grizzly. These are the memories that photos cannot duplicate. During this trip, I navigated through three provinces of Canada, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, and Alberta. In the "lower 48", I traveled through Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and could have thrown a rock into California. My original trip called for a visit to Oregon and Washington. However, at the last minute I changed course and returned to Montana to visit a herd of Big Horn Sheep in Thompson Falls, Montana. The place that my "lower 48" trip had commenced. After spending several hours with them, I turned north for the trip through Canada and home. In total, I drove 14,015.2 miles on this trip. I consumed a total of 859.35 gallons of "fossil fuel" at a total cost of $2,865.15. However, when you break it down, that is only .20 cents per mile for each mile I drove, a great bargain for seeing the country and sights that I witnessed. To appreciate our country, I am a firm believer that you have to be off the "Interstate Highway" system. In total, I drove less than 40 miles on the Interstate, only to gain access to a secondary state highways. In my travels, I met some great people in the small towns of America. Whether it was the canyon lands of Utah, the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Tetons, or the Sierra's looming over the high desert of Nevada, as I topped a hill on the highway between Tok and Glenallen, Alaska the mountains of my home state was a beautiful sight.

Thompson Falls, Montana Since my original visit in September, the contractors had the time to complete the construction of two bridges in the Little Thompson River canyon. This provided additional access into the canyon and forests of this area. It is a beautiful area, heavily treed with Ponderosa Pine and Siberian Larch.

Since my first visit, a Rocky Mountain Big Horn Ram had moved down and claimed the herd of ewes that I had photographed earlier in the fall. He was not concerned with my presense and allowed me to get in close to him. It is early into the rut, I am not sure if he has the armament to ward off the larger rams in the area.

"Family" (Ram, Ewe, Lamb")

This "ewe" discovered a easy way to get over the forest service rail fence, simply find a "stump" to use as a ladder.

Same "Ewe" jumping from a high ledge to the lower ledge and her feeding area.

It was a terrific trip, I now have a couple of months before the "New Year" to improve on my Bull Moose and Dall Sheep pictures. Perhaps, on January 1st, I will start thinking about my next journey.