Jackson Hole Wildlife Eco-Tour Adventures

 Join Wildlife biologist, Taylor Phillips and Photographer Extraordinaire Lane Griffin for a Saturday excursion in Grand Teton National Park. 

         We will intertwine lessons on digital photography and animal behavior in a stunning setting.  Two tours for one great price!  Hurry and reserve your spot today.    Explore some of Lane’s amazing work at (http://www.lanegriffin.com) to experience her talent and styles.   

             All levels of digital photographic knowledge are welcome.  We will be discussing the gamut of camera mechanics, digital capture techniques,  workflow, etc.  We will be guided in the EcoTour BioDiesel van for an early start to capture the best moment in the Tetons- Sunrise!  On our excursion through the park, we will discuss composition and various elements to make the most of any situation.  There will be plenty of practice on how to quickly transition from landscape to wildlife photography.  Basic concepts of exposure and depth of field to more technical information about panoramic stitching, High Dynamic Range and asset management can be discussed on a personal basis.  You’ll have plenty of time to learn about your surroundings too!  Taylor has a wealth of knowledge about the landscape and wildlife; and has an uncanny ability to find them!  Our capacity is only 8, so you’ll experience one on one teaching.  We’ll provide snacks, lunch and coffee.  Hurry before spaces fill up ~ Book before June 30th!  $275.00 per person

   .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

           Spring is my favorite time of the year for wildlife viewing..   As the snows are still deep in the mountains, many of the animals are still spending time in the lower valleys.   Finally we can walk on barren ground, putting our skis and snowshoes away to collect dust over the summer season.  Things in Jackson Hole have been quite wet over the past month.   This is great for the natural world as we are about to enter into our dry season.  This rain and snow has prompted the grasses and many different plants to start their seasonal growth.    

  The national elk refuge is showing hues of green as the elk are migrating into the surrounding mountains and up in elevation.    As these first shades of green appear it is time for new life to emerge.  The first large mammal wildlife species to calve are the Bison.  The first newborns were seen April 18^th in Grand Teton National Park as well as in Jackson Hole.   Bison calves at birth may weigh between 30-40 pounds and are weaned at about six months of age.                   

     Coyotes and wolves have pups in their dens; however, they won’t venture out of the dens for another week or two..   We are crossing our fingers that  some of the resident wolf packs will produce pups this year to add to our healthy population of wolves.   It’s great to have them back into this ecosystem.  They make for a healthy system in many ways.   They have helped benefit the fisheries in Yellowstone National Park, improved pronghorn antelope fawn recruitment,  and  helped increase the numbers of Beavers in the park.    

To find out how wolves have benefited the ecosystem as a whole, book a trip with EcoTour Adventures, and we will share our knowledge with you.     Over the past month we have observed many different species of wildlife on our EcoTours.     Enjoy the pictures that have all been taken in the past month of Wolves, Bison, Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, Bighorn Sheep, Moose, Elk, Eagles, and Osprey in Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National park.    Join us for a  wilderness wildlife safari  in Wyoming’s National Parks.                    

 ….

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

This winter has been alive with wildlife in the Jackson Hole Valley….  Winter is a wonderful time to experience this amazing area.     If you are here to ski, you have come to the right resort area.   The powder is deep and the lift lines are short.  

We have had a great winter so far with a total of 338 inches of total snow fall,  that’s over 28 feet of snow…  Our actual snow depth is about 7.5 feet.       Temperatures have ranged from 45 degrees to -25 degrees.    Typically if it is not snowing it is sunny and the views are incredible.     

While here don’t miss the opportunity to experience the wild lands of Western Wyoming.   Jackson is towards the center of the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 states.  Come out on a wildlife and park tour to experience and learn about why this place is so special.   

 On our snowshoe, wildlife, and park tours we have seen the complete spectrum of wildlife.    Some of the species of wildlife that we observed this winter include Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep,  Bison, Wolves, Coyotes, Bald and Golden Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Pine Martens, Ermines, Badgers, Porcupines,  Great Grey Owls, Whitetail, and Mule Deer.       Join us for a snowshoeing experience, a half day or full day wildlife Ecotour.  

Enjoy these pictures from past winter tours…

.

Join us for a winter wildlife sightseeing snowshoe tour.                      Sightings during past trips.        Rutting Big Horn Sheep, Moose, Elk, Bison, Prong Horn Antelope, Numerous Bald Eagles, Harrier hawks,   Mule Deer, Trumpeter Swans, Black Capped Chickadee, Ravens, Magpies, Clarks Nutcracker

   As the snow falls the animals start their struggle through the winter months.    Each species have their own way to cope with the cold temperatures and the accumulation of snow on the ground.       Elk are moving towards the National Elk Refuge.   The last count is 1200 elk on the southern portion of the refuge.   As the snow falls the elk move towards the lower elevations to find available forage.    Snow depth today (Mountains 29 inches)  Valley ( 4inches).     All summer long the refuge staff has been actively planting, growing and watering grasses to provide additional food for the elk.   As the snow increases in depth on the refuge the refuge personal will start to assess the winter grass availability.   Once the natural grass forage is no longer available (as the snow covers it) food pellets will be given to the elk to supplement their winter diet.   The Moose are in numbers now in the valley.    As the snow collects in the riparian habitats the moose are making their way to the sage flats.  The wind keeps the snow from collecting in these areas making travel easy.   One of the moose’s favorite winter snacks, the Antelope Bitterbrush, calls the sage flats their home.                   The Bull moose are about to drop their antlers for the winter months.     The largest bulls will drop them first and then the younger males will drop theirs about a month later.    Why carry those large antlers all winter long as they can weigh up to 50 pounds.     Calories are precious in the winter time.   Moose will eat up to 40 pounds of vegetation a day in the winter.  Unfortunately the cottonwood branches, willow and other shrubs have very poor nutritional quality this time of year and do very little for the moose.   The moose have hollow guard hairs that help keep them warm and a thick downy under fur that helps conserve calories.    If the snow gets so deep and the temperatures so cold moose may bed down and not move for considerable time (hours to days and maybe longer), to conserve energy.       

       Join us for some winter adventure activities. 

       The bighorn sheep are starting to move towards their winter range.   We have seen some of the ewes  or females within the Jackson Hole valley.  It’s typical for sheep to have multiple seasonal ranges within their home range.  Males may have up to six seasonal ranges while females have up to four ranges…  Male’s ranges include the rutting range, a pre-rut range, a spring range, a salt lick range, a summer range, and a winter range.  Female’s ranges may include the spring range, the lambing range, the summer range, and the winter range.   If I had to make an assumption, the rams or males are on their pre rut range.  This range is off of the high country where there is less snow, as there is up to two feet of snow in the high country at this point.   The females are moving towards their winter range, which brings them into view here in Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole.   The older individuals lead the migration to the different ranges.   These different migrations happen quickly over the course of a few days and have been happening on the same paths for centuries.            

          As we near the holidays, the rams will start fighting for ewes in estrus.  To find out who is the dominant ram, the two competing individuals will run at each other and clash heads in combat.   The collision may be heard from a mile away and sound as a gun has fired..          

      Bighorn sheep migrated to North America during the early Pleistocene era, about two million years ago.    Our ancestral sheep reached North America about 1 million years ago where they evolved into nine sill existing sub species.   Beringia was the location where these sheep crossed from Asia to North America.    

           As the rut comes closer we will be taking tours to find the combating sheep…    We will keep you posted on the happenings..   Call for a park wildlife tour to remember.  We are permitted in Grand Teton National park and offer wildlife tours in the Jackson Hole Valley.    We are also offering  winter wildlife snowshoeing tours this winter season as well.

  Gildart, Bert. 1999. Mountain Monarchs Bighorn Sheep. Northword Press, Minnetonka, Minnesota