GazOutdoors Blog

These photos arrived in the e-mail and were reportedly taken near Casper, Wyo.

According to the e-mail, the photographer lives on Casper Mountain, south of town, and had seen lion tracks in the snow on the deck behind their house. Then the neighbors told them they had seen a lion in their driveway.

Finally, they saw the feline culprit themselves, peaking in the sliding glass door and reclining serenely on the deck. It's probably a good perch to scan for deer that come into the yard to feed.

"This is one pretty good sized cat," the e-mailer wrote. "His apparent lack of fear or respect for people makes for an uncomfortable feeling when you go outside in the middle of the day. He appears to be in good condition."

Are mountain lion encounters on the rise with more people living in these so-called urban-rural interface areas? Or are there just more animals because there seems to be more of their preferred food - deer?

Dan Licht realizes that wolves are a polarizing issue. Folks seem to either see them as the "devil dog" or as warm, cuddly creatures. (Unfortunately, Licht got back to me after I'd already filed a story on his paper that appeared in today's Gazette Outdoors section, Feb. 4, 2010.)

So when Licht and some fellow biologists authored a paper suggesting wolves be considered to thin ungulates in areas where hunting is not allowed, such as national parks, he knew the idea would take some heat.

"It definitely comes with its baggage," he said, adding that the baggage gets in the way of facts on both sides of the issue.

When asked by someone whether he was pro- or anti-wolf, Licht said he considered and then answered he's neither. He said he's pro-ecosystem, and wolves as predators are part of a healthy ecosystem.

He got the idea for a limited release of wolves to control game when he visited South Africa. Liking the concept, he thought that the U.S. needed to try something similarly innovative.

He acknowledged any change won't happen soon, the paper he co-authored is just planting the seed.

"We think it will take time for people to chew on it," he said. "But it should be discussed and seriously considered."

By stealing away 100 consecutive days in a row, photographer Chris Peterson was able to catalog some impressive images of Glacier National Park in 2009.

Peterson will publish the collection in "Glacier Park Magazine" in March, a celebration of the park's first 100 years. He plans to tour an exhibit of the photos, as well. Peterson, in addition to shooting the photos, is the magazine's editor. He also has a day job as a photographer for the Hungry Horse News in Columbia Falls.

His project started on May 1 and continued through Aug. 9. In that short time span, he captured an impressive array of photos depicting the park's flora, fauna and bird life. He detailed the journey on his blog, relaying the particulars behind some unusual wildlife encounters.

Check out the blog for a beautiful glimpse of Glacier. The magazine would make a great gift for a family member or friend who loves mountains and wildlife.

From the department of DUH!, a new Canadian study has found that helmets reduce the risk of head injury among skiers and snowboarders by 35 percent. What's more, they say wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding does not increase the risk of neck injury. The study was done by the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

The report comes on the heels of a study by the National Ski Areas Association that found helmet usage among skiers and riders nationwide increased 12 percent in the 2008-09 season compared to the previous season.

"Last season, 48 percent of all skiers and riders were wearing a helmet at the time of being interviewed, up from 43 percent during the 2007-08 season. In comparison, only 25 percent of skiers and snowboarders wore helmets during the 2002-03 season."

According to the Canadian study, "Estimates from numerous countries indicate that head injuries account for up to 19 percent and neck injuries up to 4 percent of all injuries reported by ski patrols and emergency departments. Traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and serious injury among skiers and snowboarders."

In a state where helmets aren't mandated for motorcycle riders, the idea of wearing a "skid lid" on the ski slopes may seem ridiculous. But with the high cost of health care, a helmet is a cheap insurance policy.

Snowflakes as big as 50 cent pieces were falling in Billings Sunday morning, and I seriously debated not going through with a planned hike up the Stillwater River into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

With my sense for adventure overcoming my common sense (a common occurrence) I set out with my friend Tom anyway. It would be a good reminder of our Scandanavian roots, I rationalized.

The roads were icy in spots, and downright snow-covered between Columbus and Absarokee. But by the time we got past Fishtail, the weather and road had cleared and the snowy Beartooth Mountains were visible above a hemline of gray clouds skirting the mountains' midrift.

The trail going in to Sioux Charley Lake was only lightly covered with snow. The roaring canyon section of the Stillwater River was largely muffled beneath layer upon layer of thick blue and gray ice topped with a snow-white frosting. Entire waterfalls were encased. In places, it looked like you could run across the 20-yard width of the river atop the ice ... if you were bold and stupid. At one spot, the belly sliding tracks of a river otter slithered atop the snow before dropping into a pool.

By the time we reached Sioux Charley, the snowfall picked up pushed by a north wind. With our backs to the breeze, we built a small fire, warmed some water on a camp stove and sipped international Swiss coffee while my toes got so hot that I could smell my boot rubber burning. The view was incredible - the light and clouds shifting across Cathedral Point to the southwest and Twin Peaks to the southeast.

It was a great way to celebrate the last day of January 2010. And now I've vowed to visit the other big front range drainages in winter - the East and West Rosebud. Stay tuned.