Grizzly

Now and then, I think photography would be a lot easier if I shortened my list of photography subjects that I like to take pictures of. I would have a lot less to carry if I just took landscape pictures or just flowers. Or maybe just take pictures of birds; I can find them year-round. Or how about just predators? I can spend a lot more time watching out for them and getting better pictures with more opportunities. But I would be tired of sitting on my butt while waiting.

Over the last number of years, more of my free time has been spent focusing on things close to where I live and learning even more about the nature that is found within this place. Occurring naturally as I started realizing what I wanted to read, listen to, and watch documentaries happened to be about the area and species I’m directly familiar with. In this small part of the world, which is not that small, there is so much to see and learn. Just yesterday, I started reading “Grizzly Bear Science and the Art of a Wilderness Life” by Bruce McLellan. Even after reading the first couple of chapters last evening, I learned something new about this big guy and all the other bears like him.

Life is a lot easier when you know what you like and, just as important, what you don’t. But you still want to be challenged in life, both physically and mentally. Mentally, there is so much to learn about the subjects I like to take pictures of. There is no magic camera that can replace learning. Not only do I get to challenge myself on getting better pictures of the various subjects but I also learn how they are all connected. As for the physical part, what better way to stay active and healthy than to keep getting out there to enjoy nature and get pictures of all the moments I come across.

Now, regarding this picture. Before anyone asks if this grizzly, M122, is still up. This last fall, after spending a lot of time outdoors exploring, I was able to see him soon after one of our few snowfalls. It was in the second half of November, and I think a few days later he called it a season. For the last several years in the Bow Valley, the bear season starts when he wakes up and finishes when he goes to bed. If that pattern continues, the next bear season will start in a few months.

Grizzly

With wildlife I have little to no control with what type of image I’ll be coming back with, or even if I’m going to get an image. Every time I go outside, it’s with the hope of enjoying the outdoors and perhaps I’ll come back with a few good images. I’m happy with one good image. If I could control everything in front of me, I would always get the pictures I want. Knowing that’s not possible, I had to change my mindset and challenged myself to find an image of the wildlife that I will like in all sorts of situations. An ideal picture for most is the bear clearly in view and looking toward you when the picture is taken. I have seen many for whom the picture is more important than the animals, they will whistle, yell, honk their horns and more to get the wildlife to look toward them for an image. Often having a good day and getting a good picture is about mental attitude. Every day when I go out, I have very little control of what the world is going to do, but all the control how I’m going to react to it. Same goes for this bear’s picture. I tried to play no role with what the bear was going to do next, But I saw a good image of the situation in front of me, I took the image that I liked, reminding me what the mood of the moment was when I saw this bear walking on the side of the road.

Grizzly

Why did the grizzly cross the road? Joke aside, in regards to this adult male grizzly, why did he show up in the front country. He might have crossed valleys, passes and more to get where he was spotted in the Bow Valley one evening. Eating berries, which at least in the front country, are everywhere. Which is very good news for the two species of bear and all those other members of the wildlife who consume berries.

Every season few bears get spotted in the front country that did not or do not call it home. Often during mating season large males show up looking for mates, this year was no exception. I saw one very large male who I had not seen before, courting a female that spends her time between the front and back country. 

During the berry season, bears are willing to travel to get the calories they need to survive the coming winter. Perhaps the valley he calls home, the berry crop there is not as good, so in search for food could have led him into the Bow Valley. With plenty of food for a number of weeks, its worth for this bear to be in an unfamiliar land, avoiding larger males. Just so he can put on weight for the deep sleep, he will go into this fall.

Or, he could have been looking for a new home, a place where making a living is easier than where he’s from. Time may provide some answers or it may not, nature is full of mysteries. For now, he’s a healthy bear, with no visible battle scars and is getting lots to eat. 

Grizzly

I was heading back to the town of Banff after another fun day, I decided I needed to look for mountain goats first. As I was getting ready to make a right turn on the highway, I looked across, saw vehicles stopped and folks looking through the fence. Just by the reaction, it looked as if they were looking at something large and it was heading east. I kept that in mind as I went to look for goats. No goats, I headed for the town, did some birding and with just over an hour left before sunset. I decided to go and take sunset pictures, but first I wanted to see what folks were looking at along the highway, it might have been a bear and see if it came onto the side road.

Luck was on my side, it was a large grizzly and he decided to take the side road. It was taking its time, walking on and along the road. I backed up and called Banff Dispatch, if the bear kept going east, in about a km it would come across about 20 or more photographers near the road getting ready to watch and take pictures of the sunset. Knowing the road well, I watched the bear from a few hundred meters away. He was not in a hurry, taking his time. There was one small vehicle behind him, with three ladies from the states inside. They were going in the same direction and were afraid to drive by the bear. They kept the windows closed and were excited and afraid, even more when we later had a chat about the grizzly M126.

The bear after defecating on the middle of the road, went into the woods and it seemed he was not coming back out. I updated dispatch with what I saw and told them I was taking sunset pictures soon and would update them if anything changed. Now I had to make a decision, about half a km away was a large grizzly bear, I was parked 10 meters away from where I wanted to take a picture. There was still about 30 minutes before the sunset, but with the clouds moving in, the time was now. My car facing the direction where the bear would be coming from, set my camera in the car to go out, take a picture and back in my car. About 100 meters away were the rest of the people, with no idea about the grizzly. Just as I opened the car door, the grizzly came around the turn, walking the middle of the road. That evening there were going to be no sunset pictures for me, I took the attached picture and then backed my car toward the other photographers to let them know. Saw flashing light, help had arrived. Two wildlife colleagues who were having a busy evening, rolled down their windows, both smiling. As we all looked at the large grizzly walking middle of the road toward us, one said, “Amar, so where is this bear you call about”. I smiled, looked at M126, 12 to 15 years of age and easily over 400 lbs. “it’s that small cub walking toward us.”

Black Bear

It seems the black bears are tired this summer being 2nd best. They are out there in force, being spotted regularly in the front country for several weeks now. Colleagues dealing with wildlife calls dealing with young, old and mothers with cubs. Black bears are doing far better and have greater numbers and can be found in far more places across North America. More of the visitors who visit the mountains have seen a black bear already, far fewer have ever come across a brown bear in their life. Brown bears have far smaller range from their historic land they called home. The brown bear here in Banff as many other places is studied, to help them be more successful on the landscape. And when grizzlies are successful on the landscapes, it also means a vast amount of flora and fauna are doing very well on the same land. I always have to remind myself, the black bear does not care that the grizzlies are getting more attention, they only care that they have a place where they can be wild. Here’s a beautiful black bear that was easily moving through an area that needed two prescribed burns to help create habitat that both bears can call home.

Black Bear

I came across this black bear sitting down and enjoying buffalo berries.