Wyoming

Oxbow in the Fall
Oxbow Autumnal Sky
We felt extremely lucky to capture a few fall color images this year. There was a rather large wild fire on the Idaho side of the Grand Teton, and the smoke filled the valley. But, for 1 day the winds shifted and blue skies prevailed. Grand Tetons is often overshadowed by its big brother to the north, Yellowstone. But we feel that the Tetons, offers more landscape and wildlife photographic opportunities.

Pilgrim Meadow
This Grizzly is a subadult roughly 3-5 years old. It was kick out from its mother last year. Mother’s raise they coy for 2-3 years before pushing them off to live on their own. This bear is not to reproductive age just yet. We are not sure if it is a sow or boar yet, but mating will clear things up in a year or two. Grizzly bears are a class of brown bears. While there are several classifications of brown bear, they can generally be separated into inland brown bears and coastal brown bears. These 2 basic classes typically have different diets. The available food supply usually results in the bears being different sizes and even their fur to have a different appearance. Coastal bears usually have more fish and other sea creatures, while inland bears have game meat like elk. This simple dietary difference is believed to give the grizzly fur its look. One physical trait brown bears can have, that is not connected to location or diet, is a wide variation is fur color. Brown bears can be platinum blonde to nearly black. Black bears (also vary in color) are often mistaken as brown bears when they are lighter shades like blonde, brown, or even cinnamon. Brown bears have 2 easily identifiable features. The face and the hump. Usually described as a pan or dish before the snout, but if you’re still not sure the classic should hump usually settles it. Their foot prints are also greatly different, but if you are able to see the feet, you are definitely too close.
Attention
The Queen of the Tetons, Grizzly 399. She is a 24 year old brown bear. This is her first time having 4 cubs. When they are young it is most common to have 2 cubs. As the get to their teens they often have 3 cubs, but as bears in recent years have been living longer than before we are starting to see a few litters of 4 cubs. However this many cubs is still a very rare event for brown bears. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, brown bears it is about 0.5%. Grizzly bears are a class of brown bears. While there are several classifications of brown bear, they can generally be separated into inland brown bears and coastal brown bears. These 2 basic classes typically have different diets. The available food supply usually results in the bears being different sizes and even their fur to have a different appearance. Coastal bears usually have more fish and other sea creatures, while inland bears have game meat like elk. This simple dietary difference is believed to give the grizzly fur its look. One physical trait brown bears can have, that is not connected to location or diet, is a wide variation is fur color. Brown bears can be platinum blonde to nearly black. Black bears (also vary in color) are often mistaken as brown bears when they are lighter shades like blonde, brown, or even cinnamon. Brown bears have 2 easily identifiable features. The face and the hump. Usually described as a pan or dish before the snout, but if you’re still not sure the classic should hump usually settles it. Their foot prints are also greatly different, but if you are able to see the feet, you are definitely too close.
Stacked
The Queen of the Tetons, Grizzly 399. She is a 24 year old brown bear. This is her first time having 4 cubs. When they are young it is most common to have 2 cubs. As the get to their teens they often have 3 cubs, but as bears in recent years have been living longer than before we are starting to see a few litters of 4 cubs. However this many cubs is still a very rare event for brown bears. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, brown bears it is about 0.5%. Grizzly bears are a class of brown bears. While there are several classifications of brown bear, they can generally be separated into inland brown bears and coastal brown bears. These 2 basic classes typically have different diets. The available food supply usually results in the bears being different sizes and even their fur to have a different appearance. Coastal bears usually have more fish and other sea creatures, while inland bears have game meat like elk. This simple dietary difference is believed to give the grizzly fur its look. One physical trait brown bears can have, that is not connected to location or diet, is a wide variation is fur color. Brown bears can be platinum blonde to nearly black. Black bears (also vary in color) are often mistaken as brown bears when they are lighter shades like blonde, brown, or even cinnamon. Brown bears have 2 easily identifiable features. The face and the hump. Usually described as a pan or dish before the snout, but if you’re still not sure the classic should hump usually settles it. Their foot prints are also greatly different, but if you are able to see the feet, you are definitely too close.