Category: Best of the Tetons

Wildlife Notes for Early March: With the recent snows, it looks like most of the Elk and Bison have finally made it to the National Elk Refuge. Still it’s a light snow year and some of the Bull Elk have moved back north to the Gros Ventre River area. Coyotes, Raven, and Magpies are on the Refuge feeding on Winter kill carcasses. Moose are seen much less often in the sage flats and appear to be moving back to the river bottoms—generally scattering into the valley. Mountain Goats have been scarce lately, but I expect good activity in March. Bighorns are still visible on most days on the National Elk Refuge. Eagles and Great Horned Owls should be on nests soon. Watch for flocks of Cedar Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks feeding on the remaining crabapples, choke cherries, and Mountain Ash berries. There have been occasional sightings of Wolves and even a Mountain Lion around the valley. The cold nights have been freezing most ponds and slow moving portions of the streams. Swans and other waterfowl adapt as necessary, finding open water zones. Rough-legged Hawks are seen regularly on Spring Gulch Road and along the Elk Refuge fences and power poles. Continue reading "March 2018 Daily Journal for JH & GTNP"