Starting Young

These 6 month old calves are practicing for the big time when they can join the rut in 6-7 years. As with all herds and flocks it's hard to keep up with the action that is happening everywhere. On to the next Badland NP excitement in the next post.

Testosterone on the Hoof

One ton of testosterone charged bison makes those roaring motorcycles and decked out trucks seem tame in comparison. This guy was in a frenzy after being turned down by several cows that were not quite ready for him.

Bison Battle 2

If you notice there is only one foot on the ground of the front bull. It gives me new appreciation for their power. The bulls were almost rabid in there behavior, very frightening.  The apparently slow moving, dull witted animals are entirely beasts in the rut.

Technical: 600 mm with 1.4 tele-extender, 1/800 second

Bison Battle

My wife and I (actually more me) have been searching for bison during mating season for years but we always seem to miss it. Badlands National Park has a good sized herd that is accessible and the Park is without the mayhem of summer visitors like Yellowstone. I made some calls and got conflicting information but decided to head out there anyway for a few days. This battle was taken one morning and by late afternoon 500 bison had disappeared. Mating season may still be in progress but if it is taking place it's a secluded draw. I don't think I'll hike in to look for them.

Yellowstone Drama

This is another brief video from my May trip to Yellowstone. I watched the bison for what seemed like an hour but really only was about 20 minutes. As is almost everything in Yellowstone this was recorded at a pull out and passing traffic made capturing the subtle sound so bison calling to each other difficult. Even eating grass can be a dangerous in Yellowstone.

Round Prairie Bison

This is where I like to start my day and work back to Mammoth. I'll frequently start in near darkness hoping to see moose. As local sun rise nears ground fog increases and there can be incredible mood shots. If a bison will model for me, all the better. Of course if he had been exhaling steam it would have been better. The curse of a photographer, always hoping for better.

Bison crossing Lamar River

 

This was one of those moments, actually several minutes, that will forever be in my mind. It was a "Serengeti" moment in the Yellowstone.  Images of wildebeests crossing flashed as I witnessed this event. I was alone at the river's edge watching this unfold. Another videographer was several yards behind me and there were cars on the road but I was alone with the herd as it crossed, almost in fact and definitely in spirit.

Near Death in Yellowstone

It's easy to get lost in pretty pictures in Yellowstone and overlook the life these animals are living. This bison stuck in Blacktail Ponds is an example of nature at work. Most visitors moved on when they saw the struggle preferring to see the mythical nature of Yellowstone. Despite dire predictions on my part this young bison survived to face another bison jam.

Two Icons

It is not everyday that two icons of the west come into the same frame. This grizzly bear was wandering down Willow Park and met these bison.  They were not intimidated but clearly alert while the bear showed no interest in them. It's main meat diet now consists of tender elk and bison calves, not tough old bulls.

Technical: still frame from video

No where to go

Heading home after two weeks in Yellowstone. Bison were everywhere and getting a unique image can be a challenge, especially since they spend most of there time eating. This guy was in Lamar Canyon one morning.

Yellowstone Speed Bump

I'm currently in Yellowstone looking for wildlife. On my first morning into the Park there were a couple speed bumps to help remind me where I was. Out here they are called  Montana squirrels, at least that's what I was told.

Bison Action

I've been watching, watching, and watching bison lately waiting for one to do something besides eat. When this cow turned toward me and stuck her tongue out she made my day. The joys of a wildlife photographer! 

Bison and Mill

These transplanted bison have become the rage for visitors at Minneopa State Park. Given the limited viewing times and the variability of bison behavior it took awhile to get a shot I had visualized. The Seppman mill in the background has long been the prairie shot to give a sense of place. Putting the two subjects together makes this a 21st century shot. The bison are one step in a very slow moving process of prairie restoration.

Bison & Grizzly Confrontation

Encounters like this are what make Yellowstone an unforgettable place. Whenever two species or individuals are interacting it is a magical experience. All you have to do is capture it.

Chinese Garden Evening

For some this might be a restaurant review but this is an area on the way into Mammoth that according to legend was used to grow vegetables and herbs for the Mammoth Hotel in the early days of Yellowstone. I spent an evening last May watching a herd of bison move in on a couple geese who were not happy about their guests. 

Slough Creek Crossing

A dead laptop battery and traveling caused a gap in my almost regular blog posting. I'm back online and at home so December is finally getting started. November was the first month in memory where not one still image was recorded. A time lapse was done the first weekend but that doesn't really count as a still image. I'm getting more hooked on video all the time and this is one of the less dramatic videos from my last trip to Yellowstone.

October in Yellowstone

The clouds were changing almost hourly making it an excellent time to collect time-lapse footage. The weather went form 70 degrees to 40 degrees one afternoon! Reviewing the bison footage surprised me because each appears to move in synchrony with the others when feeding.

Bison Sparring

Most of the time I get bored watching bison since they eat so much of the time.  During late autumn there is more excitement  when young bulls test each other by sparring with each other. Usually there is just head scratching but it can get quite violent. 

Technical: All filming was done from the roadside using a 100-400 mm lens on a Canon C100.

The Joy of Youth

Bison calves are fascinating to watch as they bounce around stretching their legs, quite different than their lumbering mothers and the plodding males. This small herd was in Little America on evening with sweet light and lots of activity.

I think winter is over.

This bison crossing walking through snow exemplifies the feeling I had in March while watching it's struggle. Bring on the birds!