Oct. 25 with Pictures!!!(Hopefully)
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 10:31 pm
DSCF8850 by William Reinke, on Flickr[/img][DSCF8850img][/img]
DSC_0419 by William Reinke, on FliWe were driving over Togwotee Pass into the Tetons on Friday, October 25. We noticed several cars pulled over and we thought maybe Felicia and Pepper, the grizzly sow and cub? We pulled off the road and and got out to take a look. Sure enough, about 50 yards off the road Felicia was laying comically with her head on a rock and her paws dangling over with Pepper close by. We ran back for cameras but by the time we got back, Felicia was up and moving. We snapped several pictures as she moved through the trees and Karen and I separated, each trying to get a better angle. Felicia with Pepper following then turned and began making her way toward the road (and our car!). As she kept getting closer, I told those around me we'd better get into our cars which we did. Only problem was Karen was down the road without bear spray. So I decided to leave my spot and go pick her up. She appreciated the thoughtfulness
I was able to then turn around and head back where we got our same parking spot. The bears were now about 20 yards away and making their way right towards us. They kept coming and were soon at the guard rail in front of our car. Felicia climbed on the guard rail with her front paws and like a child who had been properly taught, began looking both ways to see if it was safe to cross. She and Pepper then crossed right in front of our car and went across the road.
It then got quite humorous as Felicia decided she had an itch and a triangular log fence just beyond the guard rail on the other side of the road became the perfect place for a butt scratch. She climbed on the fence and began scratching her butt. After that, she decided she needed a belly scratch and mounted the fence like she was horsey riding and scratched her belly. Like a circus bear she also performed several stunts on the fence. It was exhilerating and hilarious at the same time.
A car then came and pulled directly across from us blocking our view, but Felicia soon moved off the fence and down the hill. What an experience!
We could not see Pepper except for his paw on the fence once as he then moved on down the hill.
We are still figuring out the picture thing, but apparently you can click on the link below to see several more pictures. We don't have great photographic equipment, but did the best we could with what we had.
DSC_0396 by William Reinke, on Flickr[/img]It was late afternoon by the time we made it into the Tetons. We had planned a short hike on our favorite trail which we got in before sunset. On our way back Karen spotted something in the trees and put the binoculars on a Great Gray Owl. We got to see it fly a couple of times but never got close enough for a photo.
As we were driving out through the Tetons, a beautiful sunset was unfolding--the end to a great day. But not quite! Karen said, "What's that?" as we both saw a canine come out trotting across the road. I said "coyote?" and Karen said "No, that's a wolf!" Sure enough as we drove up we could see it was definitely a wolf trotting through the brush and quickly disappearing behind some bushes.
That really ended our day on a high note. What a day!!!