May 18, 2012
Grizzly Bear in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yesterday was my eighth day in Yellowstone National Park and it was a another great day for bear photography. First thing in the morning, I photographed the Black Bear sow with two yearling cubs from the previous evening, but this time there was wonderful light. Then it was quiet for most of the rest of the day and I even considered calling it a day around dinner time after it had been dark and cloudy for an hour or so and then a thunderstorm rolled in. However, I checked one more location for bears and the Grizzly sow and two two-year-olds were out. By that time there was just light rain and I decided to stick around and wait to see where they'd go because they had come really close to the road a couple of days ago. They didn't come closer and just as I was going to leave to look elsewhere, I got a tip from a ranger that two bears were out down the road. By the time I got to the first one, the show was practically over and I didn't get any good shots of the Grizzly Bear. I continued heading down the road to find the other bear and was surprised to find a Black Bear out about where the ranger said the first bear would be. I photographed it foraging among the downed trees then left to find the official second bear that the ranger mentioned. It was the Grizzly Bear in the image above, and it was within 25 yds (23 m) of the road with only one other car stopped for it! I started photographing it from the car and it wandered away from the road across the open meadow (see above), then continued foraging among a clump of evergreens and downed trees about 70 yds (65 m) from the road. More cars came and I continued watching the bear until it headed away into the forest around sunset. What a great bear! On the way back to the RV, the Black Bear was still out, the first Grizzly Bear was back out, and a Beaver was out. I was sure glad I had stayed out for the evening!