The wildlife of western Wyoming is some of the most diverse, beautiful and interesting in the world. Elk, deer, moose, pronghorn antelope (actually not part of the antelope species at all), bears, wolves, cougars, and many other species thrive here. Much of this vitality is due to the large expanses of preserved wild land that allows herds and fragile fauna to be sustained and move freely during seasonal changes. In Teton County, for example, 97 percent of the land is preserved in national parks and forests.
Even in Wyoming, with its vast open lands, many animals face man-made challenges to their existence. In particular, migratory ungulates are challenged by urban development, fences and roads, complicating their season movements to historical summer and winter ranges. Since so much wildlife is visible near the roads in and around the national parks, its always a good idea to keep your speed down while driving since you never know when bears, moose, buffalo, elk or deer will decide to cross the road. And remember, buffalo don't yield. Outside of your car, keep your distance and always carry bear spray. Another reminder, bears and buffalo can run faster than you can, even if you're on the track team.
It's hard to find a better place to photograph animals than in Wyoming. The national parks, of course, offer great opportunities to view Elk, Moose, Buffalo, Bears and more. But beyond the parks, there are vast expanses of land where herds and other groups of animals are easily spotted. The National Elk Refuge, just north of Jackson, houses large herds of Elk for the winter, as well as big horn sheep, wolves, coyotes and the occasional cougar family. The pronghorn in this gallery were photographed in the Wind River plains north-east of Pinedale, but they can be spotted in many parts of the state. The moose photographs displayed here were taken in mid-December in Teton National Park, near the town of Kelly, during a time of the year that they tend to feed on bitter brush in the open plains of Jackson Hole. I was fortunate enough to join a moose photography workshop led my Henry Holdsworth, a renowned wildlife photographer based in Jackson. Henry is a genuine moose whisperer. He knows where to find them, how to approach them and how to get amazing pictures of them. Do yourself a favor, go to his Wild By Nature Gallery in Jackson, buy some of this art, and sign up for one of this workshops.
