Wolf Morning

I just returned from Yellowstone after 10 days volunteering for the Park and teaching with Angela for Yellowstone Forever. One of my most memorable mornings was watching and listening to the Mollie Pack howl. A magic moment seen by only about a dozen other Park visitors.

Technical: Unfortunately the focus is soft and not archival quality. Lesson: Images and clips do not have to be perfect to be magical.

Alone with the Wolves

I was the only one in the Lamar Valley a few weeks ago and saw these wolves returning after chasing a coyote off their recent kill. It is not often the Lamar is empty of visitors and this was a rare treat. The pack had been there earlier with about a dozen spectators but the wind, freezing rain, and finally snow drove them indoors. I returned at late afternoon after the morning weather became unbearable.

Wolf Music

This is a short recording of wolves howling one morning. Blogger makes it difficult to add mp3 files so going to this link may not work but give it a try. When I tested it the file was downloaded and played automatically. I'm looking for an embedded media player for future recordings. 
Wolf Chorus

Teamwork

When the grizzly carried a piece of carcass off to eat it met with a pair of determined wolves. So ends the saga of the wolves and grizzly. A full version will be put together after I return home. Technical: processed with iMovie

Yellowstone Nirvana

I'm looking for big horns butting heads but this opportunity unfolded over 3 hours this morning. The chess match between this grizzly bear and the wolves was amazing. Marauding coyotes, annoying magpies, and stealthy ravens were added for good measure. Recorded with 500 mm and 1.4 tele-extender on a Canon 7D, ISO about 1250, remote cable release. Image cropped about 2/3 of original.

Big Feet

This young wolf is waiting for a pack mate to finish chewing on a sheep skin from a recent kill. The size of its feet and ears are two features I really notice in this image.

Getting a Drink

As this wolf is nonchalantly getting a drink there are two frantic, hyper-excited photographers jockeying to position their tripods in the back of a short bed pickup, with a gear box taking a third of its floor, parked precariously on the edge of the road facing oncoming traffic.

Canyon Pack Alphas

Most of you have heard about the recent shooting of a popular wolf after it roamed out of  Yellowstone.  I love wolves but am a hunter at heart.  There are no easy answers and each person will reach his own conclusion.