Jackson County Moose

There are six different species of Moose found around the world. The Alaskan subspecies is the largest with the males averaging 1500 pounds. It is the second largest land animal in North America (2nd to the Bison). The Shiras Moose of the Rocky Mountains (and Cascades) is the smallest of the Moose (a paltry 1250 pounds), yet when you see an adult Shiras Bull Moose up close you can appreciate the fact that they all are quite large. The Eastern Species is found in Northeast US and Canada. The Western Moose is found in parts of Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. The European species is found in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. 

One year I was in Colorado State Forest after an October snowfall when I saw a lone Bull Moose among some willows. There was no immediate place to park, so I had to drive ahead a quarter of a mile or so and walk back. But, the Moose was patient. He waited for me. And, he let me take many photos. 

At one point, when I was about 30 feet  away some movement caught my eye behind me. I turned and it was an American Marten bouncing through the snow about 100 yards away. So, a couple okay photos of the Marten were added to my day's work.

Then it was back to watching this Bull Moose. I think I could do that all day.

Bull Moose

Bull Moose at Rocky Mountain National Park

Continuing with my "5" Star Moose photos.

One year, I had finished my morning at Cameron Pass in Northwest Colorado, and went on to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was about 10:30 when I arrived near the West Entrance to the park. The road was already crowded (20+ cars) so I stopped to see what the attraction was. There were two very large Bull Moose lying down about ten feet apart and partially concealed by brush. They were 150 feet or more away, though. I started talking to a photographer from Silver Spring, Maryland. Since I grew up in Silver Spring we had a few things to talk about about while we waited. 

Seeing this before, I knew that at some point the Moose were going to get up and start eating again. In the meantime people (families with children) came and went, either not knowing or not caring that they could be in for  a very nice treat if they stayed.

It took an hour and a half, but I called it right. The Moose not only got up but they came much closer to eat the oak brush. My patience was rewarded with some wonderful photos. Here is one of them:

Bull Moose

Bull Moose in Flowers

Moose love to eat oak brush. So, if you are in Moose Country, anywhere there is oak brush there is potential. 

Here's an example of patience paying off. This Bull Moose was a good 100 yards away when I found him. It was not reasonably possible to get closer because the oak brush was so thick. As it turns out, there was no need to get closer. That's because he came to me --- just as I had hoped. It took a little over an hour, but there he was, no more than 25 feet away, chowing down on that oak brush.

The purple sage helped make this a very special "5" Star Photo:

Bull Moose

Bull Moose Bust

Here's a "5" Star Photo that was a surprise. 

When you are photographing wildlife, you not only try to get the lighting, background, composition you want, you try to get the best angle for your "subject" and hope it is looking the direction you want. So there are many thing you are considering. 

In today's case, however, I was not trying to get a "bust-only" photograph. But, that's what I got nonetheless. It looks like something hanging on the wall in some guy's office or den.

Bull Moose Bust

Waiting for the Bull Moose

I am often asked about having the patience to photograph wildlife. As a general rule I don't wait in a spot in hopes that an animal I want to photograph happens by -- even if it is an ideal spot and there are animal tracks and scat around. You could wait for days.

But, there is a kind of patience that pays off -- sometimes. I was on the westside of  Rocky Mountain National Park along the North Fork of the Colorado River.  Off in the distance I saw a Bull Moose, along with a Cow and a Yearling. They were lying down in a meadow about 300 yards away. It was "marshy" and so I wasn't going to be able to move closer. 

It was about 6:15 am when I arrived. I thought, why leave to look for a Moose that might be only 20 yards away? I have found three Moose right here. So, I decided it was worth the wait. By 7:00 they were up and moving around -- a bit closer. By 8:00 they were lying down again. By 9:00 they were up and still closer, yet still too far for a good photo. 

Again the question was should I wait in hopes that the Moose will come still closer. My answer was again "yes." It was't until 11:45, 5 1/2 hours after start that I was able to take this photo. I was happy. It was probably the largest Bull Moose I have seen in the wild. And, I was in awe!

Bull Moose

Moose Croaking

First, my apologies for the absence of posts the past couple of days. I have been working on a new book: "Tales of a Wildlife Photographer." And, once you start writing it becomes an obsession (as all writers know).

But back to my series on my "5" Star Photos, as we come to the MOOSE.

I was along the North Fork of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park when I came across nice size Bull Moose.   I watched for a couple hours until he wandered of. Interestingly, it was the first time I saw a Bull Moose "croaking." And, I was thrilled to capture it in a photo. 

Like Elk, "croaking" or "bugling" in case of the Elk, only happens in the fall. It is to "announce" the Bull's availability for mating. However, the sound is nothing like that of an Elk. It is a softer, quieter sound, and I heard it only once during the time I spent with him. Also, interestingly, there was a Bull Elk 800 - 900 yards away that I could hear bugling as I was photographing the Moose. 

Moose Croaking

Pairs of Two: Twelve

First boys, then girls.

 It wasn't as if there was lots of action. I stood by while these two very large Bull Moose sat in the tall grass at the edge of the woodland forest. After an hour and a half, one stood up and then the other. They headed into the thicket of oak brush where I took a few more photos. 

Bull Moose in Northern Colorado

 The Caribou females were on Medicine Lake in Alberta. Temperature was about minus ten degrees. They allowed me to walk down onto the lake and close enough for a nice photo:

Caribou Females on Medicine Lake, Alberta

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for protected areas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.  The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants. It was the idea of President Teddy Roosevelt (My Hero) in 1903 by executive order. By 1908 he had gotten Congress to agree to establish a System. The System has grown to more than 150 million acres in 555 national wildlife refuges. 

National Wildlife Refuges manage a full range of habitat types, including wetlands; prairies; coastal and marine areas; and temperate, tundra and boreal forests. The management of each habitat is a complex web of controlling or eradicating invasive species, using fire in a prescribed manner, assuring adequate water resources, and assessing external threats like development or contamination. Many of the Refuges have "Visitor's Center's" and many do not.

These refuges are home to some 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species and more than 200 species of fish. Many of the National Wildlife Refuges have been established with the primary purpose of conserving 280 threatened or endangered species.

First UP: Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, 1967

Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1967 to furnish waterfowl with a suitable place to nest and rear their young. It is located in an intermountain glacial basin south of Walden, county seat of Jackson County, Colorado. The thriving metropolis of Walden has but one restaurant. It is so small the best they can do is a Motel 3. (hee, hee)

The basin is approximately 35 miles wide and 45 miles long. It is the northernmost of four such "parks" in Colorado and is known locally as North Park. North Park opens north into Wyoming and is rimmed on the west by the Park Range, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Mountains, on the southeast by the Never-Summer Range, and on the east and northeast by the Medicine Bow Range. Numerous slow, meandering streams are interspersed on the basin floor and eventually come together to form the headwaters of the North Platte River. Most of the flood plain along the streams is irrigated meadow, while the low rises adjacent to the flood plain and the higher rises on the refuge are characterized by sagebrush grasslands. 

I go to Jackson County primarily looking for Moose. And, Arapaho NWR has been lucky for me. First, a waterfowl photo of White Pelicans, then some Moose photos:

White Pelicans

Bull Moose along the Illinois River

Bull Moose

Bull Moose Walking toward food

Bull Moose Resting

Bull Moose Eating

Bumping Heads - Part II

Saturday's post was about males jousting. Today we have a different kind of "bumping heads". Here it is done out of affection:

Bear Cubs

Wild Burros

Javelinas

Moose

Said with Tongue in Cheek

Every once in awhile I change my desktop photo. And, two days ago I had such an urge so was looking for a new photo and decided on the Bobcat photo below. I have been looking at that photo on my desktop for a two days now. And this morning I wondered how many different mammal photos I have where I can see their tongue. (Okay, I admit I must not have anything important to do --- or, that I am feeling lazy and am procrastinating the important things). Nonetheless,  I found ten such photos. My idle mind then thought, I have been doing my Blog for 28 months now, why not a Post on "Tongues?" Soo .....

Bison

Black Bear

Bobcat

Coatimundi

Coyote

Elk

Hooded Skunk

Moose

Mule Deer

White Tail Deer

Hoofed Animal Babies - II

I love finding and photographing wild animal families. The first photo was taken near Cameron Pass (10,000+ feet) in Northwestern Colorado. The young Moose was the smallest -- youngest Moose I have ever seen. If the mother and father weren't around, I am not sure I would have even known what it was. The Feral (wild) Burro family was taken at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge on the Arizona side of the Colorado River 50 miles north of Yuma.  The young Burro Colt didn't look real; looked more like a "stuffed animal" from FAO Schwartz. 

Moose Family

Feral Burro Family

HOOFED MAMMALS: Moose Stories-VI

Looking through all my Moose photos, I realize that I have over the past two years shared most of the my moose stories with you. We have guests (who have become friends) who stay with us each year around this time. He is a "big game hunter" and this past summer took his wife with him to the Yukon in search of Moose and Caribou. Now, I have never understood hunting Moose. Once you find them they are relatively easy to shoot -- either camera or gun. But, as his wife explained, it is the best tasting meat "in the world." So, I have a better appreciation for hunting Moose, now. Still, they are a magnificent animal. Now, if you having been following my blog you already know this.  One of my favorite places is the Columbia Icefield in Alberta. So, here comes another story from the Icefield. One summer I was driving along the Icefield and there in the wide open spaces was a Bull Moose. He was casually, but purposely walking right down the middle of the Icefield. I pulled over to the side of the road and parked; then walked parallel to the Bull for nearly two miles until he turned and went into the forest. He never stopped once and never looked at me (of course Moose don't have great eyesight so he may not of even know I was there). As is my "policy" I did not try to walk closer to him because there were other people present. It also seemed that he was on a "mission" and I didn't want to disturb him. It was a great walk! Here he is:

HOOFED MAMMALS: Moose Stories-III

I am going to take you back to Jasper National Park in Alberta and Maligne Lake -- well, sort of. Maligne Lake sits at the end of, what else, Maligne Road. From there, a trail ends up at Moose Lake. On one of my trips I had not had any luck finding Moose along Maligne Road. So, I thought, "Well, they all must be at Moose Lake." Why else would they call it Moose Lake? So, I hiked up the trail, got to the top of the hill and there was Moose Lake right in front of me. There also was a Moose right in front of me. I was already so close, that I just sat down and watched as she ate the aquatic vegetation along the lake's edge. She wasn't bothered by me and kept working her way along the lakeside. Finally, she was no more than 20 feet away. (I am still sitting just where I was when I first saw her). What a treat! Here are a few photos:

The above photo was taken when I first saw her.

This photo was taken after she had worked her way around to the very front of me.

Then finally, in the above photo, she had passed, but still content on eating while I was watching.

HOOFED MAMMALS: Moose Stories

I love this story. Probably means more to me, but .... It was one of my first photo trips into Alberta, Canada, probably 1995 or so. On the way I stopped at Wells Gray in British Columbia. Oh, by the way I should say in was January and the temperature was minus 10 degress F. I slept in the back of my truck where I had made a bed. When I woke up in the morning I tried to brush my teeth but found the toothpaste completely frozen. In fact, everything was completely frozen ----- except what was in my ice chest!!!! After that, I started putting things like toothpaste in my ice chest. Anyway, on to Alberta. I was not having a great deal of luck finding anything. Of course, Grizzly Bears are hibernating, Black Bears asleep in their dens, so I am looking for Bighorn Sheep, Caribou, Moose, and Elk. I was driving up to Maligne Lake (Jasper National Park) and as I was looking through the trees that lined the road I saw a brown spot in the middle of a snow covered meadow. I pulled over and walked through the trees and it was a female Moose just lying in the snow.  I trudged through about two feet of snow taking a photo every four or five steps (thinking that might be the last photo before seeing her "backside.") When I got to about 30 feet I stopped and sat down in the snow and took several photos. This was before digital so I was a little more judicious with my shot selection. Then I just sat and admired her beauty. I had never been this close to a Moose. Her coat around her shoulders looked like sable, absolutely gorgeous -- not, a descriptive term I have ever her before -- or, again relative to Moose. But, to me: gorgeous:

Rocky Mountain National Park

On to Rocky Mountain National Park. I had finished my morning at Cameron Pass and went on to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was about 10:30 when I arrived near the entrance to the park. The road was already crowded (20+ cars) so I stopped to see what the attraction was. There were two very large Bull Moose laying down about ten feet apart and partially concealed by brush. I started talking to a photographer from Silver Spring, Maryland. Since I grew up in Silver Spring (a couple of centuries ago) we had a few things to talk about about while we waited. Seeing this before, I knew that at some point the Moose were going to get up and start eating again. In the meantime people (families with children) came and went, either not knowing or not caring that they could be a very nice treat.

It took about 90 minutes from the time I arrived for the first Bull to get up:

It wasn't two minutes after the first Bull got up that the second one got up:

Many more photos followed, but eventually they came very close:

I thanked them very much for a delightful show indeed. Then gave my position (and parking space) to someone else.

Cameron Pass: Part Two

Continuing with my Cameron Pass adventure, I spent about two hours (including a half hour wait time) with three Bull Moose, a Cow, and a Calf. Although the Cow and Calf left the area going back up beyond the tree line after about 45 minutes. But the Bulls provided many photo ops:

Bull Moose amidst the Lupine and Willow

Bull Moose Croaking

Dad and (maybe) Granddad

Bull Walking Right Towards Me Munching Away

No this is not the bust of a moose super-imposed on a photo of willow. But, I must say it looks that way.

Wild Babies - Part III

Next comes babies with their moms:

Black Bear with Cubs

Moose with Calf

Pronghorn with Fawn

Feral Burro with Colt (or filly)

Mountain Goat with Kid

Grizzy & Moose in Wildflowers

Lighting is always tricky for the wildlife photographer. The Grizzly Bear in wildflowers (top photo) ended up a bit overexposed. He was in direct sunlight. I didn't have time to get into a better position. I don't like running to get to a better angle -- especially, when I am photographing bears. Fast movements tend to cause bears to change what they are doing -- i.e. fight or flight. Anyway, so the wildflowers aren't really showing their colors in that photo. In the case of the Moose (in the bottom photo) the wildflowers are in the background and so don't stand out quite as well because their colors are more muted. I like both photos because both the grizzly and the moose have turned their heads to look at me. Just wish the colors came out better.