Three of Yellowstone’s entrances are still closed, but the two Wyoming entrances opened today (May 18th) for traveling around the south loop roads only. Our Montana entrances still don’t have an official opening date yet.
The weather has been great lately, even hitting 70º today! We’ve had a bit of rain, but after tomorrow rain and snow are in the forecast until Sunday.
We see quite a few deer while driving around in the evening, but this one gave us an extra-close stare for a few seconds before heading back into the woods. Mule deer are the most common in my experience, but we see a few whitetail deer as well.
With the national parks being closed, we’ve been exploring more national forest roads. They have the benefit of being much less crowded than the parks, but also have some downsides as well that I’d rather not get in to. Let’s just say I’ll take a crowded bear jam over obnoxious rednecks any day…
I have been putting out this trail camera from CamPark lately to capture something I might not see otherwise. After just a day in this spot, I captured this beautiful cross fox (red fox with dark melanistic colors) for two nights in a row. We’ve gone back a few times since to try to see it in person without any luck so far. (Click here to see the camera on Amazon). It’s an entirely different type of photography, and this is the only animal I’ve been able to capture after a few weeks of trying.
Of course the image quality of the trail camera doesn’t compare to a full size camera, but it’s still fun to see things that would otherwise roam unnoticed. I also captured a few short video clips from the fox below.
The national forests have a good bit of wildlife, but it’s certainly easier to find them in the protected parks. Two weeks in Yellowstone this time of the year would produce dozens of bear sightings, but we’ve had zero outside the park lately. In the eight weeks since Yellowstone closed, we’ve only seen one coyote. They get shot and trapped regularly outside the park. It’s rare to go through a day in Yellowstone without seeing at least one coyote hunting.
Ground squirrels aren’t bears, but I’m sure he’d like to think so standing on top of his big rock…
Fortunately one of my other favorite large mammals has been pretty cooperative lately. We’ve had a couple of close encounters with moose in the past week or so, and many more distant sightings. They are all shedding right now, so they are looking pretty raggedy. Some might think they are “ugly” right now, but the exaggerated texture adds a nice element to photos.
With more snow melting off the talus slopes, these pika have been making an appearance. They were very active and cooperative on this day! They are tiny little things, so you have to get close to fill the frame even with 800mm. I’m starting to realize that you can get much better photos of the small mammals outside of Yellowstone than in, where you are supposed to remain 25 yards from ALL animals (even the small ones).
Northern harriers are common in the sky right now, and I just happened to catch this one flying past a nice sunset and snowy mountain scene.
Between West Yellowstone and Ennis, in the lower grassland areas, you can find some pronghorn. There are also elk in the same areas, but they have started migrating up into the mountains more.
Outside of the parks and forests, you might get a more “industrial” background with a few cows included…
We can never get enough fox sightings.. This one even included three animals for the price of one!
I’m not big on birds most of the time, but I couldn’t pass up this simple background and.a singing blackbird.
I’ve even been tempted back to landscape photography. Which do you prefer, black and white or color? Leave a comment below and let me know!
So much of wildlife photography is predicting animal behavior. This bluebird was landing on this post over and over to eat. I set up my camera to capture it this time, and found a nice surprise!
By the way, my friend and fellow Yellowstone naturalist and artist George Bumann is offering an online course on learning about animal behaviors and communication. Learn more about the course and join here – Eavesdropping on Wild Conversations: Decoding the Secrets of Animal Language for Ultimate Wildlife Encounters,
Just north of the Yellowstone Park boundary was this bull moose starting to grow his antlers back for the season. He was there for two nights in a row. Must be something good to eat there…
When I photograph in low light like this, I will start with a safe faster shutter speed (1/400th) and higher ISO, then push the shutter speed slower and slower until images are blurry. With image stabilization you can shoot much slower than you think is possible. The more light you can let in via shutter speed and aperture, the less noise you’ll see in the final image. This only works if the subject is relatively still. For a faster subject like birds, your shutter speed will need to stay fast and your ISO will have to be higher as a result.
The last (and the best) encounter from this past two weeks was with this beaver yesterday afternoon. He was very comfortable having his photo taken for a few minutes before swimming off to work on his dams. Fortunately his lodge was not closed down for COVID-19.
Beautiful pictures…thanks for sharing!
Hi – I prefer the color shot. Your pictures are great! Wish I lived near where there is more wildlife. I can’t seem to be at the right place at the right time.
Nice, enjoyable read and thanks for posting.
although black and white can be very dramatic, This picture looks best in color. IMHO
I prefer the color shots. B/W has it’s different view, for me, it takes me to the mountain top. Where color shows everything. Thank you for the beautiful pictures.
The last shot of the beaver reminded me of a moment I had over 30 years ago. I was swimming in my neighbours trout pond. It was a pretty good size, 2 or 3 acres and I was floating on my back. It was the end of the day, the sky was still blue but I could see a white sliver of the moon overhead. A butterfly landed on my nose and I thought it doesn’t get any better than this. Then I heard a slapping sound. I turned my head and there was a beaver about 30 feet away swimming towards me slapping her tail with about 6 or 7 babies following her slapping their tails. I rolled over and swam as fast as I could for the dock.
Thank you for sharing all your great photos.
Thank you for sharing your work, Trent. Great photos. It’s so nice to escape the politics and pandemic for a little time with nature that cares naught about either.
Love both of them but the color one is so warm and inviting. the B&W is stark and cold.
I agree with Chris.
Beautiful work as always! I found the black n white photo to make the ruggedness and majesty of the mountain more pronounced. The black n white shows off the lighting better and cuts down on the distraction of the forground, the eye is drawn straight to the mountain. I love the black n white.
I prefer the color image of the mountain.
Thanks Trent, I enjoyed them all from the little white tail light on the Fox, the mountain shots, and Mr. Beaver posing for you and seeing his tail (not normally seen). Are you doing any camping on these trips or out and back.
Again, thanks for sharing.
We are just driving out and back. Most of these places are within an hour or so of home. That’s “just down the street” for Montana.
Thanks, I am looking forward to booking another trip with you once things get squared away. Hope things are well with you & yours.
Bill Provost.
Thanks for sharing your work! I like both the color and B&W. The B&W is obviously more dramatic, and the yellows of the prairie with the white of the mountains is beautiful. I’ve been shooting a lot of raptors here in Minnesota. I have a family of Great Horned owls next to my house with owlets that I love to photograph. Would love to see bears!
Thank you for sharing, these are wonderful. What a beautiful cross fox! LOVE the moose! We are seeing new Pronghorn babies here in AZ. Hoping for bear sightings for our upcoming Yellowstone trip in June.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your post and tips for photography!
i have. been in Montana since March i am now staying in west yellowstone.I Found my first grizzly outside the park ever at taylor fork I put in a lot of hours
we saw moose elk deer cranes etc So peaceful I feel blessed
We have been looking there for bears but no luck yet!
I prefer the color shot. The black and white has a little too much contrast for me. Beautiful photos.
Thank you!
I much prefer your color landscape of the Madison mountain range. In the B&W my eye is instantly drawn to the dark shadows instead of wandering thru the frame as in the color shot. I was hoping to head from MI to Yellowstone/Tetons for some camping for Spring wildflowers and animal babies but this pandemic had other ideas. Yellowstone and the Tetons are one of my happy places!
Love the color landscapes. Black and white can be dramatic and has its place, but your golden hour warm hues Are just so pleasing….
Thank you!
Love the color view of the landscape shot! I miss Yellowstone! My family and I are ready for a roadtrip whenever the coast is clear! Thanks for sharing what’s going on up there!
Thank you!
Great pictures. You asked about what we have been taking pictures of lately. For us in Georgia we ave been getting lot of rain so there are an abundance of wild mushrooms growing .
Thank you!
I prefer the color shot but the black and white is beautiful also. Love the different hues of the grassy area and moving up the hill to majestic mountain.
Thank you Landa!
Great Shots! What camera and lens are your favorites?
Prefer your color shot.
I live at 9,500′ in Golden Gate Canyon St. Park Colo. Many Moose, Black Bear no Grizz. Mtn lions are elusive, quite a variety of Wildlife and Nature. I shoot with Canon MarkIV, 100-400 IS.
Thanks For Sharing Your Art!
Love your blog. I spent the day in GTNP today and saw a lot of wildlife but enjoy hearing about what you saw.
Thank you!