from the new book on Yellowstone NP-
Chapter 9-Chased by Maidens- ...continued
Now old maid bison are either older cows without calves or cows too young or unable to bear offspring. Their job is to be sentinels on the outlook for sneaky predators. So here I am, crouched low to the ground with a cloth over me not too far from the main herd. I am that sneaky predator! They think I am that wolf or bear stalking their babies and now they are coming after me- diligently!
Quickly, I throw my 4x5 and film into my pack. In the need to maintain a safe distance from them in case they charge and I leave my focusing cloth behind in haste. As I quickly walk from them, I try talking softly to them hoping to turn off their “protect and defend” mode to “it’s just a stupid human” mode, but it’s does not work on this day. These bison are a bit overzealous in their protective duties like many novice cops are on occasions. Now they are not galloping, nor are they trotting after me, which I recognize that they are a bit befuddled with their discovery of me not being a wolf in disguise. I feel their diligent sole purpose is to drive me out of the park perhaps all the way to Bozeman, Montana.
to be continued...
Read what's been happening on Salvatore's Horizon
Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine Workshops
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Yellowstone: the introspective landscape Part XX
from the new book on Yellowstone NP-
Chapter 9-Chased by Maidens- ...continued
It was a beautiful July day; the wildflower bloom was at its height. Carpets of Elephant Head, Shooting Stars and Blue Irises blanketed the wet areas and Lupines, Balsam Leaved and Mule-Eared flowers covered the dryer locations. After scouting out the hillsides above the valley floor, I found a thick group of Elephant Heads perfectly positioned with the Bison herd below me. Happily, I began to set up my 4X5 camera. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on how close my foreground subject may. In this case the flowers were fairly close being within 24 inches. Elephant Heads are not very tall nor are they large; some were 18 inches or shorter so the camera was positioned close to the ground. So close, I was sitting on the grasses with my focusing cloth over me.
After doing this for about 10 minutes or I peered out from under the cloth to take a scan of my surroundings. Off to my right, I could see that a group of 3 maid bison were walking on the valley floor towards me. They walked with a diligence much like the diligence of Tim Cahill.
to be continued...
Chapter 9-Chased by Maidens- ...continued
It was a beautiful July day; the wildflower bloom was at its height. Carpets of Elephant Head, Shooting Stars and Blue Irises blanketed the wet areas and Lupines, Balsam Leaved and Mule-Eared flowers covered the dryer locations. After scouting out the hillsides above the valley floor, I found a thick group of Elephant Heads perfectly positioned with the Bison herd below me. Happily, I began to set up my 4X5 camera. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes depending on how close my foreground subject may. In this case the flowers were fairly close being within 24 inches. Elephant Heads are not very tall nor are they large; some were 18 inches or shorter so the camera was positioned close to the ground. So close, I was sitting on the grasses with my focusing cloth over me.
After doing this for about 10 minutes or I peered out from under the cloth to take a scan of my surroundings. Off to my right, I could see that a group of 3 maid bison were walking on the valley floor towards me. They walked with a diligence much like the diligence of Tim Cahill.
to be continued...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Yellowstone: the introspective landscape Part XIX
from the new book on Yellowstone NP-
Chapter 9-Chased by Maidens
One of the most picturesque valleys of the west is Lamar Valley. The 13 mile long broad sage covered valley sits at about 6,600 feet with mountains rising to 9,700 feet or more above it. A sinuous Lamar River divides it. Situated in an east-west position, storms are funneled up through it drop their loads as they slam into high peaks of the Absaroka mountains. These storms provide a generous annual rainfall water some of the most prodigious grasses and wildflower blooms in the park. Lamar Valley is the home of the Lamar Bison herd. One of Yellowstone’s largest and oldest reestablished herds, the Lamar bison roams freely throughout the valley and along its mountain sides. The oldest reestablished wolf pack resides here as well. Wolf feed on the bison and elk. Grizzly feed on the kills of the wolf. Fox, coyote and scavenger feed on the scraps. A cycle that is as old as the Yellowstone volcano. New to this cycle of life is the amassing along it roads of the wolf watchers- the interlopers.
to be continued...
Chapter 9-Chased by Maidens
One of the most picturesque valleys of the west is Lamar Valley. The 13 mile long broad sage covered valley sits at about 6,600 feet with mountains rising to 9,700 feet or more above it. A sinuous Lamar River divides it. Situated in an east-west position, storms are funneled up through it drop their loads as they slam into high peaks of the Absaroka mountains. These storms provide a generous annual rainfall water some of the most prodigious grasses and wildflower blooms in the park. Lamar Valley is the home of the Lamar Bison herd. One of Yellowstone’s largest and oldest reestablished herds, the Lamar bison roams freely throughout the valley and along its mountain sides. The oldest reestablished wolf pack resides here as well. Wolf feed on the bison and elk. Grizzly feed on the kills of the wolf. Fox, coyote and scavenger feed on the scraps. A cycle that is as old as the Yellowstone volcano. New to this cycle of life is the amassing along it roads of the wolf watchers- the interlopers.
to be continued...
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