Album Wildlife

As some of you recall during the summer of 2016 @Scott Chandler worked at Katmai National Park. During that summer I became acquainted with the webcams so I became familiar with the bears and that weird community of bearcam viewers. Today marked the end of the 2018 Fat Bear Contest which judges which bears were most successful at preparing for the long winter ahead. Here are the finalist!

RUNNER UP is 747. He is considered the 2nd most dominate bear at Brooks Falls. As such he is seen as bossy and aggressive. In the past he never got much love in this year end contest because of being seen as a bully. He doesn't bring in the cute and cuddly vote. Plus it is said "he is such a big bear to begin with so his weight gain is discounted.....big boned". But this year he could not be ignored. You couldn't dismiss his girth.
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The WINNER is --- 409 Beadnose

She began the season with cubs in tow. Once they were emancipated she could be seen daily at the lip of the falls. Snatching those Salmon out of the air one after the other. Who could forget seeing her holding her ground while 128 tried to nudge he out of her spot. (Once 409 slipped off the falls and 128 stepped right in.....it was hilarious.) She packed on the weight knowing that, chances are, next season she will have new cubs at her side that she will need to provide for. See you again in this contest in 3 years. (She was a Fat Bear winner in 2015)
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409 winning got me to reminiscing. She is a BEAUTIFUL bear in my opinion. Those pale ears!

She is also such a prolific bear that she is a hilarious mother. She'll travel a few hundred yards leaving her cubs behind. She'll also snub her cubs if she needs to eat. She acts like a pro with youngins.

That picture of her sitting there so fat brings me so much mirth. It's awesome.

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Wow, that's Beadnose? I watched her fall off the falls and became quite entranced with her a few years ago when I was watching the cams because of being stuck inside (broken bone). She's quite the character. And I'm also familiar with 747, he always fshed over away from the camera on the far side, IIRC, and seemed pretty grumpy when he didn't catch a fish, would try to steal others'. What fun it was watching them.
 
@Rockskipper I whispered to her but she wouldn’t come any closer.

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These fellas were looking for handouts at Robber's Roost Flats yesterday evening. I thought maybe they even wanted a ride. They were part of a group of 22 wild burros grazing right alongside some cattle.

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And this guy scared the S**T (that's "snot") out of me today in Horseshoe Canyon. I accidentally snuck up on him near a spring surrounded by thick tamarisk, and when he noticed me about 50 feet away he bucked and snorted and startled me maybe the worst I've ever been startled.

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Udink said:
And this guy scared the S**T (that's "snot") out of me today in Horseshoe Canyon. I accidentally snuck up on him near a spring surrounded by thick tamarisk, and when he noticed me about 50 feet away he bucked and snorted and startled me maybe the worst I've ever been startled.

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Doesn't help that it looks like a demon with that pale except for around the eyes fur. I'd run like the wind if I saw that. Anywhere, not just the wild. It gives me the willies through the computer.
 
Rockskipper said:
I bet she was a little hard of hearing. She sure looks friendly.
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Actually she was all of 15 yards from me when I first spotted her but she was in the brush. As I crossed the next switch back I looked back and she had moved into a clearing so I could take the long shot.


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We have been hiking for two weeks in Utah, amazing. Lots of hikes in Capitol Reef NP and that area, then in Natural Bridges, Cedar Mesa to see some cool ruins in Bear's Ear National monument. We then drove into the Needles Canyonlands Sunday morning, we passed newspaper rock and soon after a cat crossed the road. Whoa.... We backed up and there it was.
A Bobcat.... Lit up by the sun we did a stare down contest for 10 mins. Awesome, we have never seen one.
But.....Where was the telephoto lens when you need it? Back in the motel in Moticello, because we never see any wildlife....:rolleyes:

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Not so long ago we saw the Bobcat on our way to the Needles. Yesterday I saw lots of Bighorn sheep.
After playing pingpong and doing lots of kids stuff in Denver for a week, I went on a solo 12-13 mile hike yesterday into Waterton Canyon, close to Denver.
Its mating season for Bighorn now and there was lots of action, just a few miles into the canyon.
The Rams were sniffing the ewes and chasing the poor ladies around. The ewes seemed more interested in eating grass!
Sorry- just iPhone photos:

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Finally the Bighorn ewe gave up and let him sniff up close ...
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The same Bighorn Ram eventually walked down the road and came within a few feet from two photographers who were looking the other way through huge telephoto lenses at Rams climbing up high.
I yelled, “guys, watch out to the left of you”!.... they turned and were stunned to see a Ram just next to them.
Im guessing the Bighorn came down late afternoon to drink water from the river running parallel with the access road to the dam.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
 
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Perry said:
Nothing serious. He just wasn't going to give his ground and started walking toward me.
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You need a t-shirt that says "Moose Whisperer," and you can open your coat and reveal the words when necessary, kind of like Superman does, and get immediate respect. If he'd known that even moose step aside for you, he would've quickly moved.

Maybe it could be added to the BCP swag and we could all piggy-back on your reputation. :)
 
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Rockskipper said:
You need a t-shirt that says "Moose Whisperer," and you can open your coat and reveal the words when necessary, kind of like Superman does, and get immediate respect. If he'd known that moose step aside for you, he would've quickly moved.

Maybe it could be added to the BCP swag and we could all piggy-back on your reputation. :)
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Hehe!

Problem is I fear I'm living on borrowed time.
 
Perry said:
Hehe!

Problem is I fear I'm living on borrowed time.
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I think a t-shirt would change that. And we all know that animals can read. If not, why do they always hang out at the "Warning- wildlife ahead" signs?
 
Titans said:
We have been hiking for two weeks in Utah, amazing. Lots of hikes in Capitol Reef NP and that area, then in Natural Bridges, Cedar Mesa to see some cool ruins in Bear's Ear National monument. We then drove into the Needles Canyonlands Sunday morning, we passed newspaper rock and soon after a cat crossed the road. Whoa.... We backed up and there it was.
A Bobcat.... Lit up by the sun we did a stare down contest for 10 mins. Awesome, we have never seen one.
But.....Where was the telephoto lens when you need it? Back in the motel in Moticello, because we never see any wildlife....:rolleyes:

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Good one. What a treat! Never say never...
 
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