bison Archives - Page 11 of 18 - Teton Photography Club

April 1, 2019April 2, 2019

April 2019 Daily Journal for GTNP & JH

Early April Notes:

The first day of Spring (on the calendar) was on March 20th, but most of the valley still looks like Winter! We had several warm days at the end of March, which began melting the heavy snow pack on the valley floor. Elk will eventually leave the National Elk Refuge, and expect Wolves to follow them. When the migration begins, you can often see more wildlife in a single day than any other month of the year. Moose are often in the river bottoms at this time of the year, but many are moving back to the sage flats. Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Kestrels have been spotted in March. Songbirds are also beginning to move through the valley. Bohemian Waxwings have been stripping the berry trees in town. I would expect April to be very active this year. Other Wildlife for Early April: I didn’t see as many Mountain Goats in the Snake River Canyon this year as in other years, but that may have been a result of the heavy snow pack. Still, I would expect to see a few through the middle of April. April is also a good month to see Grizzlies in Grand Teton National Park. Watch for Foxes, Marmonts, and Badgers. Trumpeter Swans will be leaving the valley at some point. Other birds, like White-faced Ibis might be seen for a day or two before they move on north. The Bison I photographed with frosted faces last month are still around, but are seldom next to the steam now.

March 16, 2019March 17, 2019

Wintering Bison in GTNP

An anomaly—or the new norm?

This year, a herd of around 40 Bison are wintering inside Grand Teton National Park instead of moving south onto the National Elk Refuge. I’ve lived in Jackson Hole for over 32 years and don’t recall still seeing Bison in Grand Teton National Park in March. This appears to be a learned behavior. After 12 years of the Bison Hunt on the National Elk Refuge, some of them are finding they are safer staying north of the Gros Ventre River. Continue reading

March 1, 2019March 3, 2019

March 2019 Daily Journal for GTNP & JH

“March comes in like a Lion, out like a Lamb”

March 1st – Friday

If you have been watching the February 2019 Daily Journal for GTNP & JH, you will already know that February was an unusually snowy month for Jackson Hole. Many of the major roads and most of the secondary roads have been closed due to the heavy snowfalls and blowing snow. As of mid-day March 1st, the valley is finally coming out of the stranglehold. US Highway 89/191 had been closed for four days, but is now open. The National Elk Refuge Road had been closed even longer, but it is also open again.

After several big storms in February, Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park might best described as a “Winter Wonderland”. I made a morning run to the northern portion of the park this morning. I never expect to see a lot of mammals in that area. , Most of them move south (Kelly area and National Elk Refuge) for the Winter. There are always “chances” to see River Otters, Ermine, Coyotes, and Foxes, but I never count on it. Going north usually means putting on your “landscape hat” (but keep a camera body and telephoto lens ready for wildlife). In late September, would expect dozens of photographers on either side of me while at this spot at Oxbow Bend! Nikon D850 and Nikon 70-200mm lens, Handheld

Bald Eagle: I took this photo yesterday along the highway. Today, I drove around 100 miles and never saw an Eagle. I mention this here to illustrate how much difference one day can be over another. (Actually, that is the case all year!) Nikon D850 and Nikon 200-500mm lens, Handheld.

February 7, 2019February 20, 2019

In Winter’s Grip

A Collection of Frosty Photos Taken in January and the First Week of February of 2019.

Summer and Fall visitors miss out on seeing Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park cloaked in “white gold”. The snow we receive during the Winter months fills lakes and supply the much needed water to the streams throughout the rest of the year. Skiers flock to Jackson Hole to tackle the area’s slopes, but most of the rest of the area is relatively sleepy. Other than having the shovel snow or run the snow blower to get out of my driveway, I like January and February. Winter can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding!

It’s so nice to have the Teton Range as a backdrop. The Grand can occasionally reveal itself as a ghostly relic of days when the earth’s crust was being violently sculpted. Other times, the peaks scream for attention. Continue reading