Living with wildlife in north Idaho

[pz]

These photographs are not that good, but considering the subjects and their closeness, the lack of quality is understandable.  However, the wildlife is recognizable
Click image to zoom, click again to dismiss
This black bear mom and her cub were making themselves at home on our side deck

Mom is in the back yard, while baby is still at the side of the house

Momma moose and her twins are in the back yard near the pizza oven

Double Mint gum anyone?

I sure am enjoying your groceries!

Gimme kisses!

[drholly]

Great shots. What a wonderful place to live!

[pz]

Thanks, and I think so too, but don't ask my wife - she had the fence guys come in and install 8-foot high deer fencing around most of the back yard - she is sick and tired of the deer and moose eating her garden 

The fence is working nicely, but I was weed chopping yesterday and a moose was walking calmly up my driveway - she didn't even bat an eye that I was standing 30 feet from her as she trudged toward the back yard.

[Dakota Don]

WOW, I didn't realize you had moose that far south of the Canadian border?  Are they migrating that way, or have they been there for many years? Be careful, don't trust them 'laid back' looking creatures... there are several stories from back in North Dakota and Montana (my home country) about people being mauled (sometimes fatally) by a moose.

[drholly]

Several years ago I was driving my sister from California to North Dakota. We were heading toward Island Park on the Henry's Fork late at night. I was driving and half asleep when we came on a huge moose standing in the road. I managed to stop the truck & trailer without crashing and we watched the moose walk off the side of the road.

We spent the night in Island Park - I did some fly fishing in Henry's Fork and we thought for awhile just to stay. An absolutely beautiful part of the world!

[pz]

WOW, I didn't realize you had moose that far south of the Canadian border?  Are they migrating that way, or have they been there for many years? Be careful, don't trust them 'laid back' looking creatures... there are several stories from back in North Dakota and Montana (my home country) about people being mauled (sometimes fatally) by a moose.

They've been here for as long as I have, which is a quarter century - however, they seem to be on the increase in recent years in our back yard.

I never trust a moose BigDon; although the pics look like I was right next to them, I was using a wide angle zoom lens.  My wife was born in Alaska when it was still a territory, and her father still lives there - the stories go that even a grizzly will not attack an angry bull.

KEWL !!
you've got a zoo in the backyard 

It is kind of cool to see the rare wildlife - saw a gorgeous red fox a couple of weeks ago 

Several years ago I was driving my sister from California to North Dakota. We were heading toward Island Park on the Henry's Fork late at night. I was driving and half asleep when we came on a huge moose standing in the road. I managed to stop the truck & trailer without crashing and we watched the moose walk off the side of the road.

They can be daunting creatures - when in a car, they tower above you.  If you accidentally ran into one, your car would merely sweep their legs from beneath them and you'd have a moose in your lap.  It is doubtful that you would survive such an encounter.

[Dakota Don]

Several years ago I was driving my sister from California to North Dakota. I was driving and half asleep when we came on a huge moose standing in the road. I managed to stop the truck & trailer without crashing and we watched the moose walk off the side of the road.

Well Dave, I'm sure you realize that had you hit that moose it would have gotten up and walked away after the crash, as for you and your sister, maybe not.  :'(
An eighteen wheeler hit a moose North of Rugby, ND back when I was a teenager, it threw the truck in the ditch, driver was killed, and the moose limped off into the woods.  Makes you wonder what they are made of.    But we sure are GLAD you woke in time and got stopped. Yes, staying awake when driving in the foothills of the Rockies is very challenging, unless you've had the chance to live in the area for at least 6 months to adjust to change in elevation.  I used to fight that a lot when DJing in Great Falls, Montana.

[veryolddog]

That is wonderful. I am green with envy. What a wonderful place to live.

I inherited a place in NE New Mexico from my Dad who acquired this in 1930. It is a 5000 acre ranch contiguous to the Santa Fe National Forest. Hopefully, after I have hip replacement surgery, I plan on spending 4 to 6 months there every year.
































I was standing in the field just looking at the land and admiring the peace and serenity of the whole environment when I turned around to walk back to my truck and I saw this big fellow staring me in the face about six feet away from me. He was a 1200 pounder for sure. I backed away, took his picture and we both nodded at each other and I drove off.




This is self sustaining land as I lease it for cattle grazing and hay production. The State has been after me to sell it, but I will not do this. The wild horses roam this property and they just want to kill them. Besides, there is natural gas under this property. When the anti fossil fuel people are driven from power, then the drilling can begin and it will still be a safe home for the animals.

Ed

[mikecorn.1]

great pics, I would post some pics of my place but you would just be looking at my back yard fence and the street in the front. Wildlife consists of birds and the occasional dog being walked by neighbors.  :'(

[Keymaster]

Great Pictures!! Thanks for sharing

[Smokin Don]

Great photos pz and Ed!!! Thanks for sharing, love the wild life. Don

[muebe]

       

[sliding_billy]

Great pics.

[Jaxon]

I didn't know cougars could be so cuddly...

[pz]

Dang, Ed, I'm the one green with envy!  What a fantastic place you have, and it sounds like you're managing it very nicely

I don't have pics of cougar, but I saw some very large cat footprints in the snow at the end of my driveway last winter - they were spaced at approximately 8-10 feet apart.  Evidently this cat uses our private road for his ingress/egress - he/she must know something about easements