Take the Low Road

With the end of my internship in sight, I was still denied a sighting, even a glimpse of a bear or wolf. I was starting to feel a little desperate. Researching and learning about these amazing creatures gave me nothing more than wanting to see them in the flesh, even if that meant just getting a glimpse without a photo as proof.  Wildlife sightings usually call for a road trip and some hiking, so yet again I hopped into the car and went on my merry way.

One of my favorite things to do is go on a road trip, and for me, the U.S. has been the ultimate when it comes to cruising the road. Pick a direction, take a map (if you want), set your time frame and have enough supplies to hold you over if you get a little side tracked. Oh, and don't forget your camera!

The U.S is a rather massive country and the easiest way to get around on the roads is by using the interstates. The U.S has a whopping 46,876 miles of Interstate highway. The downside is that by saving travel time, your drive will be rather tedious, stale and usually uneventful. 99% of the time, you'll pass many amazing sights.  By taking the low road now and again, you can happen upon amazing sights and unique places. There are so many great locations, small town and possible adventures waiting to be discovered. So really it's ok to get a little side tracked...now and again.

Sights we miss while driving on the highway.

For this road trip, I headed North in search of my predator sighting and anything else that  came along. So far whilst driving in Montana, something has usually caught my eye and I'll  never second guess to just pull off on the off ramp; you never know what fun things you might happen upon. This time a sign with "Prickley Pear" caught my eye and I knew I had to go and see what that was about. Patagonia had a color called Prickly Pear a few seasons ago. It was a shade of pear green and being Irish, I love green! It turns out that this time Prickley Pear was a creek and a very pretty one at that.

No prickley fruit here, just some good ol' fishing.

The creek is home to a variety of fish species including brook, brown, rainbow and west-slope cutthroat trout. Sadly, however, decades of timber harvest, mining, and water withdrawal have taken a heavy toll on Prickly Pear and many other creeks. Due to all of the stress from mining and timber harvest, many areas such as creeks, rivers and watersheds have been left contaminated. This contamination is so intense that people can't eat fish that they catch from many of these areas. A quick 'Google search' about these issues gave me a greater insight into other issues that Montana is faced with. Issues with Bear and Wolf numbers are one thing but if a great source like water is effected this can cause a dominoes effect with wildlife's main life source.  The government has taken the initiative  to help over the years by creating a Superfund, which is a federal law designated to help with the clean up of areas that have been left contaminated with toxins.  In such, it's a trust fund to aid locations that causes a possible public health threat and fund with the clean up process.

Wearing my Prickly Pear colored jacket at Prickley Pear Creek.

Many organizations are focused in helping to restoring and protecting river basins. One in particular that I found interesting is the Clark Fork Coalition.  They have worked with landowners, the public, scientists and business to help initiative the removal of dams, cleaning of derelict mines that have contaminated the waters and soil. Much of this can't be changed over night but with a strong strategy and dedicated determination through community-building, many of the effected rivers and basins will someday be renewed to their original state. Rivers hold such an incredible variety of wildlife, from vegetation to birds, insects, mammals and different species of fish. Wolves and bears love fish, with more of an abundant and rich food source at our rivers, predators could use this as another food source.  Hence less conflict with livestock.  Unfortunately no bear or wolf encounter for me at Prickley Pear this trip. Never the less, a clean river source equals biological and economical richness. So many great things to see in one spot. How boring would it be to come to river with nothing surrounding the banks, no life, nothing to embrace or remember.

For those of us who are fortunate enough to experience the great outdoors though camping, hiking, fishing or the good ol' fashioned road trip, lets not forget the minimal impact rule; 'Leave no trace'. In other words don't leave your rubbish laying around in a place that is not your home! Seems logic, tried and tested for generations but in today's society it seems that the generations are degenerative. The girl scouts follow this rule and so we all should.

Poop: Part Deuce

Megan and Pepin

In my earlier blog on the whole poop investigation in the name of science and research thing, I gave a run down on how scat samples can help to determine the location of predators and their surrounding habitats. We were unsuccessful with getting solid (no pun intended) poop evidence on the first trip. The following week; Megan, her dog Pepin and I headed back out into the field to a new location in the search for scat. We headed south to the Ruby Valley. This is a great location for avid fisher-folk and outdoor enthusiasts alike. It hosts many beautiful ranches, one being Ted Turner Enterprises, inc. When Ted is not making the news world go around, he's buying ranches like the Flying D Ranch and promoting habitat for abundant fish populations, allowing predators and the wildlife to do what they do best...be wild. Many locals don't like him, mainly because he could buy all the kittens in the world! Even though he has the funds for spoiling himself rotten, he does keep his property protected, ie. you ain't hunting in Ted's backyard. "Turner lands are managed in an innovative manner and work to partner economic viability with ecological sustainability". So that's enough about Ted.

Ruby Range

It was a clear day with no snow and we had a good feeling that we were going to find more predator evidence. Earlier in the year, there was a wolf pack that had been "taken out" or to be more blunt about it, they got the chop due to livestock predation. Usually when this happens, a new wolf pack will eventually move into that territory. Wildlife biologists consider wolves an “apex” predator, which refers to their role in maintaining a balance in nature. Wolves primarily hunt old, weak and sick animals in a herd; not the large, healthy animals. This is good for the overall health of elk herds and other game. Wolves also disperse elk, preventing them from over browsing vegetation and allowing smaller critters to survive.

As for the bears; they play an important role in forest ecosystems as seed dispersers and nutrient providers. Berry seeds pass through the bear unbroken and are able to germinate. Not only that, but they come with their own pile of fresh manure as fertilizer (oh the wonders of poop!).

Mr. Bear woz 'ere

Grizzlies also regulate prey populations and help prevent ungulate (hoofed wildlife) overgrazing. Studies in certain areas show that the removal of wolves and grizzly bears cause populations ungulates to increase, which decreases the density of vegetation in the area.  This is where the term 'Tropic Cascade' comes into play; predator, prey and vegetation. With eliminating keystone predators like wolves, bear and mountain lions, there is an increase in ungulates and thus, a decrease of plant density. This usually will led to a decrease in the population sizes of migratory birds and smaller critters who inhabit meadows and river banks.

Turd

Within a few minutes of heading on our way down a dirt road we spotted some carnivore looking scat and Pepin signaled by sitting beside it that it was wolf. Like CSI, we tagged and bagged it, and marked the location on our topography map via GPS (Global Positioning System). Not far further up was another find and it looked pretty fresh as there was urine to boot. The alpha male wolf likes to use dirt trail as an area to mark his presence, other members of the pack will usually do their business down on the embankment. This is the case for coyotes too. So this find was pretty neat just a mere 5 minutes into our field trip. Heading uphill through more dense vegetation we hoped to find more locations and get a better idea of predator location. There were plenty of cattle nearby who calmly grazed and obviously were not too bothered of wolves or coyotes in the area or us for that matter.

Intern and the Master

Our next find was under a tree. Pepin again signaled by sitting. This time it was bear scat and there were a couple of berry looking turds in the same area. This was indeed a chill out area for a bear, maybe two but bears like to run solo, unless it's a sow with cubs. We bagged, tagged and marked the location on the map. It was time to grant Pepin his reward; a psycho tugging on his tug toy. Pepin goes so crazy on his toy that if you are not aware of his strength you might get your arms ripped out of your shoulder sockets! After reward time, we moved on in search more 'predator treasures'!

Is that all you've got?!

Poop alert!

As we made our return back to our starting point, we hiked through more denser vegetation areas where we crossed many game trails that were well used. Different species will use the same trails as they usually lead to a good water source or a more vegetated are to feed on. This outing was the most rewarding and fun for me as I got to see some predator habitats and I know we were being watched by its inhabitants. By the time we got back, my pants looked like they got attacked by some out of water leeches. The image below will explain in full.

Attack of the bush "leeches"

Bears making the news

Don't drink and yell, it's not nice!

I love the police reports here in Bozeman!

Due North

Every weekend I have managed to pack a bag, the bike and tent, chuck 'em in the back of the car and head to a recommended place. Having no set plan has worked well for me with road trips; there's no expectation, and so far it's never been a let down. So about 3 weeks ago I figured I should head North, it's an easy route on the American highway system and you can't really get lost. I set my sights on Glacier National Park. Glacier is known for pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. This was a sure bet. Despite end of season closure having no information centers open, I would be missing the hordes of camper vans, tour buses and people being in my frame during photo time! Yeah...road trip!

With 325 miles ahead of me, I made an early start, got to see the sunrise on a pretty frosty morning. Sunrises are magnificent in the right area and a great way to start the day. So, get your booty out of that bed!

Sunrise at Deer Valley

Skittish Cows

Skittish Antelope

While heading north on I15 for awhile the boredom was relieved when I decided to hop onto route 287 and then finally route 89 which took me straight to Glacier. What a magnificent drive the whole way, Flathead National Park to the west which rolls into Glacier, sugar coated peaks the whole way and hardly any traffic along the road.

Heading to Glacier

St. Mary's Lake

The majority of early European explorers came to this area in search of beaver and other pelts. They were soon followed by miners and, eventually, settlers looking for land. Railways eventually came along which allowed more people to enter into the northwest and smalls towns emerged. Around the turn of the century, people started to look at this area differently. For some, this location held more than minerals to mine or land to farm, they began to recognize that the area had a unique scenic beauty all to its own. By the late 1800s, some influential homies pushed for the creation of a national park. It took some time and funds but eventually President Taft signed the bill establishing Glacier as the country’s 10^th national park. So there you have it, a brief history on a unique National Park.

Top of going-to-the-sun road

Dusty peak

Glacier National Park is not named so much for its small glaciers, but for the effect of larger (and I mean massive) glaciers in the past. Ten thousand years ago, the topography of Glacier looked pretty much the same as now. Before that, enough ice covered the Northern Hemisphere to lower sea levels 300 feet. In places near the park, ice was a mile deep. That's a lot of frozen water!

Glacier National Park's diversity of habitat types creates opportunities for a wide range of animals. Everything from elk of the prairies to the snow-white mountain goats that roam the rocky slopes.  Predator species such as the grizzly bear, gray wolf, elk, lynx, wolverine, cougar, mountain goat and bighorn sheep. These animals are more frequently seen than a grizzly bear, gray wolf, lynx, wolverine or cougar, but alas I did not see anything! Glacier does provides the core of one of the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 states. All these creatures and more are the keystone to a healthy ecosystem. The only thing I got to see were a few ground squirrels who can be noisy and nosy in the camp ground!

Don't feed the bears or the squirrels!

Picnic scenic

Storm rolling in

Well, no bear or wolf sighting on this trip. I still have a few weeks to go, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

In Search of Scat

For my first few weeks here at the Keystone Conservation office, I have researched articles on bears, wolves and mountain lions to gain a greater understanding of what my internship would entail. Apex predators are pretty fascinating, and are a keystone in our ecosystem. Without predators, the Ungulates ie. elk, moose and deer would eat so much vegetation, nothing would have time to replenish. Many Hunters and Ranchers beg to differ but that is a whole other ball game, one called politics and I found that you don't have to be running for office here in Montana to be involved in politics!

Local knowledge is key when you are one of more than two dozen conservation agencies trying to better situations for the wildlife. As a non-profit, you need to stand out from the crowd. Keystone implements practical solutions for wildlife conservation; they do not promote advocacy through litigation, as it causes more friction than the solutions it provides. Education is the key, and for those who don't understand the in-depth world of predators, Keystone helps give local residents and recreationists the tools they need to avoid conflicts with these predators. For example, being responsible for storage of trash while camping or at home, carrying bear spray while hiking or hunting in the back-country, maintenance of bird feeders and practical use of vegetation in our homes will deter bears. A program called Range Riders helps deter conflicts with wolves before they arise. Range Riders patrol Montana's open range on horseback. They use telemetry, herding, vigilant observation and non-lethal hazing techniques to keep wolves, bears and livestock safe.

We can't get away from the fact that there will always be hunters who hunt predators and that predators will be harvested by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Services to maintain a safe number of predators. Sadly, when predators like bears become habituated to humans and their food in National Parks, this causes conflicts which usually end in mortality for the bear. This is becoming more frequent in the news.

I have yet to see a bear or wolf in the back-country, I've got my fingers crossed that I will before I leave. I have gotten the opportunity to head out on some field days with Melly, who is a wildlife biologist and Program Director of Wolf Coexistence here at Keystone Conservation. As part of the field day research, Keystone partnered with Megan and her dog Pepin from Working Dogs For Conservation click here. By locating scat samples they are able to identify species’ presence, abundance, food habits, parasite loads, and habitat use. It's pretty interesting what information you can get from poop!

So, we headed about 2hrs south of Bozeman to the Gravelly Range in search of wolf scat. Not the perfect day in search of scat but you got to face some elements in the name of science!

Just what the sign says

The search of scat begins!

Blanketed Meadow

The Scat Scientists!

Megan, Melly and Pepin

Tug, tug, tug! Pepin's reward for finding scat!
 

When traveling through small towns...

On a quick note, when you travel through small towns, you are bound to find some interesting approaches in the marketing field.  I think my photos below will explain the best.

A common Montana slogan

No feeding or cleaning poop required!

Montana Magic

When working for a great company like Patagonia, the benefits go far beyond wearing fantastic gear. Patagonia not only takes great pride in their products, environmental footprint, and innovative ways to lead and improve better business etiquette, but really it's their employees that make the company that bit more special. As a full-time employee with over a year under my belt, I was able to apply to work with an environmental group whose cause I support in order to help them and broaden my own experiences. For my internship, I chose a non-profit called Keystone Conservation. They are based out of a wee office in Bozeman aka Boze Angeles, in the magic mountainous state of Montana.

Keystone Conservation click here focuses on coexistence with Predators like bears, wolves and mountain lions. They want to ensure that ranchers, along with backcountry users, know they are essential partners in their work of pioneering solutions. Together with people who work, live and recreate alongside predators, they create a path to coexistence.  

Why I chose Keystone: I have a great interest in Western farm culture. Coming from Ireland and being raised on a farm, I gained an understanding of the interaction between humans and animals, and I am fortunate to have been exposed to this environment to a degree that goes beyond what most youngsters experience these days. Common Irish predators such as the Red Fox or Ferret are somewhat smaller and possess less of a dominating appearance than the Grizzly Bear, Gray Wolf, or Mountain Lion. Irish predators are smaller and there's less conflict between then and farmers but it's still an issue. While I am familiar with some issues that US farmers and ranchers deal with, I haven't had any opportunity to familiarize myself with the US predators and the interaction they have with humans. Keystone appealed to me immensely as they create solutions to help people and predators coexist, and this is a chance for me to understand the Western US ecosystems beyond the level I ever experienced at home in Ireland.

 

I am on week 4 of 7. So, I may have gathered enough interesting information and photos to give you something to read when you need to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Stay posted every other day for updates!

Tobacco Root Mountains