Lone Journey

Winter in Yellowstone National Park is a unique experience. The winter is harsh and the wildlife tends to travel on the few plowed roads in the park, as the roads are easier to travel on, rather than the animals breaking a new trail through deep snow. So visitors usually can see a good deal of wildlife while driving the roads.

From the road, we had spotted coyotes a number of times, but they were always out of range for the frame-filling image I wanted. On the last day of our winter trip to Yellowstone, we were driving through Lamar Valley, in the northeastern part of the park. We spotted a lone coyote approach us on the side of the road. We stopped the car and watched as he passed beside us, barely glancing at us as he walked by. We did not want to cause him to alter his behavior, so we did not approach him. Once he was far enough past us, I got out of the car, rigged up my camera and 500 mm lens and was ready to go. He was by then far enough away that walking on the road would not stress him.

Camera and lens in place, I set my exposure and cautiously started off in the direction he had gone. I noticed he had left the road and was traveling along an animal path though a snowy sage patch. I could see him about 100 feet off the road and he appeared to be digging for something in the snow. At this distance, I could not see what the prey was. After a few minutes, he lifted his head and made eye contact with me; I felt a connection to him. I sensed he would use the trail to return to the road. But he didn't move. I realized I was standing at the point where the trail intersected the road. If I didn't move, he would not come back to the road; I stepped away to a safe distance, positioned my equipment, pre-focused on the point where the trail met the road and waited. Within a few minutes the coyote appeared, filling the frame in the viewfinder of my camera. This is the shot I wanted; I blasted away.