June 19, 2011
I was priveleged to be able to witness an incredible show performed by Mother Nature the other morning.
Rising at first light I headed up the Union Pass road towards Warm Springs Creek in hopes of photographing several Moose I had spotted the other day when we had dinner at the Crooked Creek Lodge. Soon after leaving the hiway on the way up the mountaiside I stopped along the road to watch seveal hundred head of elk that were scattered across the mountainside. Cows and calves made for a peaceful pastoral scene. I had the window down listening to the conversations between elk mothers, their calves and themselves.
At the upper end of the sage covered hills where they blended into the dark heavy timber a number of elk were suddenly very attentive to something in that timber. Then a number of them began running down the mountain side. I put the glasses on them to see if I could see what had disturbed them. A large Sow Grizzly and two of her yearling cubs were charging headlong into the herd scattering them across and down the mountainside. A fairly large number had gathered together in the melee and were running panic stricken down the steep slopes.
what an amazing show you got! why do you think the wolves kept going after the grizzlies?
ReplyDeletethat is a good question. That is what is so intriguing about the events. Wolves will kill cubs particulary new ones where as these are more than 2 year olds.[Cubs stay with their mothers two years and are weaned off when they come out of hibernation their 2nd spring.]
ReplyDeleteGary J Keimig
Great action photography, it is amazing to think you have seen the bears running like this.
ReplyDeleteI love stopping by here to see what' YOU'VE seen! Amazing!
ReplyDelete