Final Day in Jasper and Large Mammals

Bull Elk

On our last morning in Jasper, we started out again to find wildlife to photograph.  This day, we were lucky and came across some bull elk, who allowed us excellent pictures.  We also photographed a sunrise, as it hit the mountain peaks.

Bull Elk

Sun Hitting the Mountain Peaks

Although we searched again in the usual spots where Bighorn sheep are normally found none were located in the morning.  We stopped again for brunch, and one of our participants came and told us that the Bighorn sheep were right on the corner on route 16.  We went and photograph them.  The sheep were both down by the river and up on the ridge by the railroad tracks.  We climbed up and were photographing them.  There was approximately a total of 47 sheep with a young ram in charge of the flock.  They were good photo opportunities.  I enjoyed watching a kid walking on the railroad track.  The sheep were not afraid of us, and were used to the trains, in fact, when one train came and and the engine sounded the whistle, the sheep moved off of the tracks without any hesitation.

Big Horn Sheep Ram

Bighorn Sheep Yearling

Bighorn Sheep Ewe

Bighorn Sheep Ewe Running

Bighorn Sheep Ram Interested in a Ewe

Yearling Bighorn Sheep Tightrope Walking on the Railroad Track

Interesting part about the train, was most of the cars were covered with graffiti.

Graffiti on a railroad car

After we finished photographing the sheep, we again went looking for more animals and photographed again a number of elk.

Elk

Elk In the Golden Light

Although we did not find any large RAM Bighorn Sheep, or any Moose, I have to say the experience was wonderful and this area deserves a return visit.

Our building at the Lodge