I’ve had the hardest time finding pikas this year! I finally found these two last week and they were very camera shy.
Tag Archives: wildlife photography
This group of Columbian ground squirrels seemed to be posing for family photos. First there was one, then there were three and then there were four, although the fourth one was a little camera shy. And then there was one.
I don’t know what they were watching. Maybe my car, parked to the left and behind? The dogs were in it. And then to the right. Did they sense something I did not? They were pretty cute.
We went on an outing to see if we could find some wintering birds the other day. They are few and far between here at home except at the feeders. Imagine our surprise when we found four bighorn sheep right alongside the road. There was a ram, two ewes and a youngster. At first we thought they had pawed into the snow to find food but as we watched, we realized that they were licking dirt. I wonder if it’s a natural salt lick or if it has some other sort of mineral they need? Regardless, they were intent on what they were doing and did not leave as we watched and photographed. At one point, the big ram moved away from his dirt hole and the youngster started in on it. Shortly, the male came along and butted the little one on the butt, telling them to get out of his hole.
Yellowstone is famous for its wildlife. We drove around and glassed hillsides and watched for animal traffic jams. Some people hire guides (and there seems to be no shortage of guide services) so we watched for their signs too. We saw wolves several times but mostly had distant views through scopes or binoculars. Same with the mountain goats. Bison, on the other hand, were common and often close, too close for comfort. Somehow I missed getting any photos of elk although we did see a lot of them. We only saw two moose and then in the deep dark forest on a gray day. Coyotes were relatively common but generally not in camera range.
Yesterday I returned home after skiing in the morning and found two big trucks parked in our driveway and then I heard the sound of hounds in the draw down below and I knew some cougar was in trouble. In Washington it is not legal to hunt cougars with dogs. Only the state can use dogs to track and capture them. I’d heard last week that the neighborhood just up valley from us had been noticing a cougar and people seemed upset about it. We have always known there are cougars around but haven’t seen them or had any trouble with them. We have seen images from remote cameras not far from our house. I like knowing they are nearby. I don’t have to remind myself that we are the intruders in their habitat so it’s our job to minimize our impact on cougars and other wildlife.
I wanted to see what was happening but I also did not want to intrude and cause trouble. I could not see the area where the cougar was treed so I drove slowly down our road til I could look across the draw through the trees and watch from afar. There was one biologist and four volunteers and two hounds that never quit howling. After they got the animal out of the tree they said I could walk over to observe what they were doing so I parked the car and made my way through the deep snow on the steep hillside.
Here the cat has been tranquilized and lowered from the tree to a tarp below
Collaring the cat. With this collar scientists will be able to track her movements. This is part of state-wide study of cougars.
This is the second time this cat has been captured and collared. The previous time was three years ago.
There is a cotton spacer that is designed to rot so that collar will fall away after two years.
The checked her teeth to determine her health and approximate age. Based on her history, she is five or six years old.
The tag on her ear indicates that she was captured previously in Poorman Creek – less than ten miles away as the cougar travels.
All the data gathered is carefully recorded. She will have no secrets.
One of the hounds used to track and capture the cat. The house in the background is a summer cabin just below our place.
Measuring her head
While she is tranquilized, her eyes do not blink so gel is applied to keep them moist.
A healthy animal just over 100 pounds! She has three kittens that weigh about 30 pounds and they have all been living well off the local deer population.
That big claw is the one she uses to bring down a deer or other prey.
And the teeth deliver the final blow
This is a popular posed shot
Time to pack everything up so she can wake up in peace.
This is a Karelian Bear Dog. Normally Cash would have been in on the chase however he recently had TPLO surgery on his knee so is in recovery. He really wanted to be out there.
Learn more about the Karelian Bear Dogs here.
I have long wanted to see a cougar and somehow imagined that I would see one slinking across our road when I drove home after dark. This is not how I wanted to see a big cat. It’s unfortunate for her that she took up residence in an area where people were uncomfortable with her. Otherwise she would not have been tracked and treed and tranquilized. She was staying out of trouble. Hopefully this event will cause her to move into a quieter location.
My Everyday Photos 