2008: Year Of The Wolf?

Some good and bad happening in the wolf realm. The good part is so excitingly fun that I will mention the bad news first.

Still seems to me, and many others, that Wyoming is hell bent on making sure the wolf population gets back down to the minimum allowable limit. The state's "new" wolf plans still wreak of hatred. Sad to say that the Feds have now endorsed the state's plan.

Billings Gazette: Draft regulations proposed by the Wyoming Department of Game and Fish would allow ranchers to kill gray wolves that prey on livestock, while wildlife managers could kill wolves that try to take elk on state feed grounds.

The proposed regulations would apply only to the northwest corner of the state, where wolves would be considered trophy game animals under the state's management plan. In the rest of the state, wolves would be classified as predators that could be shot on sight.

(Note: I only copied the dumbest part of the plan. For clarity, the "northwestern corner" refers basically to the area right around Yellowstone's boundaries.) I had no doubt in my mind that wolves would be delisted but this state's crappy management plan should not be endorsed. The most assine part is that wolves can be killed for eating elk on state land! Let's see... they can't eat sheep, cattle or elk, and the only buffalo are trapped within Yellowstone Park. What the heck are they supposed to survive on? Maybe they can learn to graze like cattle or stop by the grocery store for a steak. Clearly, the state of Wyoming will not be happy until another wolf massacre happens. The required "public input" soon to come to really doesn't affect matters much once Feds have their minds made up. Shame on us once again.

Another sad story to report: A coyote in the Old Faithful area was put to death right before Christmas. It had nipped 2 people within about 20 minutes and it was taken to an area "where it could be safely shot with a handgun." The people are fine. The coyote tested negative for rabies. It probably was fed up with humans and finally fought back. Who knows what the animal was thinking. Anyway, my thoughts are with the coyote.

Don't sound like a good start to a new year for wild canids.

Now Time For A Little Wolf Fun:

Ever get a little bored of being a human? Why not become a Yellowstone wolf for a while! The Minnesota Zoo came up with a game in 2007 titled Wolf Quest where players can do just that. It is available for FREE download. It was intended for young guys 10-15 years old or so but any wolf lover will enjoy it-trust me. You can play by yourself or you can go online and be part of a pack. As you can imagine, this game is highly recommended by Wildlife Alive!

Wolf Quest: Amythest Mountain

Oh yeah, I also recommend taking a "sick" day off of work just to play it and then watch PBS wolf documentaries while snuggled up wearing wolfie pajamas and covered up in a cozy wolf-scened throw (unless you live in a hot part of the world). Then after you're inspired, write or call Wyoming and U.S. Wildlife officials to oppose Wyoming's horrendous wolf plans.

Christmas In Yellowstone

Photo: An elk grazing right outside Mammoth's Visitor Center last winter.

What's my favorite place like at Christmas time? I can't tell you first hand yet (since I stay with family at this time) but I have some information that will help paint a beautiful picture.

From Casper, Wyoming's Star Tribune:

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK -- Candlelight services at the park's Mammoth Hot Springs Chapel are scheduled twice on Christmas Eve, but worshippers who've been there before know the passing elk and bison sometimes delay the services a bit. The 100-year-old chapel in the country's first national park stands to receive about 600 people Monday evening. "We're in the crown jewels of God's creation," said the Rev. Bill Young, resident minister for the past 25 years. "So we have a very, very special place to celebrate." Typically, many of the worshippers on Christmas Eve are among Mammoth's 300 or so year-round residents. Others travel from the communities of Gardiner and Livingston in Montana, or from Cody, a Wyoming gateway to Yellowstone. Tourists attend the services, as well. All lights in the chapel are turned out and each person receives a candle. All the candles are lit from a single flame, intended to symbolize that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. In its early years, the chapel built in 1913 drew some of the U.S. military personnel that oversaw Yellowstone soon after it was designated a park.

The following is a short excerpt from Nature's Christmas in Yellowstone by Tom Murphy. I have seen it a hundred times or so and never tire of it. It is often of PBS so I recommend it. Don't expect flashy holiday decor and music. Just sit back and enjoy the serenity of a place few people travel to in winter. Tom Murphy has quite a job!

Christmas For The Critters

With all the recent reporting on sad animals stories (the South Korean oil spill, the sickening gorilla slaughter, and killing of elephants for human coffe consumption) it is now time for something good.


Photo: www.bigskymontananet.com

The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana is now in the midst of "Christmas for the Critters." The public is invited to donate treats for the wolves and bears. It was reported that all the animals "have been very good this year" and are deserving of special Christmas treats. This is an annual event at the center.

From the newspaper: The Christmas list for the bears include jars of peanut butter, jam, honey, corn oil, and unsalted nuts. The wolves would enjoy hamburger, spices, extracts, and perfumes in their stockings. To ensure the safety of the animals pleases bring only unopened items. 'They've been good for goodness sake!'

(The wolves don't eat the spices and perfumes, they are aroused like a cat on catnip by various scents.) So if anyone is in the area, please take a Christmas treat to these animals. I guess shipping treats would be fine, too. I planned on going but my car is out of commission:( I believe the treats are accepted up until Christmas Day. The Center is even open that day.

Here's a bit about the center:
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center


Photo: JeffThomson.org

Winter Wonderland

Ahhhhhh! Winter is here. Put on some warm clothing and head out to explore!

The photo is Yellowstone's Mammoth Terraces. Last year I believe.

Idaho Fish Pollution Control

The state of Idaho, the nation's largest producer of rainbow trout, has come up with a plan to reduce waterway pollution from farmed fishes. Much of the water pollution is caused by increased phosphorus levels coming from fish "emissions" at the farms. The plan is similar to the nation's current air pollution permitting process. Fish producers will be given permits based on operation size. Just like air permits, these water permits will be transferrable. Basically, there is one overall standard for phosporus levels but specific fish growers may still be able to pollute above the standard because of the tranfers. I'm just glad there is finally a maximum allowable level. It is a start.

EPA Targets Fish Farms With Permits

Photo: Rainbow trout from NPS archives

Thanksgiving Day Is Here

Be thankful for all the world's animals.


Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. Millions of turkeys will be the main dish for feasts across the nation. I don't advocate eating turkeys one bit but I do encourage learning about them, especially Heritage turkeys (those that are native to the U. S.). I watched a story about the following turkey ranch and found it very interesting. There's lots of information about these beautiful birds and what makes them Hertiage breeds. There's even a turkey film and webcam.

Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch

Give the turkeys a break this year, eat something else-preferably no meat.

(photo: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/ark/narragansett.html)

San Franscisco Bay Wildlife In Danger

Yet another tanker spill has leaked toxic substances into our oceans:

Spill closes bay beaches as oil spreads, kills wildlife


(Photo: CBS News)

Response to this incident at the time of occurance was reported to be "slower than usual." Can't say I am surprised. Anyway, more sea creatures are being harmed and killed, as are birds and other animals on the beaches of this area.

It would be nice to have enough money to be able to travel to places like this in times when volunteers are needed to help clean up the wildlife. Much thanks to those that can help.

On The Bear Front

Another hunter was mauled by a grizzly last week. "They" are saying that bears are more aggressive this year than years past. My thoughts are still on worrying about the plight of these bears after their recent delisting. The bears are not acting any more agressively than they have before; they are just being encountered more frequently as habitat dwindles. Of course a bear will react to danger.

Now Ponder This:

Last week I was lucky enough to listen to a vegetarian, actually a vegan, speaker defend the practice through the Bible! The argument is very compelling and puts a twist in our current ways of thinking. Now, don't ask me to repeat the arguements because I am not good at that type of thing and not as well versed as I would like to be in Bible verses. However, I will find out if there are published works from this professional. If so, I will pass that information along.

Don't Be A Grinch!

This is something near and dear to me that is not about wildlife. I contibute a box to this project every year. Operation Christmas Child (through Samaritan's Purse) delivers shoe boxes filled with Christmas surprises to boys and girls in poverty stricken nations. The shoe boxes or same size plastic containers can be wrapped, lid seperately, in holiday paper. You can also pick gifts for a child of a particular age, just write a note on the box. I'm not sure how countries other than the U. S. get them all together but here certain churches are the drop-off point. The boxes are collected this year from November 12-19. Or the boxes can be sent to:

Samaritan's Purse International Relief (click for website)
P. O. Box 3000
Boone, NC 28607
Phone: 1-800-665-2483

So, all of you people out there that can spare a few dollars this holiday season, please stuff a box full of goodies for a great kid and get it sent out soon! God bless.

Just Slithering Around & Awards

This snake (probably a Western Terrestrial Garter Snake) has made a home in a pile of leaves under my bicycle. One day, it was resting on the patio and I didn't see it and nearly crushed it as I walked by. What a relief when I didn't. You probably never saw someone so excited to discover a snake living on their patio! Well, that's all I've been up to lately-slithering around in my busy world.


Sad to say there is hunting news I was going to report on but I have been so busy I forgot what the news was.

And now, on to the awards...

I have been tagged with 2 more neat and interesting awards through Livingsword. Both awards are to be passed on to notable other bloggers.


I will pass the above award on to the following bloggers:
Victorya
Waitress4Life
Louise

This second award I may be unable to accept. Lately, I have been quite preoccupied with the daily grind and have had little chance to connect with others the way I once used to. I do miss everyone and hope all is well.


I pass this one along to:
Louise
Amel

A while ago my post "And The Heavens Cried" was tagged for excellence by Livingsword. I am humbled and surprised by the award for this post. I do think it clearly shows my feelings about wildlife. It is me; it shows rawly the stuff I think about every day and feel deep within my soul.

I would like to pass this awesome award on the the following:

Victorya (Certainly a talented writer! Check out her other posts so see her amazing way with words.)
Angela May (Angela is very creative. This post made me laugh soooo hard and brightened may day.)
Skyblu (Always great thoughts well written about my favorite place. This is not saying that I hold or do not hold the same opinions, I just enjoy this blog and it makes me think.)

Calming Canines

Watching big animals such as bears, bison, and wolves is always a treat. Sometimes we forget about taking the time to enjoy smaller, less "glamorous" animals such as coyotes. Watching theses coyotes was calming experience that particular sunny autumn day. The coyote above was pouncing about in the field looking for a snack. The coyote below was contently walking down the middle of the road until too many cars piled up. Then it went up a steep, rocky hill wher it waited for the traffic to disperse.


These are Yellowstone coyotes (big surprise?). I also had the priviledge of seeing 2 wolves from the Oxbow Pack. They are looking a bit fluffy and ready for the colder weather. Wolves are my favorite, but for some reason that day, the coyotes had my heart. They were just a pleasure to watch and think about.

Sure would be great to have telepathy to communicate with animals. Maybe Dr. Spock can help me.

More coyote information:
Desert USA's Coyote Page

More Grizzly-Hunter Encounters

Today's newspaper had "Grizzly bear mauls hunter" in huge type slapped across the top of a page-AGAIN! 2 different incidents were reported. Both parties were sneaking around bow-hunting for elk, both came across grizzly sows with cubs, both were in the Greater Yellowstone area like the below mentioned bears were.

Plenty of other places they can hunt elk with less chance of being attacked by bears. But then again, it is easier for hunters to go right outside the Park where they know the most elk are so they don't have to spend too much time outside weathering the elements in a real hunt. Like catching fish in a barrel. Why not outlaw hunting in areas with the greatest chance of bear encounters for the safely of all? Too much common sense I guess. When is enough really enough?

As I have stated before, I fear that this negative publicity will lead to a premature hunting season on the recently de-listed Yellowstone grizzlies.

And The Heavens Cried

Bad news today. A while ago, I mentioned a grizzly mom and her cubs that ended up missing after a very unpleasant encounter with a hunter near Gardiner, Montana. Finally, the bears have been located. The mother is dead. Her jaw was shot off by the hunter. The 2 orphaned cubs were still roaming around near their dead mother.


First, I thought what a terrible story for both the man and the bears. Later I thought,"Have I gone soft on my anti-hunting views or what? Wake up!"

This hunter was out sneaking around the woods in bear country. Out to kill unsuspecting black bears when he rudely disturbed the grizzly family preparing for winter. Every hunter that I have ever "talked" to about black bear hunting said they do it for fun and sport, not for meat because it is not a good tasting meat at all. He is lucky to be alive. Perhaps he will even brag it up to his hunting buddies about killing the griz mom. "In self defense" my a**. The guy was somewhere he shouldn't be in the first place for no reason other than "sporting fun". The bear tried her best to protect her family from this hunter. She did not try to stalk and intentionally kill him like he was doing to black bears.

So, the sneaking hunter with death on his mind gets mauled in defense. The hunter shoots the bear. The man goes to the hospital and gets patched up, gets to live on a diet of painkillers as he heals up. Warm and comfy in his bed. People feel sorry for him. The attention gives a negative, more fearsome image to bears everywhere. The bear wanders off. Shot and in great pain. Can't eat with a shot off jaw. She must have been starving to death. Can't help her cubs get food either. They are probably a lot hungrier than when mom was doing well. The trail of blood from the bear probably arouses other hungry animals waiting for a chance to get the weakened bear or her cubs, or both. The mom bear finally dies-starving and in pain, knowing her cubs are suffering. A few people like myself mourn the bear's loss and worry about the cubs. The stupidity of sport hunting is truly sickening. I think God cried.

Now the 2 orphaned cubs are left alone in a harsh world with no protection. Bigger grizzlies are awfully hungry this time if year. Will the cubs find a den and enough food for winter? Not to mention the mental stress on the cubs. Animals do feel grief; many documented incidents show this (not that I need to read them to know that but for the skeptics...). I do believe they are cubs-of-the-year (meaning born this year). Say a prayer for this prematurely broken grizzly family.

Good-bye mamma bear; see you on the other side one day.

(Photo: NPS archives 1966, not the newly orphaned cubs)

Great Wolf News!!!

The NRDC's wolf commerial is currently on the air! It will remain on CNN for another week. Thanks to wolf supporters everywhere that sent in to fund this commercial. Also, thanks to those that didn't send money, but support wolves however they are able to. I jumped for joy when I heard this. I whooped and hollered too! Party time is here. Finally, we get our side heard nationally & internationally at this crucial time.

Will it help? I don't know. Money always talks loudest it seems. But I am celebrating the fact that the wolf issue finally gets mass coverage! Media coverage on any environmental issue is critical, in my opinion.

Gray Wolves Need Help NOW!

The removal of the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List is moving fast. This is a mostly seperate issue from the Alsakan wovles. The problem is that Wyoming and Idaho intend to immediately kill most of the wolves as soon as they are removed from the list. This Natural Resources Defence Council's recent wolf news letter gives the numbers of wolves each state plans to massacre. What's the point of removing these animals from the list if they are going to be back on shortly after they're taken off it?

NRDC Wolf News

Also, remember that our Vice President Cheney is from Wyoming. I think no matter how many people protest, the plan will go through anyway.

NRDC is also planning to run a national commmercial to educate people on this issue and help stop these state's horrendous plans from becoming a reality. I do not care to ask for donations, but I feel this commercial will have widespread effect and is worth it. And the timing is urgent. Click the NRDC link below and choose the wolf's picture labeled "Call Off the Guns".

NRDC Website

The best thing anyone can do now (and I mean NOW)is send letters and sign petitions-and it is free. Send them to the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Ed Bangs is the top wolf guy with them. This man has a hard job but we need to let him know what we think before it is too late and the bodies of dead wolves are piled up all over again.

National News May Add To Bear Troubles

Well, our bears made it to the national morning news shows this morning. Good Morning America or the Today Show. Maybe both. Quote: "The bears are wandering into places they don't belong." I laughed loudly at that statement but underneath I was quite irritated and disgusted. What a fantastic way to compound fears into the public. And how misinformed the public is about the nature and history of bears. I feel I have no choice but to write a compelling arguement to U. S. Fish, Wildlife, & Parks bear management experts and to leeader of these "bear ridden" towns to propose some changes to current bear management practices. Obviously, what we are doing now is not working. It is time comsuming and expensive to tranquilize and transport or euthanize bears every time they roam into "human" terrritory. It is traumatic to bears and to humans who have encounters with the bears. The money may be better spent elsewhere. I have certain things in mind but I will not discuss them at this time. I need to get my head straight and get it all down on paper in a professional manner.

Up A Tree With A Small Solution

Of all the bears in Kalispell lately, only 2 of them came into town attracted by grease spills (the food kind, not the auto kind). The rest of the "problem" bears were attracted to plum and apple trees in peoples' yards. After becoming awarw of this information, I though, "This problem can be addressed differently now to sharply limit these incidences." What I propose is to pass a city ordinance forbidding the planting of fruit trees within the city limits (or wherever necessary). Of course, this will not be well accepted because people want to do what they want to do, and they do enjoy a fruit tree in the yard, but it has the potential to decrease human/bear interactions especially when bears are hungriest and roaming more in search of food.

Alaska's Wolf Massacre Must End!

© Defenders of Wildlife

PLEASE HELP THESE WOLVES:

DEFENDER'S ALASKAN WOLVES INFORMATION & ACTION LINK

Then scroll down below the map to read about more bear happenings.

Even More Bear Woes!

Here's another post about bears. Getting sick of hearing about them? Well, I am tired of being bombarded with news of "problem" bears causing problems for people. Today I came home in time to watch the news. Kalispell, Montana has bear problems. One black bear was shot dead because it was in a yard and trying to get in the house for food. The life of one old grizzly is now at stake because it has been going around doing the same thing. DNA was used on fur samples to incriminate this old guy. No doubt about it, he will be dead when they find him. 10 more grizzlies are being relocated for being "troublesome". Take a good look at the map. Where is Kalispell located? Far from bear country? No, right in the middle of it-surrounded by 3 national forests, a Native Reservation, and Glacier National Park! Indeed, these bears are trying to adapt to human encroachment on their natural turf. They are trying to get whatever food is easily available-who wouldn't?

Somewhere, somehow, someway, somebody (of power and influence or the weaker masses banded together) must do something! Surely I am not the only one that sees the large picture of what is happening to these bears (also many other animals). What I am talking about is a complete overhaul on the way these so-called "problem" animals are looked at in the first place. The problem animals are us. We are the only animals that have the power to change the world for ourselves and all other species. We are moving more and more into the only homes animals have left then we claim it as our own but we don't want to deal with the problems we have created. Then animals die. Animals are being mismanaged to death at the whims of our society that refuses to take responsiblity for the whole mess we are soley responsible for. I am sick of it. (If ever I wanted to post curse words, this is it!)

Yes, I do toss and turn in bed at night thinking about this kind of stuff. And yes, tears do come to my eyes when I see little or no hope for these situations. I've said it before and I will say it again-shame on us! I believe God is not happy with what we are doing to this Earth.

Recent Bear Attacks

Photo: Note how I am far away from these mom & cub grizzly bears!

Within the last couple of weeks, 2 or 3 hunters have been attacked by grizzly moms with cubs. After being attacked, one hunter shot at a griz mom in self-defense. The bear and cubs took off and have not been located since. The hunter is not sure if the bear was hit so it may be running around wounded, dead, or hopefully doing fine.

The worst thing I could imagine is getting mauled by a grizzly. I have a huge fear of it myself. However,when you are out in bear habitat in the fall bears will be out preparing for winter. Not a good time to disturb them. And certainly a worse time to disturb a mom with cubs. For the safety of bears and humans maybe hunting season should be scheduled at a different time. Of course, I prefer never but that is unrealistic. A wounded bear may not be able to survive the winter. A dead bear with cubs left behind is just as bad. A wounded bear with cubs makes it harder for the whole family's survival. Accidents will always happen, but sneaking around the woods when bears are very active just heightens the chances of an attack. This is as bad on the bears as it is on the person. If a bear feels threatened it will attack-no maybe about it. If a bear smells an elk carcass left by a hunter, it will be attracted to it for a good meal. That's just what bears do. Even hikers need to be more aware and respect bears natural instincts at this time.

What really worries me is that all this publicity about bears attacking will put even more bear fears into people. The Yellowstone grizzly population had been removed from the Threatened and Endangered Species List this past spring. Perhaps with all these tales of bear attacks lately, there will be great pressure to permit a hunt on these great animals earlier than planned. From my understanding, it is still supposed to be a few years before grizzly hunting becomes an issue but trigger-happy hunters will be itching to get rid of these "problem" bears now.

Good News For Southwestern Wolves

(Mexican Wolf photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Image Library)

Indeed, the following is great news!

As reported by Defenders of Wildlife:

On June 26, 2007, The U.S. House of Representatives rejected an amendment to the Interior Department's spending bill that would have ended funding for southwest wolf recovery efforts. The proposal was defeated on a vote of 258-172.

In just over 24 hours, more than 31,000 wildlife supporters wrote their U.S. Representatives in support of federal efforts to save the 59 remaining southwest wolves and ensure this amazing animal's future in the Southwest, urging their Members of Congress to reject the amendment offered by New Mexico Representative Steve Pearce.

A big thanks to all who wrote in to support these animals.

Alaska's Polar Bears Disappearing

As we've been hearing for some time now, polar bears are in big trouble due to global warming. Scientists report that these bears will be completely gone from Alaska by 2020 the ways things are going now. The Earth naturally falls into and out of warming and freezing cycles even if today's trend is mostly human-caused, hence we have periods of ice ages that come and go. Inevitably, the environment will change for polar bears (and everything else) naturally but since we are adding so much to this warming trend, we have the responsibility to repair what we can to keep these bears around in the wild.

National Geographic Polar Bear Information


Photo: www.komar.org/faq/churchill_polar_bear_tours/

A New Tag Game

This is a blogging tip game. It’s very simple. When this is passed on to you, copy the whole thing, skim the list and put a * star beside those that you like. (Check out especially the * starred ones.)

Add the next number (1. 2. 3. 4. 5., etc.) and write your own blogging tip for other bloggers.

Try to make your tip general. After that, tag 10 other people. Link love some friends!

Just think– if 10 people start this, the 10 people pass it onto another 10 people, you have 100 links already!

1. Look, read, and learn.
http://www.neonscent.com****

2. Be EXCELLENT to each other.
http://www.bushmackel.com*****

3. Don’t let money change ya!
http://www.therandomforest.info****

4. Always reply to your comments
http://chattiekat.com***

5. Blog about what you know & love.
http://sugar-queens-dream.blogspot.com****

6. Don't use filthy language-buy a dictionary.
http://shinade.blogspot.com***

7. Whenever possible, spread some positive thoughts and love. The world needs more of them.
http://ailema4ever.blogspot.com***

8. Write down from your heart or head. Either way asks yourself why you ever get started.*
http://chocmintgirl.blogspot.com

9. Be honest, be tactful but honest.*
http://angelofdelusion.blogspot.com

10. Adding photos can help bring others into a more personal realm with you.
http://wildlifealive.blogspot.com

OK, I will not be able to tag 10 people but I will list some:
1. Creation on the Blade/ Life on the Blade
2. Astrogalaxy

A Day In The Mountains

Part of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Enjoyed a nice day hike here. The trail I was on just stayed along the valley - very little elevation change. No large wildlife was around. Although, as I was getting a meal after the trip, locals were anxiously discussing the start of hunting season. A sign was posted about a non-human fearing adult black bear in the area but the Ranger said there had been no sightings or signs of bears reported in some time. On my way back home, a large buck deer jumped out across the road but I was lucky enough to see him in time to stop.


A squirrel eating pinecones along the trail.

Finally Some Peace

I am back after a long needed mental break. I still miss my Tidy and Kitty but I find great comfort knowing that they are together and were never apart for very long. Actually I am surprisingly calmed by this fact. Now in addition to the newest cat Alice, I have a guinea pig that I picked up from the city animal shelter. This guinea looks just like a raisin with legs, hence it new name Raisin. Change is sometimes hard but that doesn't mean it's not positive.

On a sad note, there are 500 deer living in Helena. Montana. They are proposing to kill 350 of them to keep the population down. I know this is a lot of deer to be running around a city but when we are in their natural habitat what do we expect? I feel bad for these deer. They are just trying to co-exist with us. I guess a few more mountain homes can be decorated with dead animal heads this fall. Guaranteed mine will not be one of them!


I spent a couple days camping in Yellowstone last week to see what was happening at the Hayden Pack's den. I never saw the white wolf or the pups this time. One evening another wolf came out (gray colored). The herd of buffalo in the picture is standing directly in front of the den area. The huge male had a pretty much useless right hind leg but he was still the obvious leader of the herd. That buffalo had the loudest snorting I've ever heard-even clear across the river from him. He had a hard time getting back out of the river but on land not much trouble. The herd quickly ran up the hill behind the den. What happened to the big buffalo - did a wolf or bite its hamstring to bring it down? Did a grizzly get sick of it following too close and decide to tell it to back off (I have watched buffalo several times closely following bears)? Did it trip on a rock and hurt the leg? I'll never know but does make me think about the possiblities of nature. Heck, it could have tangled it's leg up on a camp chair put out roadside by crazy tourists.

I got to watch a wolf pup one afternoon in the Dunraven area. Just frolicking by a tiny stream and pouncing at voles and gophers. Another evening, I watched a black wolf and a gray wolf doing the same thing in the same area. Wolves doing wolf business on a late summer's day-how cool! Several coyotes were doing the same thing throughout the Park. A mom and cub black bear made there way down a hill close to the road. A grizzly made its way across the road as I was driving by. It was grazing. Another grizzly was camped out in a treed patch on Mt. Washburn. The buffalo calves are not orange any more. Saw 3 moose this time-one pair was a mom and baby. A pair of deer wandered the campsite as I set up the tent. Only saw one elk herd. No shortage of wildlife for sure.

So where are the pictures of all these great animals? My luck-the batteries in the camera ran out. Oh, I did take 2 sets of rechargeable back-ups but they did not work in my camera for some odd reason - they are exactly the same as the old batteries. Also my memory card was full since I forgot to take my last pictures off of the camera. The wolves were too far away anyway for pictures. I had the trusty spotting scope out for those guys. At least I still have a picture perfect memory (for this type of thing anyway).


Yellowstone Lake: The largest alpine lake in North America. The waves are as big as the oceans' at times.

Now I have one more day hike tomorrow in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness before settling into the daily grind.

Good-bye To Another Beloved Friend

Kitty: March ?, 1990 - August 3, 2006

Picture: Kitty (black cat) and sister Tidy. Kitty always blinked for every picture I ever took of her! She is a really cute cat with yellow eyes and medium length fur that was always extra smooth.

Kitty died today. I had an appointment to have Kitty checked out since I have been concerned about her. Right as I set her on the examining table, she died. I will never know what ailed her but I am positive she is glad to be with Tidy now.

As a kitten, Kitty picked me out. My roommate got her and her real sister (not Tidy-another all black cat) from somebody she knew. I went with her to pick up the 2 kittens all those years ago. Well, Kitty never bonded with my friend, her real owner. Kitty followed me around all the time and slept on me every night. When I moved out of my friend's house she gave me Kitty and her sister.

About a year later, the young cats were outside playing. When I went out to check on them I saw Kitty's sister sitting in the window of some old lady's house. I already had 5 cats at that time (Little Cat, Tidy, Kitty, Kitty's real sisiter, and a young Siamese boy mamed Puff) so I just let the lady keep Kitty's sister since it was a good home. Kitty stayed with me.

I am in some shock and disbelief from losing 2 great animal friends in one month (and the hamster). It's very depressing and there's a big hole in my heart as well as a big empty apartment filled with their stuff. I know I will see them on the other side when my time comes but it's still heart-breaking. The newly adopted Alice will be an only cat from now on.

Feeling Small In This Huge World

Sorry I haven't posted anything lately or responded to others or visited others sites even. I am overwhelmed with stuff to do-school, homework, having to work a lot more cuz I'm broke, bills, the usual buildup of life.

Also adding to the problem is my other cat, Kitty who is 17. First I thought she was depressed because Tidy is gone. She is getting VERY thin fairly quickly and not coming out as she usually does. She used to be perky and vocal. Today I noticed a slimy drip from her mouth and a terrible odor. It very well could be cancer in her mouth. I have experience with this since my Mom's cat died of this not too long before Tidy passed on. I will have to take her to the vet, work more to pay those bills, and go from there. I really can't bear to lose another animal family member again this summer.

So, I will leave saying that I will most likely not be doing any computer activities until I finish up this class in a few weeks. But while I am gone, don't forget the animals- send your comments in on wolves and especially send comments to the NFL to get Vick out of there for his sick, immoral animal cruelty to his fighting dogs (Humane Society is doing the most work on this). Don't forget to take the time to watch animals and appreciate them.

Picture: This chipmunk lives near the pond where I saw the otter by Yellowstone Lake. He/she was running around busily that day like I have been lately.

Welcoming A New Pet

Yesterday I picked up a new cat to share my home with. Her name is Alice aka "Alli" and she is 11 years old. The people at the shelter said people always take the kittens but rarely does anyone want a senior cat. I was not looking to get another cat at this time but I didn't want my last Kitty to be lonely anymore. Plus, I feel I have to help out animals if I can. My intentions were to go get 2 parakeets that were in there but I came out with the cat. She was free; they just wanted a home for her and I have room. She is a tabby/calico mix, a multi-colored brown striped cat that is very friendly. Right now she is not too sure about my other cat but surprisingly, Kitty is fine with her. It's odd to have a different cat around. I hope she stays healthy for a long time.


Another animal visitor lately is a young rabbit that stops by to chew up the grass. I left it some greens one day but I think they wilted in the 100+ heat before the bunny came by. I am sick of sweating. It's been 100+ for about 2 weeks now. I can't imagine being a furred animal in the summer! Use my air conditioning? Come on now, I am an environmental graduate. It's bad enough I am wasting electricity to run a fan. Plus, if we are truly in a global warming cycle, I had better find ways to adapt to heat that I can afford.

Excitement Of The Day

(This incident happened before I went on my trip.)
I was out on my patio talking to a visitor when she told me that a prairie dog just ran behind a plant stand (actually a TV cart that I moved outside). I opened up a door. A wide-eyed prairie dog stared at frantically stared at me-also wide-eyed from surprise! I shut the door and left it alone then I left the house for about a 1/2 hour. When I came back and walked up to the patio, a sparrow was lying there partially chewed up. I figured the prairie dog must be having lunch. Sure enough, the little critter was still running around my patio and went back into the plant stand. Then it ran off as I was trying to get a good picture of it.

It has been coming around every day now for a while and as you can see it leaves quite a mess.

Guess Where I've Been Lately?

Besides working a lot extra, I went to Yellowstone of course. I went down to the Tetons for a few hours one day as well (that's the first photo). I love these places. They remain relatively still on the grand scale but yet are always in a state of constant transformation.

Here are the wildlife tales from this mini-trip:

Lots of pelicans. Usually I see them swimming or resting on-shore. This time most were flying around.

Saw 1 river otter swimming in a nice calm pond near Yellowstone Lake one evening.

One bald eagle was flying only about 10 feet above the car as I drove. I followed it for a bit then I passed it. I looked up when it was directly overhead - it's not often one gets to see the bottom of an eagle flying close. Then it follwed me along the road for a ways before veering off. Don't worry, no other cars were around so I was not creating a hazard. Two more bald eagles were perched together on a fallen tree in Hayden Valley one afternoon (where the bears were, which I will tell about later).

Lots of buffalo (I told them not to go out of the Park or they would be meat-sausage and Great Plains burgers at Canyon Village!), elk, deer, and antelope. The buffalo calves are not as bright orange anymore. Two of them were fighting for a bit on a hill. Then 2 adults started at it. Dust flying everywhere. Didn't last long though and they all went back to being friends.

Now for the big winners!

One of the top prizes: A grizzly mom with one cub in souhtern Hayden Valley one evening. Close to where the last bear I saw was. I had to set up the scope for this. The cub was chewing on a carcass and would pop its head up every once in a while. The mom was nearby digging and grazing. The cub got up to keep up with the mom as she wandered farther away. Frisky little cub! The mom kept grazing around and the cub would stop then run and play. Later, a buffalo saw the bears and went down a hill towards them. The cub(which was closer to the buffalo than the mom) then stood up and was smelling the air, looking for the buffalo. The cub did this a few times finally, the mom and cub were together standing up together looking and smelling. The buffalo follwed them for a long time then finally decided to swim across the river. The bears stayed there. Of course, at this point a heavy rain started and I packed up.

The other top prize: The white wolf (540F-the alpha female) of the Hayden Pack and a pup! Right at their den! The pup was a black or dark grey one. She is supposed to have 5 pups (1 dark, 4 lighter) but I only saw the one. Started off with 6 pups total but one did not make it. The den is right out where people can see it from across the river at a picnic area. When I first arrived on the scene, I thought somebody said it was a moose so when I looked over and saw a white canine head popping up over some sagebrush I was pleasantly surprised. A bit faint of breath once again at this great sight. Then she stood up and went playfully towards the trees. The dark pup followed from out of the brush as my eyes and smile grew larger with disbelief. I never would have thought I would see them that easily. She is a brave mom having her den right out where millions of people come to watch her family. I know those tourists were not around when she picked that den but I get the feeling she is a proud mom type-wanting to show off the pups and knowing people are fighting to looking at them. She had all summer to move the den but hasn't. Wolves do have feelings. The white wolf is collared; the grizzly is not. These wolves were causing a major wolf jam and it was hard to even get in to see them. I'll go again in the fall to see the wolves when less people are hogging the place up. Naturally, I have no photos of the wolves because of a certain "commotion" around me created by a smallish child (who shall remain nameless at this time) as I was trying to watch the wolves. The bears were pretty far away so I don't think I'll be able to have decent picture to post. I only have a digital camera.

In the Favorite Sight Links at right, the Ralph Maughan site has pictures of the pups in the post: The Hayden pups, their first big (5) litter
or use this link and scroll down to the post: Hayden Pack pups 2007

To see photos of the white wolf use this link: Walking Shadow Ecology
(choose photography then Yellowstone Wolves and you should get the March 2007 Hayden Pack)



Now the crazy tourist stories:

One herd of buffalo with calves was coming up a hill. The hill happened to have a pull-out on top for cars. Well, the tourists were putting out their camp chairs to sit down and watch the trotting buffalo come up the hill. I imagine the chairs did not last long. I would have watched but it was obviously not a safe time and place to watch that herd.

One day, a lone buffalo was grazing the side of the road. A lady was walking towards the buffalo looking through binoculars the entire time. The buffalo was no more than 20 feet way from her so she really didn't need the binoculars. She was probably a bit surprised when she finally put them down.

The day after the grizzly and cub sighting, people were parked in the same area waiting to see them again. A huge, top of the line motor home was hogging up most of the parking area. The high priced RVs' kitchen apparently sucks because the people had set up a BBQ grill ouside. Or they were purposely trying to attract bears.

Tagged Again

I have been tagged by My Journey To Eliminate Debt. This project calls for sharing 8 personal facts about myself, then tagging 8 other bloggers to do the same. Here are the rules, which were passed to me:

-Each player must post these rules first.
-Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
-People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
-At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
-Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Now the 8 things:
1. Obviously, I love animals.
2. I can't stand country music or rap.
3. Once I threw out my Valentines because I was too shy and afraid to pass them out in school.
4. If I could be anyone, I would chooose to be Luke Skywalker from Star Wars.
5. I wish I could go on a permanent camping trip in Yellowstone.
6. As a junior high student, I sent away to NASA asking for an astronaut application (Not as a joke. I wanted to see what "the right stuff" is.). They sent it too.
7. "Plain" old rocks make me very happy. Each one tells a fantastic story.
8. Red is kind of a disturbing color for me.

OK, here's 6 of the next 8 to be tagged. I will tag some people I have not tagged previously.

Here's a start:
1. Astro Galaxy
2. Self Delusions of Angela May
3. Rigor Vitae
4. Life on the Blade
5. Bent Objects
6. Views From My Tent

Another Pet Lost

I just came in the door from working tonight. My hamster C. C. Mouser is dying as I type this. I don't know what happened to him. He was fine last night. Running around doing mouse business-running his wheel and eating. Now he is dying. Since my cat just passed away I was trying to introduce C. C. Mouser to my other cat Kitty (with the hamster staying in the cage of course), so Kitty wouldn't be so lonely. Kitty has been with Tidy since she was a kitten, 17 years, so I'm sure Kitty is lonely without Tidy. So much for that plan. I just don't know how much more of this I can take.

I will try to post a picture of C. C. when I find one. And for some reason I am not able to put a title one my post. Just not a good week for me.

Also, I have just been tagged to reveal 8 things about myself. When I get into the mindset, I will put that post together and tag the next bloggers.

Just Remember There Is A Heaven

Tidy: June ?, 1988 - July 5, 2007

I will miss her but now she will not suffer anymore.

Thanks to everyone for sharing your pet stories and support.

Thanks For Your Thoughts

I received this post today:

Anonymous said...
Hi,
I just stumbled upon your site and respect your view on your ailing, aged kitty. However, many years ago one of our kitties (who had had kidney problems early on and then for many years - primarily because this was in the 1970s before it was well known that male cats can have blockage issues, which he did at one point when young) that I wish we had taken that step to end his misery at the end. It was at the point that he had absolutely no quality of life. His last night on earth was horrendous. I guess we were in denial and kept hoping he would rebound. The kindest thing we could have done was to intervene and take him to the vets to end his misery that night. Even after that, it was still hard to make that decision with any pet and we rarely did (at least when it should have been done). But that is one gift we can give our beloved pets: to be there at their side when we say good bye for the last time (by the choice to euthanize). We make that choice when no other humane option is really left. I truly believe that they know that our actions are out of love. But it is hard to let go and that is a curse that humans carry it seems. It is in retrospect that I now wish I had made that decision for the sake of my beloved pets more often than I did. But again I do respect your view. Just wanted to add a different perspective which is more reflective than anything.

I would like to thank you for your reflections. I have been struggling lately, trying to decide when is the right time to take Tidy to the vet one final time. It is good to hear from others. It's a hard decision to make when feelings get in the way. I went through the same thing with my first cat but that was more of a cut & dried situation-in the middle of the night she lost her ability to use her back legs after prolonged hyperthyroidism and was trying to drag herself around. There was no question then. Now it is just not as clear but I know what I need to do soon. I have never hoped or thought she would get better-that was made clear from the start.

American Symbols

The bald eagle can finally come off the endangered species list. This is great news. And very fitting for the Fourth of July holiday.

Then I heard this on the news: "The Bald eagle is as American as..."

It is sad that a great American symbol was on the brink of extinction in the first place. So "American" was this species that it was killed off in mass numbers until almost was wiped off the face of the Earth. It's not sad because it is a symbol, but because eagles are living creatures that also call this world home.

The "threatened and endangered list" is a symbol to me. It is a symbol of all that is wrong with our interactions with animals (by "animals" I include fish and birds-it's my personal generalized term of non-plant, non-human species even though I know it's not proper). It is a symbol of our past stupidity and ignorance. Many endangered animals are symbols of some sort (not just in the U. S.)- grizzlies, wolves, tigers, pandas, etc. I think some of these animals wouldn't be as much of a symbol if they were not on the list. Wolves were never a symbol before-they were (and still are) hated and killed off. Now with their "recovery", they are a symbol of all that is wild.

Also on the subject of American sybmols, I had to laugh when a buffalo statue was unvieled in West Yellowstone a few weeks ago. A mighty, magnificant buffalo statue. A symbol of the Great Plains and Yellowstone. Yet in reality buffalo are slaughtered by the hundreds every year. I enjoy seeing a nice animal statue as much as the next guy but what's wrong with that picture?! Even in the days of colonial expansion,(European descended) people loved the buffalo so much that they annihilated them.

Animals coming off the list will never be truly "recovered." The recovered populations are simply at more manageable numbers to humans, at lower than natural population levels. What the ecosystem can sustain and what humans want to tolerate are completely different things. Animal populations just cannot compete with the human need to alter natural landscapes and control everything.

A Life In My Hands

Tidy, my 19 year old cat with bladder cancer and kidney trouble, is still here. I have come to the decision that I will not continue to give her medications any more. I will give her some fluids only. The medicine was never intended to make her better and it is only prolonging the inevitable. She's getting very thin. I have told her to just go to sleep and let her soul go the Heaven-I will understand and miss her. She is still eating, drinking, walking, purring, and looking out of the window. But I know she is not well at all. I cannot put her down with that much life left in her even if she is already dying. That's is supposed to be God's decision not mine. I guess by my decision for the cat that is His will being imposed through me. Having the power to end another's life is not a power I care to have.

The picture is Tidy outside on a leash on a bright sunny day. As a younger cat, Tidy was petite but fiesty, not a cat any other cat wanted to mess with. She would take off for 2 and 3 days at a time. I never knew where she went and sometimes I would go out looking at dead cats on the roads to make sure Tidy wasn't one of them. Sometimes she would come back smelling like a cow pasture! She only goes outside for about 5 minutes now before she wants to go back in. Tidy will be survived by one cat sister, Kitty, who is 17 now. Her older sister died 3 years ago of hyperthyroidism at 16 years old. These cats were with me for half of my life! They've been through a lot.

Southwestern Wolves & A Little Respect

Well, the wolves of the Southwest have been under fire for a while now. I was so mentally tired from fighting for the Yellowstone wolves for months that I admit I am not up to par on what is happening with these other wolves. All I know for sure is that there are only 59 wolves total down there and that is apparently too many for some folks. So another battle is brewing.

I feel for wolves maybe moreso than any other animal. I don't know why. I am not a dog person-I do like dogs but I don't care to have on as a pet and don't get all excited when I see one. I'm actually somewhat afraid of dogs a little after a 2-pit bull incident at work many years ago. But I am not afraid of a wolf. When a wolf ran within 10 feet of me and the kid the other year, I felt awe. I was physically weak and speechless, eyes huge with excitement (hence no photographs!). I felt no need to fear it. Respect yes, fear no. I did not intentionally go out seeking to come that close to one and had no idea it was even around until it came by unexpectedly. I do not teach the kid to fear animals, just repsect them and their homes and to be aware of potential dangers associated with each species. I am more afraid of a dog harming my kid than a wolf because who knows what the dog owner has instilled into that pet. With a wolf, it rather just stay away from people and with good reason. I am mysteriously drawn to wolves more than any other animal.

Everyone wants respect. All species, not only humans. Wolves get little respect and I get tired of their persecution. They are wonderful animals. In fact, all animals are wonderful in some way and I do include those that I don't particularly care for. They are just like us. They have families, friends, and feelings and are just trying to make a living. Animals need respect.

And don't even think about telling me animals don't think and feel because I know better! For a good book on animals emotions, I suggest The Emotional Lives of Animals by Marc Bekoff with a foreward by Jane Goodall (2007, New World Library).

I urge everyone to stand up for the 59 wolves of the Southwest.

Here's a link to learn more about the Mexican Wolves:
Southwestern Wolf Information & USFWP Recommmendations

Also, I was finally able to get the short fox video onto the top right sidebar. If you click on it, it plays above the latest post, right under the title. I was lucky enough to get it there so that's where it will stay for now. I have a short deer one to get up too. I may end up with an animal video link on that side somewhere and sometime in the future. And notice how the links in posts are finally working correctly!!!

Home On The Range

Ever take the time to watch a prairie dog? Interesting little creatures. Cute. Always living on the edge, wary of predators waiting to get a good meal.

Prairie dogs have again come under attack by the U.S. Forest Service:

According to Defenders of Wildlife: The Forest Service is proposing to make it easier to poison and kill prairie dogs anywhere on three public grasslands. They’re even targeting an area in South Dakota’s Buffalo Gap National Grassland called Conata Basin -- key habitat for the recently reintroduced swift fox and our nation’s most important recovery area for the endangered black-footed ferret.

Prairie dogs are a keystone species and a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Many animals eat these little critters and many larger critters also take over their tunnels to make a home of their own. If prairie dogs are gone, so is the other wildlife. Poisoning prairie dogs is also questionable because other animals, plants, and insects can be poisoned "accidentally." I say "accidentally" because if they know this is going to happen and it is done anyway, then it was no accident at all. The other species poisoning will be an overlooked by-product not given another thought to. The worst part of this proposed poisoning is that it is in areas set aside as National Grasslands where prairie dogs are expected to be living. And yes, our tax dollars will be funding this terrible project. Please go to the Defender's site to comment on this absurd proposal (or send one in to the Forest Service yourself) before it is too late. It just seems like the animal attack never stops. Makes my heart heavy thinking about it.

The picture above, a Unita ground squirrel, and one other one from a different hole, were the permanent residents of my Slough Creek campsite. Ground squirrels and prairie dogs are related and if one did not know any better, they could very easily be mistaken for each other.

Oh, while I'm on the subject, I know many people that go out shooting prairie dogs for weekend fun. Some of these folks even have their maps marked with prairie dog towns all over the state. They share the maps with other killers. Then they come in to work or school and laugh about blasting away these little animals, guts and blood splattered everywhere as the other animals watch. I think it is just plain sick.

Here's a link to learn more about these little critters:
Save The Prairie Dogs

Thinking Blogger Award Choices

So here are my 5 choices to receive the “Thinking Blogger” Award:

1. Creation on the Blade
God and our animal world all rolled into one! Great pictures and a fun new feature-an interactive puzzle to figure out every month.
2. Waitress Stories
Gives people a behind the scenes look into the everyday life of a waitress. A must-visit site for those who have never worked in the service industry and enjoy dining out. Please tip generously!
3. A Step Apart: A Few Random Musings
A great personal perspective into the happenings around Yellowstone Park and the outdoors.
4. My Journey to Eliminate Debt
One brave family’s quest to wipe out debt. The ups and downs of their newly-started journey. A lesson anyone with debt can learn from (and perhaps try to encourage this family with).
5. Rick’s Astronomy Journal
An amateur astronomy site because sometimes we need a break from the trials of everyday life to think about what else is out there! Cool pictures along with photographer’s notes.

THE RULES ARE: Congratulations, you won a Thinking Blogger Award:

Should you choose to participate, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging. The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the memo

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (there is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

A Two-Award Treat

How fortunate I am! I won a Creation on the Blade's Animal Knowledge Award for June and a Thinking Blogger Award from Victorya Chase Goes To Therapy. How delightful, unexpected, and appreciated.

I will say that the wildlife and nature I hold so dear are the reasons I won these awards. Without them I would have nothing to write about or no animals to know about. These same entities have also drawn in others that enjoy the same things and I thank you guys and girls for that.

Since I am on a constricted schedule today, I will post these awards and "Tag" someone else when time allows.

A Lesson In Tolerance

I thought about the animals I saw on my trip and just had to say something about the tolerance of animals in general. As I stated earlier, many (maybe all) of the predatory animals wandering into town here are killed, not relocated. Deer are a common sight lying dead along the roads, as of course are racoons, rabbits, prairie dogs and our own pet cats. After really taking the time to watch all the wildlife in Yellowstone the past 2 days, I KNOW animals have a very high tolerance for humans. Fears have been instilled into us; we think wild animals are out to attack and kill us. We are taught to fear these animals. Sure sometimes an animal may attack but most times it is because we were in their territory and were surprised, or for protection of their young, and only rarley purely predatory.

The grizzly was just going about its business, no intentions of harming a person. The fox was playful and curious, only a couple feet away from humans and not afraid at all. The deer did their grazing as us campers camped. The sheep went about grazing at the side of the road, never once moving as a person in each car took a turn for a picture. The moose kept on grazing as many people moved in to get pictures. Buffalo lay only about 10 feet away, resting on thermal ground near hot springs as tourists walked by and stopped to take pictures. These wild animals were kind enough to share their home and themselves with us-and peacefully. Very tolerant of our strange habits.

Now on the other hand, the mountain lions and bears coming into town to try to share our home with us do not get out alive. They are treated as criminals and without a trial. They are shot dead as they try to find their way in a world that has few places left for them. The poor deer are probably the most tolerant here. Far too many of them are hit by cars and left dead, thrown in the trash by the roadkill cleanup crew like trash. Humans have little tolerance left for animals. It will be a sad world indeed when the only animals left are trapped in zoos and as pets while the ones people don't favor are wiped off the face of the Earth.

The tolerance of animals is a lesson we need to learn. They are accepting and adapting to us so why can't we do the same? God gave us all this planet as home.

Animals are amazing!

Animals, Animals Everywhere!

I had an unexpectedly amazing overnight trip. First, I must say that the Slough Creek Campground is absolutely gorgeous. My intentions were to camp along the creek but those sites were full. To my delight, I ended up in the best site of them all. Under 3 huge pine trees with a small, sagebrush & wildflower-covered meadow for a view and hills and mountains in the background. Many deer came through the meadow. Some stopped to graze, some ran through. A fox played along the creek and in the meadow. It came into people's camps and was quite a people-friendly creature. I took a short video of it but I don't know how to load those into the blog yet. Other animals on the trip (not in the campground): a small black bear, a lone bighorn sheep grazing roadside, a small moose, lots of pelicans, the usual buffalo but only one elk, and the prize this time-a grizzly. The buffalo had a lot of calves. This is only the third time I've ever seen a moose here(keep in mind I've been coming here since I was 7 years old and am now 38!). Bighorn sheep seem pretty rare anymore. There used to be herds of them coming down out of the high mountains in winter to graze the lower elevations now I'm lucky to see a single sheep every few years.

Now the bear story. The grizzly was in southern Hayden Valley in the Trout Creek area about 10am. It wandered up by a buffalo and kind of half-attempted to charge it but it backed off quickly and ran away. The buffalo never moved an inch. Then the bear wandered around looking at plants until it got to the top of a hill (by the road). Then it saw all of us tourists and debated on crossing the road or not. It was a cute bear and appeared unaggitated with all of us, just a bit leary. Then another buffalo came running from across the other side of the road not knowing the bear was there. The bear had already decided to cross the road at that time so there was no interaction between the two. After that, I decided I would leave the "bear jam". I had a couple pictures and did not want to bother the animal more. It was a collared bear and somebody said it was a female. Beautiful sight with its brown fur and muscle rippling in the sunlight! No wolves this time-not even a howl-and I even camped in an area of overlapping territory for 3 packs.

Also, this Slough Creek campground is where the poor cinnamon black bear from an earlier post met its untimely death. I felt quite sad as I glanced along the creek where the bear had died, still laying partially in the water. Despite this sadness, the trip was a fantastic celebration of animal life.

Sparkling Summer Nights

The firefly, also known as the lightning bug, is actually neither a fly nor a bug, but a beetle, say Purdue entomologists. This particular firefly is called Say's firefly (Pyractomena angulata), one of about 175 species of fireflies in the United States. (Scientific illustration by Arwin Provonsha, Purdue Department of Entomology.)

I was thinking about fireflies for a while now. They are not out here in Montana and I think of them every summer.

Read this paragraph of an old paper of mine and you will understand a little about why I am so fond of these tiny glowing wonders:

I have many fond memories of St. Clair (Pennsylvania), but the best thing I remember is catching the lightning bugs in those humid summer evenings. Most of the townsfolk would go out to sit on their porches to cool off because there is no air conditioning, even to this day. My grandparents used to sit on their swing and my brothers and I would play on the front porch and wait for the lightning bugs to come out. Sometimes we could catch them on the street, but it was far more entertaining to lie on the grass at the church and wait. We would track them through the grass and air by the yellow glow of their tails. If we caught any lightning bugs, we would only keep them over night before releasing them. I am a lot older now, but I still catch lightning bugs when I go back to St. Clair. There is nothing better.

I tried to put the whole paper on so the full sense comes through but I can't add a document anywhere I guess without copying several pages of text right into a post.

Now I'm off on an overnight camping trip into prime wolf and grizzly habitat-Slough Creek in Yellowstone! Lucky for me, the kid has now decided not to fish down there. I know she will probably change her mind again so I have the gear packed anyway.

Must I Kill To Connect With Nature?

Photo: If I remember correctly, these elk were grazing along the Firehole River a couple years ago. One was behind the left tree so it can't be seen. Notice how I am NOT standing beside a dead elk with my gun and showing off its rack!

I woke up this morning thinking about going camping when I remembered a conversation (one-sided argument maybe is a better term) I had with a person about connecting with nature months ago. This person insisted that he was closer to nature than those of us that do not "harvest" animals for sport. He said he is right out in nature and gets to see the animals doing what they do. After saying I do everything he does except kill animals he still would not see that us non-hunters are also close to nature. Apparently, the kill puts you closer to nature. This is only the basic just of the conversation. I ended up leaving this conversation feeling abused, confused, and angered. And I still do when I think about it. I do not see the difference between what hunters do and what I do except fot the killing part. I camp and hike in the wild. I even use hunting equipment bought at hunting stores (unfortunately)-a laser-sighted spotting scope, GPS, camp gear, etc. I may spend less time outside because I am not stalking animals to their death so I can leave whenever I want. I just don't understand why a hunter is closer to nature than I am. I think it is terrible that one thinks taking the life of an animal brings you closer to nature. It doesn't make sense. Must feel good to rip the life away from some unsuspecting animal I guess. Makes a hunter feel big and powerful. I think this thinking is sick and misguided. It take a bigger person to see the beauty in animals without wanting to possess their very lives. Maybe somebody could help me understand this hunter's point a little better because I just don't see it.

When I get a chance I will have to get more photos off my camera to use in this blog. I am too lazy to climb behind my desk and sort through all the wires. I'm no pro (as you can tell by the date stamps! I do not use those anymore for obvious reasons) but I would prefer to use my own stuff when I have it and if I can fit it in somehow.

And thanks to everyone for the nice comments about this blog. When I started it I was afraid I would get a bunch of angry hunters trying to put me down. Thankfully, I haven't had to deal with that yet. I would delete the stuff anyway since this is supposed to be a conflict-free zone. I do enough defending my postion in real life. I'm even an official environmenatlist now but this field tends to be one-sided as well. Everything is shifted towards finding solutions (like with energy), but very few are looking at the real root of problems and those of us that do are outcasts. I am tired of conflict. Thanks to all you supporters of nature and LIVE wildlife.