Who can resist the charm of clumsily cute baby animals? During the spring and summer, Yellowstone visitors who are on the lookout for wildlife may catch a glimpse of young animals and their playful antics. We’ve rounded up a few tips to increase the likelihood that you might spot baby animals during your park visit:
Black bears
A mother
black bear gives birth to one to four cubs in the winter, and they will emerge
together from the den in April or May. Cubs start practicing climbing trees as
soon as they are strong enough, as they are not fast enough to outrun
predators. Look for black bears in open spaces within or near forested areas.
Where to see: Mammoth, Tower and Northeast Entrance
Grizzly bears
Like black bears, mother grizzlies emerge from their dens in April or May with one to four cubs. Grizzly cubs generally stay with their mothers for two years, however weaning of one- to three-year-old cubs also occurs.
Where to see: Spring – Yellowstone Lake, Fishing Bridge, Hayden and Lamar valleys, Swan Lake Flats and the East Entrance. Summer – Meadows between Tower-Roosevelt and Canyon, and in the Hayden and Lamar valleys
Bison
Bison cows give birth to single calves in late April or May. The reddish-brown calves, nicknamed “red dogs,” can keep up with adult bison only two to three hours after birth, and they are well protected by their mothers and other members of the herd. Look for calves with bison herds in open, grassy areas all over the park.
Where to see: Mammoth, Lamar and Hayden valleys, West Entrance, Madison, Norris and Old Faithful
Elk
Elk cows
give birth to single calves, weighing around 30 pounds, in May or June. Elk
calves can walk within an hour of birth, and are often seen in a “nursery
group” of cow elk and calves, separated from bull elk. Elk herds can be seen
throughout the park. In the heat of mid-day they are most likely to be seeking
shade under large trees.
Where to see: Gardiner, Mammoth and along the Madison River
Viewing tips
Mammal
mothers are very protective and will not hesitate to charge anyone they
perceive as threatening their babies. Always stay at least 100 yards away from
bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals.
Avoid the
temptation to inch closer; instead, bring binoculars or a spotting scope. For
your best chance of spotting park wildlife—especially bears—plan your outing
for dawn or dusk, and consider a wildlife-watching tour such as Yellowstone Day
Adventures provided by Yellowstone Forever.
Christine Gianas
Weinheimer lives in Bozeman and has been writing about Yellowstone for 17
years.
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
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We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.