Wolves & Bighorns on the Mountain
Alberta Wolf Story
Hunting Bighorns
6766 I was photographing this huge ram in Alberta, when he decided the grass was greener farther up the hill and left me. The bighorns in this area have abundant food as there are no domestic livestock allowed here.
6767 I spotted another large ram up the hill and I was trying to decide if he was worth the climb to try and get a photo, when I spotted a pack of four wolves watching him. I was able to get two of the wolves in the frame. I am in the same area that wolves were captured and taken to Yellowstone National Park.
6768 The wolves started stalking this unsuspecting ram. I could only get three of the four wolves in the frame they slowly moved toward the ram.
6769 The wolves are stalking this unsuspecting ram. He is just realizing that something is wrong.
6770 The wolves were stalking this unsuspecting ram. He turns to see the wolves and spends a moment deciding what to do. He bolts for the steep slope behind him and the wolves chase him.
6771 The wolves were stalking an unsuspecting ram. He runs for a steep rock face and joins two other rams that were already there.
6772 Two of the four wolves chase the bighorn ram. The other two wolves are content to just watch.
6773 The pursued ram joins two other rams in fleeing from the wolves. The upper ram is the large ram whose photo started this story.
6774 Two wolves are chasing three bighorn rams. They stop and watch when they realize the rams are easily getting away. The rock face was too steep for the wolves, but the rams had no trouble running on the slick surface. The rams in this area are some of the largest in the world. They thrive in the presence of wolves and in the absence of competing domestic livestock.
6775 The two wolves retreat after the bighorns escape. The silver gray wolf was a beautiful animal . The black wolf has his tongue hanging out. I have seen wolves in Yellowstone bypass bighorns to chase elk. Perhaps they have learned that bighorns are hard to catch.
6776 Two wolves of the wolves that did not chase the sheep pass below me as they move toward a patch of timber up the next slope.
6778 Two more wolves that did not chase the sheep pass below me. Wait a minute, the two wolves that chased the bighorns are still coming down the hill. There are six wolves in the pack!
6780 The black wolf crosses the slope below me. He still has foam on his chin from the chase.
6781 The black wolf howls to locate the other five wolves that have moved up hill out of sight. When the wolves howl, mule deer race from the trees and run for the high country. A nearby band of bighorns doesn't even look up when they hear the howls.
6792 I practice howling with the wolves and we carry on a wolf conversation for several minutes. Then a wolf howls behind me and this young black wolf comes to my howl, thinking I am the pack he is looking for. This wolf makes seven in the pack.
6811 I howl at this new black wolf and it stops to look at me,trying to figure out what I am. This wolf has a white spot on its chest just like its relatives in Yellowstone.
As this wolf ran up to the rest of the pack, it passed through a herd of bighorns. They simply moved out of the wolf's way and returned to grazing seconds after he was past them.
Hunting Bighorns
6766 I was photographing this huge ram in Alberta, when he decided the grass was greener farther up the hill and left me. The bighorns in this area have abundant food as there are no domestic livestock allowed here.
6767 I spotted another large ram up the hill and I was trying to decide if he was worth the climb to try and get a photo, when I spotted a pack of four wolves watching him. I was able to get two of the wolves in the frame. I am in the same area that wolves were captured and taken to Yellowstone National Park.
6768 The wolves started stalking this unsuspecting ram. I could only get three of the four wolves in the frame they slowly moved toward the ram.
6769 The wolves are stalking this unsuspecting ram. He is just realizing that something is wrong.
6770 The wolves were stalking this unsuspecting ram. He turns to see the wolves and spends a moment deciding what to do. He bolts for the steep slope behind him and the wolves chase him.
6771 The wolves were stalking an unsuspecting ram. He runs for a steep rock face and joins two other rams that were already there.
6772 Two of the four wolves chase the bighorn ram. The other two wolves are content to just watch.
6773 The pursued ram joins two other rams in fleeing from the wolves. The upper ram is the large ram whose photo started this story.
6774 Two wolves are chasing three bighorn rams. They stop and watch when they realize the rams are easily getting away. The rock face was too steep for the wolves, but the rams had no trouble running on the slick surface. The rams in this area are some of the largest in the world. They thrive in the presence of wolves and in the absence of competing domestic livestock.
6775 The two wolves retreat after the bighorns escape. The silver gray wolf was a beautiful animal . The black wolf has his tongue hanging out. I have seen wolves in Yellowstone bypass bighorns to chase elk. Perhaps they have learned that bighorns are hard to catch.
6776 Two wolves of the wolves that did not chase the sheep pass below me as they move toward a patch of timber up the next slope.
6778 Two more wolves that did not chase the sheep pass below me. Wait a minute, the two wolves that chased the bighorns are still coming down the hill. There are six wolves in the pack!
6780 The black wolf crosses the slope below me. He still has foam on his chin from the chase.
6781 The black wolf howls to locate the other five wolves that have moved up hill out of sight. When the wolves howl, mule deer race from the trees and run for the high country. A nearby band of bighorns doesn't even look up when they hear the howls.
6792 I practice howling with the wolves and we carry on a wolf conversation for several minutes. Then a wolf howls behind me and this young black wolf comes to my howl, thinking I am the pack he is looking for. This wolf makes seven in the pack.
6811 I howl at this new black wolf and it stops to look at me,trying to figure out what I am. This wolf has a white spot on its chest just like its relatives in Yellowstone.
As this wolf ran up to the rest of the pack, it passed through a herd of bighorns. They simply moved out of the wolf's way and returned to grazing seconds after he was past them.