Mount Evans Mountain Goats

Mount Evans Mountain Goats. There are wildlife "farms" or "ranches" where wild animals roam within fences. Photographers are invited (for a fee) to come and photograph the "wildlife." In some cases the animals are "trained" to pose for a photo. One such ranch in Montana has trained wolves to go up to the top of a mound and howl at sunsets for a photo. That is not me, nor any of my photos. 

I say this because my first "5" Star Photo of Mountain Goats seems posed. The story behind these photos is that I was driving up Mount Evans in Colorado, and at about 13,000 feet saw 40 or so Mountain Goats in a meadow on the tundra. I pulled off to the side of the road and slowly walked down a hillside to the meadow. I got to within 30 yards from the Mountain Goats and just sat down. Over  time some of the Goats came closer to me.  I took photos and watched them for about an hour and 15 minutes.

During that time these two "kids" walked over to the ledge (a drop of several thousand feet) and stopped on a rock. And although they posed for me, they were not trained to do so. Here is that photo:

Mountain Goats

Pairs of Two: Three

Today, pairs of Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep. 

But first, I should say that there are wildlife "farms" or "ranches" where wild animals roam within fences. Photographers are invited (for a fee) to come and photograph the "wildlife." In some cases the animals are "trained" to pose for a photo. One such ranch in Montana has trained wolves to go up to the top of a mound and howl at sunsets for a photo. Cost, $300-$400. That is not me, nor any of my photos.  All of my animal photos are from the wild – no zoos, no wildlife “farms” or ranches – no remote motion-sensor cameras, no tracking dogs, no electronic tracking devices, no “traps,” just simply photographed as predator and/or prey as found naturally  in the wild.   Photos are untouched and appear as seen through the lens.

I say this because my first photo of the Mountain Goats seems posed. The story behind the photo is that I was driving up Mount Evans in Colorado, and at about 13,000 feet saw 40 or so Mountain Goats in a meadow on the tundra. I pulled off to the side of the road and slowly walked down the hillside to the meadow. I got to within 30 yards from the Mountain Goats and just sat down. I took photos and watched them for about an hour and 15 minutes. During that time these two "kids" walked over to the ledge (a drop of several thousand feet) and stopped on a rock. Snap, this was the photo:

Mountain Goat kiddies at 13,000 feet

Bighorn Sheep Ewe feeding her lamb

Finding Mountain Goats

Just like Bighorn Sheep, maybe even more difficult in finding and photographing are Mountain Goats. And, just like Bighorns, luck is a key factor. In the first three photos, the Mountain Goats are difficult to see with the naked eye. You essentially, have to scour the mountains with a scope, binoculars, or telephoto lens. It's always nice to find them, but in these situations quite impossible to get close enough for a good photo. Still, it gives the viewer an idea of the terrain these beautiful animals live in.

Mountain Goat with Kid on Grays Peak, Colorado

Small Band of Mountain Goats on Grays Peak, Colorado

Mountain Goat on Baronette Peak, Wyoming

And, also just like the Bighorns, sometimes roads take you deep into the mountains where getting close is possible if you find them. The last two photos come from Mt. Evans at about 13,000 feet. Mt. Evans has the distinction of having the highest paved road in the world. It's paved to 14.138 feet. In the situation below a herd of 40-50 Mountain Goats were in a 13,000 foot meadow above the timberline eating what grasses there were. Slowly and carefully I moved about until I could get close enough for a photo -- as in the two kids below.

Herd of Mountain Goats at 13,000 feet on Mt. Evans, Colorado

Two kids, on Mt. Evans