YELLOWSTONE'S WILD WORLD

At just 12 sparkling degrees above zero, the bright sunlight is bouncing off of the frozen snow and glaring into my eyeballs, rendering me nearly blind.  But, not so blind that I can not see the ravens and magpies feasting on the fresh elk carcass that is somewhere between 160 and 180 yards from me.

This morning, while stars still twinkled in the sky, my car told me that it was minus 4 degrees as I pulled from the driveway out onto Highway 89 and made my way towards Yellowstone.  In Gardiner, getting gas without hat, coat and gloves, the temperature read zero so now we know the exact location of the Banana Belt near the park.

Over the past couple of years, during Winter, I made fast tracks out to Lamar every morning, for fear of missing a moment with the Lamar Canyons but lately I have slowly headed that way.  Watching for animals – any sign that wolves might be busy in a particular area.  And, so, this morning I kept telling myself to hurry more, get to Lamar since they were in the neighborhood, but kept stopping to look.

I rounded the curve at Roosevelt and saw something black moving near the forest just east of me but before I could stop to look, bird activity caught my eye.  Yep, a new carcass and not far from the road.  By then the black thing was gone and so I pulled over to watch the birds and coyote.  Of course I called to let everyone know and then proceeded to have the most delightful time watching the light begin to shine of the golden coat of the coyote.  I took photos and video, contenting myself that there was something to shoot.

Part of me worried that I would be made to move for fear some animals might be disturbed, and prevented from returning to the carcass.  But, what animals?  No wolves to be seen though this was obviously their kill.  No one said a word and I was left to enjoy myself.  Some hours later a ranger came by to assess the situation and he determined that all was good, plenty of parking and distance.

Finally, my turn!  Except that one other photographer showed up – the same gal who was here all last winter, refusing to be cooperative with anyone, and so I was none too happy when she pulled up in front of me, blocking my view.  But, it is a park for everyone and so no biggy.  Plus, it was too good of a day to let anything get in my way.  And, so I sat back and waited for the grizzly to come in and pay a visit.

He turned out to be the cutest little guy, nice and chubby but small, like a sub-adult or female.  He had a mean look on his cute little face though, making up for his size.  The bear came running in from the west but stopped to check out the surroundings, including us, before coming on in to feast.  It was funny because a coyote was following behind him so the story I am making up is that the bear is the Junction Butte’s pest and the coyote is the bear’s pest.  They all have to have a pest to try and steal their food.

The bear stayed for maybe 45 minutes, turning a big bloody smile to us many times, before grabbing a big chunk of meat and carrying it up and over the steep hill.  I thought that was kind of an odd thing for a bear to do because he wouldn’t be taking it back to family members.  Maybe he just wanted a place to eat in quiet but I am pretty sure he was followed by some birds.

Coyotes come and go.  One walked fairly close to the car and the ranger as he was talking to me, just kind of meandering by and apparently in no hurry.  I just realized that there seems to be very few coyotes with mange this year.  I saw one in Lamar and kind of think that it might be the same one, the big survivor, that we have been seeing for a long while now.

When the coyote left, a little further from the car than on its arrival, a raven chased after it and dive-bombed a couple of times.  The coyote barely seemed to notice.

Bald eagles have circled the carcass many times but I have yet to see one land for food.  Watching them against the glistening snow and sage reminds me of the eagles in Coeur d’Alene and how they will be arriving soon.  There is something about their white heads contrasted against snow, that takes my breath away.

After awhile, with the bear gone and the coyotes taking a break, I became bored and just sat back to watch, maybe dozing a little.  Coyotes and birds come and go.  The carcass is bloody after the bear removed the guts for the birds to feast on.  I saw the liver too, all bright and red.  I listening to a little All Music Considered, a podcast downloaded onto my iPad.  Boy do I love how my devices sync with each other.

Getting desperate, just saw the coyote/wolf on the hill.  Boy you can’t imagine what I would give for a wolf on this carcass.  But, it would be okay if the grizzly came back too.  What a treat it is to see a bear this late in the season, running in the snow.

As I was sitting back and kind of watching, I heard the Minnesota photographer tell several folks that the carcass was a “buffalo.”  I am reminded that for some it is about the photo and for myself it is about the animal, its habits and behaviors.  The life of the animals and the likelihood of where a particular species might be found.  I sincerely came here clueless and just now finally feel as though I can read some situations and so anyone can learn.  Except, that by the end of the day, despite seeing the elk’s face clearly, it was a “bison calf.”

I can not honestly tell you if this carcass is an elk calf or full grown cow but I did see a calf way up on the hill, looking down and waiting.  I love the wolves and all of the predators but that doesn’t stop me from mourning the losses, the family losses that happen, whether it is a wolf or a man making the kill.  I see no difference – they both have a right to the food.  I don’t think that man has a right to trophies with which to stroke his ego.

At any rate, there is a lot of meat left on this carcass so I am assuming that because 10 wolves, a grizzly, several coyotes and a lot of birds, that it is older than a calf.

At one point all of the birds took off and I could see them circling something about 500 yards away and so went to inspect.  I find this amazing but it turns out that a golden eagle had taken something and the ravens somehow knew and rushed over to get their share.  The eagle flew off just as I arrived so I did not see much.  It was a good time for a break anyway and when I returned Minnesota had left and so I took her spot.  Now I am in front and a little closer than before.  All I need is some action.

Well, it was a long but beautiful day at the carcass.  No more grizzly action and it turns out that the wolves were a long ways away.  That is the way it goes out here in the real world, you win some and you win some.