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March 16, 2021March 19, 2021

Mormon Row: Mid-March Access and Tips

Until the gates are opened, access is only a 3/4 mile easy hike over an asphalt road.

On the day I took this set of photos, southern Wyoming and much of Colorado was getting hammered with a huge late season winter storm. Jackson Hole, on the other hand, was being bathed in early spring like warm temperatures and beautiful blue skies. In a few months, Jackson Hole will be experiencing another busy year — possibly a record year — with tourists flocking to Wyoming’s wide open spaces. Interestingly, I made the short hike to the Mormon Row barns and, until I returned to my vehicle, I didn’t see a single person.

A Short Window of Solitude

January 4, 2021

Game Over! GTNP Bull Moose and Grizzlies

The day after the Super Bowl.

There is always a lot of hype and hoopla leading up to the Super Bowl. On game day, the two teams and cheering fans pack a stadium (in most non-Covid years) and the players put it all on the line for four quarters. One team wins and the confetti drops from every possible port on the stadium. Half of the fans are ecstatic while the other half are dejected. For the team and fans of the losing team, there’s always next year! Other than the less emotional Pro Bowl, the season is over. For football fans, there’s a feeling of “What are we going to do now?” Paint the living room? Spend some time with the kids? Now what?

Around the Tetons, there are two similar scenarios.

Moose begin growing their antlers in June and July. By the middle of August, their velvet covered antlers have substantial growth and detail. Sometime near the end of August and into the first week of September, the bulls scrape the bloody velvet and essentially the rut begins.

Grizzlies often begin coming out of hibernation around the middle of April. The return of each of the sows and boars is an event anticipated by the region’s photographers and bear watchers. It’s a staggered event however, knowing they never all show up at the same time. Sows with cubs of the year (COY) usually make their first appearance a few weeks later than in years they have older cubs or no cubs at all. When news of any Grizzly hits, tourists and photographers seem to come out of the woodwork. With cell phones and the Internet, the news is almost instantaneous.

There are a lot more moose in Jackson Hole than grizzlies. Moose tend to stay in the southern portion of the park. For me, that’s closer to home! Conversely, most of the grizzly activity happens farther north, usually around the Willow Flats and Pilgrim Creek area. While there are probably some grizzlies we never see, the dependable grizzlies might be counted on the fingers on two hands. A day looking for grizzlies often adds 135 to 150 miles (or more) to my vehicles. Some of the most dedicated bear watchers can spend six to 12 hours a day waiting and hoping for a chance to see them. During peak “grizzly season”, the most dedicated of the group are out seven days a week.

I am probably the closest thing to a die-hard moose fan than anyone else around. At about the time I can start identifying the bulls by the shape and size of their antlers, I’m hooked! For the first few weeks, I often have the bulls to myself. No other photographers. No rangers. It’s a great time! By Labor Day, there are a lot more photographers looking for them.

There are some SERIOUS die-hard grizzly fans in the area. Capitalizing the word “serious” simply doesn’t do justice to the description. Other tourist/photographers are more opportunistic. They just happen to be driving to or from Yellowstone and stumble upon an active bear jam.

If the bear watchers weren’t already serious enough, throw in the fact that the 24 year old matriarch 399 showed up with four cubs this year, and you might exchange the description to CRAZY (obsessed, motivated, committed, etc. also works)! They’ll put up with cranky rangers and wildlife management officers along with throngs of tourists and photographers for a chance to see and photograph them. Any sow with a single cub is enough to get them out, but four cubs is a record in the Tetons! 2020 had a record park attendance, and it was never more apparent than when 399 and the cubs were near the main park roads.

Over 14 or 15 years of photographing moose, I’ve seen and learned a lot about them. Shiras Moose bulls live to around 12-15 years, so the odds are very good that I photographed many of today’s largest bulls when they were tiny, wobbly-legged calves. I’ve observed the transfer of power as one dominant bull is pushed off by a new, stronger dominant bull. I’ve felt sorrow in years when one or more of my favorite bulls didn’t return. For them, I hope for the best, but fear for the worst. I’ve seen a few injured on the side of the road after being hit by a speeding vehicle. I’ve learned a lot about their behavior and patterns of movement. But more importantly, I’ve learned to identify many of the bulls from year to year by the pattern of their antlers.

Most of the grizzlies have numbers, assigned to them by the Park biologists. Obviously, everyone knows grizzly sow 399 by her assigned number, but several of the other sows are known locally by their given names, like Blondie (793). 610, one of 399’s offspring is also known only by her number. A few of the boars sport names like Brutus, Bruno (679) and Huck. Huck got his name after being seen on many occasions on Huckleberry Hill. Two of 610’s previous sub-adult cubs are tagged with #924 and #926.

With few exceptions, moose haven’t been tagged or collared in Grand Teton National Park, thus they lack numbers. Over the years, I’ve given bulls names like Shoshone, Washakie, Custer, Hoback, and so forth. Greg Balvin helped me with the name “Bondurant” this year for one of the distinctive bulls. Some of the local photographers picked up on some of the same names.

At some point in early winter, most of the grizzlies seem to disappear. The short answer to that riddle is they head for their winter dens to hibernate. 610 and her two older cubs were out fairly late this year. 399, over the years, has learned to stay out much longer to feast on the carcasses and gut piles left by hunters in Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. In 2020, she and her four cubs ventured much farther south into subdivisions southwest of Jackson. She was also seen along Fall Creek Road, then later appeared again on the National Elk Refuge—out of sight of the eager tourists and photographers. Needless to say, any sighting of 399 and her four cubs would immediately draw huge crowds. In late December, she spent several days along the Gros Ventre River, feasting on an elk carcass. The roadway was packed as photographers gathered for a chance for a distant shot or two.

On the morning of December 29^th, 2020, she was spotted on the south end of Blacktail Butte. Later that day, she and the healthy cubs were seen along the northwest side of Blacktail Butte as she began her trek towards her den in the north part of the park. Her crossing of the highway caused a huge traffic jam, but it gave a lot of tourists a chance to see her. As you might expect, the next day, ALL of the “bear people” were out looking for her.

On January 1^st, the family of five made it to the Pilgrim Creek bridge, again with a large following of photographers and bear watchers. 399 and the cubs were “on a mission” to get to their den. Call it the “two-minute warning” at the end of the Super Bowl! There’s so much build up—so much anticipation—then the final whistle! As they crossed under the bridge and headed north, it’s game over! Grizzly season is over! For the people that put in the time and got their shots, there was a feeling of satisfaction, jubilation, and relief. Others that were in the area, but not at the right place at the right time, were probably frustrated and deflated. There would be no do-overs this year, so the best they can say is, “We’ll get ‘em next year!”

At my end of the park, the “two-minute warning” is spread out over several weeks. It is a prolonged, inevitable end to my moose watching season. Each day, during the middle of December, I know that when I venture out in the park, there will be less and less antlers still attached to the bulls. It’s not uncommon to see a bull with one antler. It’s a dagger to my heart! By the next day, he’ll likely be just another non-descript antlerless bull moose. Mid-December feels like the death by a thousand cuts.

As I write this post on January 4, 2021, I can say that for all practical purposes, it’s “game over”! (For the 2020 moose and grizzly season.)

What’s next? After this year’s Super Bowl, sports fans will probably have worse withdrawal symptoms than normal. The college football season will be over with a new champion crowned. Same for the NBA and Major League Baseball—both with Covid-19 shortened seasons. I suppose sports addicts will have to watch pro wrestling or pro poker on TV. The dedicated bear watchers will probably take a break for a few weeks and save some gas money until grizzlies begin showing up again in mid-April. That’s not really a long way off.

What’s next for me? Instead of saying “game over”, it’s more like “turn the page” or “close a chapter and open a new one”.

Something is always available to be photographed in Jackson Hole! That’s the beauty of living here—or coming here. Last year a mountain lion appeared for a week or so. Great gray owls were visible in January and February in a few of the recent years. Foxes were common in January and February several other years. Last year we had a cooperative porcupine for almost a full month. Bighorns are almost always reliable in January and February. Mountain goats are a possibility. In the end, all I have to do is go out as often as I can and watch for any interesting subject! In effect, “Who cares what’s next!” >>MJ

Take a Customized Photo Tour with Me!

I renewed all of my permits and am accepting photo tours for 2021…with modifications!

Normally, I drive my tour clients around in my vehicle. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve opted to offer tours by letting clients follow me in their vehicles. This allows for ample social distancing. We can stay in constant contact via cell phones and walkie-talkies. Instead of eating inside one of the restaurants, I Creekside Market will make sandwiches to order for the day’s trip. Masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes will be provided. If you have questions, please ask!

The goal is to keep both of us safe, yet cover most of the same areas of the park.

Photo tours help me pay bills and continue to add content to this site. Keep me in mind if you are going to be in the valley! My tours are licensed by the National Park Service and National Elk Refuge.

I offer year round photo tours in Grand Teton National Park and Winter tours in the National Elk Refuge. Book now! Click the image for additional information.

Client Comments: “As a published and passionate photographer, I recognized Michael Jackson’s extraordinary skills as a photographer. Today I learned more about composition and creative technical ideas than I ever could have imagined.” G.S., Jackson Hole.

The post Game Over! GTNP Bull Moose and Grizzlies first appeared on Best of the Tetons, Area Info & Photography.

December 27, 2020

A Jackson Hole Winter in Black and White

This page contains a collection of images taken in December of 2020.

Sometimes, a black and white image says so much more. They can evoke more emotion than a color image! After being constantly barraged with vivid color, it can be refreshing to take a “new” look at familiar subjects. Black and white images are far from new, but seeing a batch of them can be like taking a deep, long breath during an otherwise hectic time. Think of it like comfort food for the eyes!

The Grand

The Tetons make great backdrops for black and white photos, especially when there are hints of clouds to put against the crisp mountain air.

John Moulton Homestead

Other times, low clouds and fog simplify the background for a feeling of isolation. This scene is almost a black and white even when taken in color. The pink color on the plaster of the old farm house is about the only loss or change.

Low Clouds

Low clouds and hoar frost add to the scene on many cold mornings. The same old homestead can be dwarfed by the nondescript mountains. I like to keep an eye out for alternative vantage points. That old barn has been photographed a “gazillion” times, so the challenge is to find a different way of seeing it.

Passing Bison

Wildlife, like this small herd of bison, can augment a remote rural scene.

Shoshone

Moose begin growing their antlers throughout the summer months. Sometime in December, hormones trigger the bull’s system to drop their beautiful antlers to the sagebrush. A few of the bulls can keep their antlers into January. Especially when coated with a layer of fresh snow, they make a good black and white subject.

Sparring Bulls

Prior to dropping their antlers, bulls often gather in small pods. Harmless sparring matches are fairly common in November and through the middle of December.

Grizzly 399

Most of the bears in Grand Teton National Park are already in their dens by December but Grizzly Sow 399 likes to stay out and feed on carcasses and gut piles left by the elk hunters. I got lucky to see her this year!

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swans find open water, such as the Kelly Warm Springs and along Flat Creek. The ghostly steam softens details.

Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter Swans often bathe in the morning, then flap their wings to straighten their feathers.

Coyote

During the summer months, many critters are difficult to see in the sagebrush, tall grasses, and forests, but they are easy to spot against the white snow.

Patient Fox

Simplified backgrounds are a hallmark of winter photography.

Bighorn Ram

Put an animal in his environment. I like to try a few alternative compositions when possible.

Bighorn Ram

Or go the other direction and get close! Black and white photos can reveal a lot of texture and details.

Bighorn Ram

Each snowfall modifies the landscape. During the early part of winter, snow can melt one day and then dump again overnight. I like the variety we get as the dull landscape transforms into a winter wonderland.

Bighorn Ram

Bighorns and mountain goats are in the rut during December. They spend a lot of time feeding, but there is always a chance to witness their rut behavior, like this “lip curl”.

Winter Landscape

My best advice is to learn to modify your “photographic day” by watching for the little jewels Mother Nature reveals. Special light and clouds can be short lived, and are generally unpredictable. Catch them when you can!

White Rainbow

I’ve never seen a full “white rainbow” before, much less photographed one! When Mother Nature offered one up, all I had to do was capture it!

Buck Rail Fences

“Cool stuff” is all around, but it is all too easy to overlook!

Kelly Wagon

Some subjects are “here today and gone tomorrow”. Sometimes the winter snow buries a subject. Other subjects disappear forever, often in the name of progress, to clean up a “mess”.

Frosted Fence

Common manmade objects can be quite interesting with good light and special conditions, like this hoar frost on a fence post on Mormon Row.

Chapel of the Transfiguration

Many areas of Grand Teton National Park are closed to vehicular traffic in the winter, but you can still hike, snow shoe, or cross country ski into them. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is such a place, along with the Mormon Row barns and homesteads.

Abstract Weld

Not everyone buys into it, but I love to photograph interesting textures. There is a lot of it in the Jackson Hole Valley. This is an abstract shot is of a weld on the gate at the Taggart Lake Trailhead.

Cowboy Bar

And, not everyone would stop to take a shot of an old neon sign, but there is something that draws me to them!

Night Stars

I don’t see that many night shots processed as a black and white, but I find them interesting.

Snow Mounds

Common subjects, like these snow mounds and cattails can be worthy subjects.

Canada Geese

Most tourists come to Jackson Hole in the summer and fall. Simple winter scenes are often quite compelling.

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swans winter in Jackson Hole. When conditions are right, they fly through the valley each day to get to their feeding zones. On cold days, they’ll often be sleeping the day away on the ice covered streams.

Clark's Nutcracker

Numerous bird species winter in Jackson Hole, like this Clark’s Nutcracker. Others, like Cedar waxwings and Bohemian waxwings migrate through the valley, but not before they polish off most of the berry bushes. You can usually find Mallard Ducks, Coots, Barrow’s Golden Eyes, and Mergansers along Flat Creek.

Snake River Bend

I included a lot of photos in this post already, but I could have easily posted three times the number! As the moose lose their antlers, I gradually look for other subjects. I never know from year to year what “special” animal will make an appearance. Last year, we had a mountain lion in relative close range for about a week. I’m always game for any kind of owl and porcupines and badgers. All of them would make good black and white subjects. Before the end of winter, I also hope to find a few wolves and get some good days with the bison before they move onto the National Elk Refuge.

Photos on this Page

I believe every photo on this page were taken in December of 2020. Most were taken with a Nikon D6 and a Sigma Sport 60-600mm. The night shot was taken with a Nikon D6 and Sigma 24mm Art Lens. While I own third party Black and White software (filters), all of these images were quickly processed in Lightroom Classic. Some fine edits, including dust spot removal, are done in Photoshop.

The post A Jackson Hole Winter in Black and White first appeared on Best of the Tetons, Area Info & Photography.

September 8, 2020

Velvet Antlers of Summer

Moose drop their antlers in December. That’s the “norm”, but some hang on until January. I’ve even seen a bull with antlers as late as March 1st, but that is definitely the exception. Moose look pretty scruffy through most of May and June, then begin growing their new antlers. At first, the hint of a new antler might appear about the size of an old style incandescent light bulb, but then start to take shape as the months pass by.

Unnamed Young Bull: July 28,2020

Unnamed Bull: June 27, 2020

By late August and through the first week or so of September, their antlers are fully developed and they begin stripping the soft velvet. Between the two time periods, the bulls are always careful not to damage their velvet. They gingerly pass through the trees and shrubs, and seldom spar with other bulls during this time.

Interestingly, bulls grow their antlers back in mostly the same shape and size from year to year. By the time their antlers are mature for the year, I can (usually) identify each one as a bull I photographed a year earlier. Whale and dolphin watchers can identify many of them by cuts on their back or splits in their fins. Moose watching can be much the same. For example, most Moose have a dewlap. Some of them have either long and full dewlaps dangling from their bell, while others have short dewlaps, or none at all. Others have a split in one ear or sometimes both, making them easier to identify from year to year. Washakie, a beautiful and popular moose in the area for many years, had a distinguishable scar on the right side of his muzzle. It reminded me of warpaint.

Shoshone

Shoshone has been my favorite bull for the past three or four years. The next three photos show his easily distinguishable antlers. Notice the dates!

Shoshone: July 8, 2018

Shoshone: Oct. 25, 2019

Shoshone: July 5, 2020

As you can see, Shoshone’s brow tines have grown back about the same for three years in a row.

Hoback

Hoback: July 8, 2020

The distinctive feature on this bull is the “drop tine” on his left brow tine. His right brow tine is also well developed. As I watched him early in the season, I made an assumption he was a brand new bull and gave him the name “Hoback”.

Hoback: Sept. 6, 2020

Bannock

Bannock: Dec. 8, 2018

I’ve had a couple of people suggest that Hoback 2020 is actually Bannock? Hmmm…I am not convinced. Maybe? Scroll up and see for yourself. As I mentioned earlier, the bull’s antlers grow back similarly from year to year, but not always the same. When I first named this bull “Bannock” in 2018, his left brow tine was quite similar to Shoshone’s left brow tine. I even considered they “could be” brothers, whether born as twins, or possibly a year or two apart.

Shoshone and Bannock’s names have an origin—possibly of interest to readers here. Each summer, the Shoshone and Bannock tribes have a Pow-Wow at Fort Hall in Eastern Idaho, called the Sho-Ban Pow-Wow. The two tribes are closely related. In 2018, the similarity of the two bulls prompted their names.

Bannock: Aug. 25, 2019

In 2019, his left brow tines were a bit different, but his right brow tine is essentially the same. The inside points on his left brow tine had a “Bowie knife” style scallop, helping make him easy to identify that year.

Bannock: Nov. 3, 2019

This bull and Hoback both have a substantial dewlap. They also have a small white mark on the front of their muzzle. They look similar in these respects, but the right brow tines are considerably different.

What do you think?

Hoback/Bannock Behavior

So far in 2020, the bull I would have called Bannock hasn’t shown up along the Gros Ventre. Possibly, that’s another clue. Another beautiful bull I called “Custer” was a fixture for three or four years, then hasn’t shown up for three years. Possibly, he was killed by a hunter, killed by wolves, or hit by a vehicle, I’ll never know. He lacked a dewlap, so I know neither of these two bulls are Custer. The 2020 Hoback is not hanging in the same areas as 2018 and 2019 Bannock. Possibly Bannock will show up when the cows come into season for the upcoming rut, putting an end to the mystery. Other bulls show up throughout the fall, some of which come from the river bottom of the Snake River.

Naming

Anthropomorphism is a term used when humans assign a name to an animal, often a human name. Scientists frown on it, I figure if Jane Goodall can name apes and monkeys, I can name the bulls I love to photograph. Often, I am the first person to start seriously photographing the moose each year, so I give them a name of my choice. I use the name as a keyword in my Lightroom catalogs, making it easy to bring up a specific bull by the year, or from my entire catalog. Unlike the grizzlies being studied by the park Service, the bull moose do not have an assigned number, such as Grizzly 610 or Grizzly 399. As more photographers show up, they often adopt the names I have been using. We can say, “I saw Shoshone” near the fisherman’s access point” and we all know which moose is out. You, of course, can give them your own name, number, or no identifier at all.

The Velvet Season

By about the mid-July, the bulls start looking pretty good. By mid-August, they usually look great! At some point at the end of August through the first week of September, they begin stripping their velvet. After their antlers are stripped and polished, they are ready to begin the rut. Bulls can travel miles looking for a cow, so it is not uncommon they seem to disappear for relatively long periods of time.

The photos below are some of the images I have taken this year while they were still in the velvet.

While some people suggest that moose are essentially solitary creatures, I find that to be incorrect around here. That is even more so in the few weeks prior to them beginning to strip their velvet.

I enjoy trying to find moose in unusual conditions like fog. Both of these bulls were still in velvet at this time.

Shoshone’s trademark brow tines make him easy to identify even in thick fog.

Fog removes details but adds mood. Shoshone and Hoback are about the same size this year.

Early morning light seems to always be the best! This is a bull I call Kemmerer.

Moose are often seen in the sagebrush, but I like the cottonwood meadows.

Hoback’s drop tine makes him easy to identify.

Likewise, Shoshone’s brow tines are quite distinctive.

Shoshone’s paddles may not be as large as they were last year. That could be an indication he is a year past his prime, but who knows.

I love to capture a nice bull, like Shoshone, in water. Great early morning light is a bonus.

Bulls seldom spar while still in velvet, but they occasionally faux spar—going through the motions without actually touching antlers.

Needless to say, I love the moose! They seem to have so much character!

A partially lit subject is often more interesting than an evenly lit subject. It works for me!

If given the choice, I’d usually pick the biggest bulls, but any bull next to water and with good light is a worthy shot.

Little bull…good light…low angle…worth a shot!

Good light…big bull…low angle…worth a shot!

Stripping Velvet

While not for everyone, trying to catch a big bull stripping his velvet is high on my bucket list each year. There is never a way to know what time of the day they will do it, and they often out of sight when it happens. Persistence can pay off! Of course, this is Hoback.

Bulls find an appropriate tree or branch for stripping their velvet. While this shot does a pretty good job of showing the activity, videos are actually much better!

While thrashing, they often break off branches onto their antlers. Maybe they do it to impress the cows, but I’ve seen it countless times. I caught this one backlit with some of his hanging velvet with a transparent look.

I’ve seen bulls strip the bulk of their velvet in fifteen to thirty minutes, but some bulls take a while. Tassels often hang from the base of their antlers a little longer. The outside of their antlers always falls off first, while the velvet on the inside of their paddles is more difficult. Without a mirror to let them know the status of their fall “job”, they continue to thrash the willows and branches for weeks.

While the rut is still ahead of them, bulls are always in the market to mate with a female. The Flehmen Reaction, or lip curl, lets them know the status of the female.

Even though their antlers aren’t fully polished, the bulls know it is okay to begin sparring.

The serious fights are yet to come.

I don’t know how much longer these two big bulls will hang with each other, but they were still together as a recent rain storm moved through.

Give him a few more days, and I would expect Shoshone to finish stripping the velvet from the inner side of their paddles. This shot was taken during the rain storm.

Photos on this Page

Other than the few earlier photos of Shoshone and Bannock, all of the photos on this page were taken with a Nikon D6 and a Sigma Sport 60-600mm lens in 2020. Some were supported with a tripod, while others were handheld.

Additional Moose Feature Posts

The post Velvet Antlers of Summer first appeared on Best of the Tetons, Area Info & Photography.