Yellowstone-Past and future?
Jun 16, 2019 11:48:04 #
Cuddling up to bull bison and bears with cubs? What has Yellowstone become? Training ground for Darwin awards?
Jun 16, 2019 12:04:07 #
Wolves have pretty much eliminated elk photography in Yellowstone and Grand Teton and it really "pisses me off".
Jun 16, 2019 12:14:45 #
Jun 16, 2019 13:08:19 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
wdcarrier wrote:
My first trip to Yellowstone was in 1969. I start... (show quote)
Thank you for the marvelous images.
I share your feelings. I first went to Yellowstone in 1970 and lived a couple of hours away for 30+ years. I have spent about a year of wonderful time in total in Yellowstone over the intervening years, including many backpacking and boating/camping trips with my wife and friends.
I have moved further away. My last visit was in 2015 with my wife. I lost her in 2018, haven’t gone back since, and doubt I will again for the reasons you mention. Perhaps the biggest blow was finding them converting some of the outhouses to be squatted on vs. having a toilet seat.
Jun 16, 2019 14:01:13 #
Kaib795
Loc: Maryland, USA
wdcarrier wrote:
We can close this case for many by having you take a look at this NPS photo. The subject in the foreground is a female grizzly bear.
I don't get it why people get so close to such big animals? Sadly when the animal strikes out and attacks, the rangers track them down and kill them. I remember seeing a video of a guy taking pictures of a young bull elk and got too close and it charged him and though it only pushed him around and he was not hurt, they killed that animal too. It was during that animals rut season and all of the elk are on edge. These issues are told to the visitors but they think if it's not a meat eater they can get real close. Well it doesn't work that way. These are big animals that need respect. They could kill you but most do not. So why not save you life and the animals but keeping a proper distance, it's that simple.
Jun 16, 2019 14:02:19 #
Jun 16, 2019 15:31:53 #
Jun 16, 2019 15:48:35 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
wapiti wrote:
Wolves have pretty much eliminated elk photography in Yellowstone and Grand Teton and it really "pisses me off".
Me too. Reduced the elk herd by 90% and changed their behavior. Brought to you by lawyers from DC and CA. They should have put them in Rock Creek Park in DC. Not in my backyard.
The approved EIS was for 100 wolves in three states. Thanks to lawyers we have over 3,000 in ID, MT, and WY. Each kills 22 elk per year. Plus outside the park they kill sheep and cattle.
I have my tag and keep my rifle handy should they come after the elk that frequent my back yard.
I feel lucky to have experienced Yellowstone whilexmy sons were growing up.
Jun 16, 2019 15:52:11 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
wilsondl2 wrote:
My first trip was in 1948. Other than a gravel parking lot Old Faithful looks the same. We saw 32 Bears. -Dave
In 1948?
Even though there are many more Grizzley now (also eating the few remaining elk) you are unlikely to see them through the Asian Invasion.
Jun 16, 2019 16:13:35 #
sb wrote:
I am happy to see people actually seeing nature and developing an appreciation for nature - THEY will advocate for nature for the rest of their lives. It is those - like our president - who have never actually taken a walk through a stunning national park that cannot appreciate them.
Being a man, I can appreciate the act of giving birth even though I'm not capable of doing so. With your thinking, there should be no National Geographic documentaries, or even photos of places and things that cannot be seen in person (case in point, this forum). I fervently hope more people appreciate nature no matter what avenue is taken.
Jun 16, 2019 16:29:53 #
wdcarrier wrote:
We can close this case for many by having you take a look at this NPS photo. The subject in the foreground is a female grizzly bear.
Sad indeed
Jun 16, 2019 17:15:09 #
wdcarrier wrote:
We can close this case for many by having you take a look at this NPS photo. The subject in the foreground is a female grizzly bear.
Your photos are wonderful. I always wanted to go to Y park but probably won't make it anymore at my age. The traffic would also be a problem. Do they have charter busses that will take you through?
Jun 16, 2019 18:20:41 #
Jun 16, 2019 18:40:54 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
Toby wrote:
Your photos are wonderful. I always wanted to go to Y park but probably won't make it anymore at my age. The traffic would also be a problem. Do they have charter busses that will take you through?
For sure. Tour busses are a big part of the problem. Most parking areas aren’t designed for them and many attractions too small for their hoards.
Yellowstone is eventually going to need to transition to busses only as Zion and Grand Canyon do. But it is so much larger that is problematic.
I’d like to see them try what Acadia National Park does: one way on the major loop roads. That will reduce the effect of most of the animal jams that stop traffic in both directions, as in the picture. Although you’ll still get the idiots in the road, as in the picture.
At this point, as with most politicians, they are substituting study for action:
https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/news/17042.htm
PS: graph misleading due to not starting scale at zero. And labels are wrong: the data are the actual numbers, not the change in numbers. Plus I don’t get how more staff would solve the traffic problem. The staff drive around too.
Somewhat misleading graph
Jun 16, 2019 18:42:05 #
Really nice head shots. Try going in the off-season and even in the winter. I was there in Jan. '05 and in the morning at an Old Faithful eruption there was another fellow and myself. Winter is a great time for wildlife too.
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