Category Archives: Wildlife

Lethal Farm Animals or Incomplete Research?

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Are farm animals the most lethal animals in the United States? Did you know that cats and raccoons are farm animals? So says a report published in the Journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. Outside Online first brought my attention to this report when it published this article referencing the actual report which you can read here for $35 or a $144 annual subscription (or go to a public library like I did). The point of the article is to make recommendations about where to focus prevention efforts in the area of animal related deaths.  I don't necessarily disagree with the conclusions but……

When moose and mountain bike collide.

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I came across a couple articles from the Alaska Dispatch talking about mountain bikers being charged by moose.  Article One, Article Two  But watching a video is more fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yvlsd9XB4&feature=related This topic caught my eye first because I've seen more moose than any other animal this year and second because I have had no problems with any of them that I've encountered which includes a few cow/calf combos. As the articles mention, I think the big difference is the bike.  Or more accurately people riding a bike are more likely to appear out of nowhere and startle a moose (or any……

Hiking in Bear Country

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On the trails we're obsessed with finding bear scat.  Bears are amazing animals that we hope to see from a safe distance when we're out on the trails and not in a surprising up close way. A few days ago I stumbled upon a talk given by bear expert Dr. Tom Smith at the 2012 NOLS Faculty Summit.  I was intrigued, it was fascinating.  He dispelled many common bear myths and ended the presentation with some good old fashioned bear spray fun. If you're looking for a good Saturday night date, cuddle up with the love of your life, pop……

Top Trails for Seeing Spring Wildlife

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One of the most rewarding things about spending time on the trails is when you get see some of the larger varieties of wildlife. While hiking the trails around Laramie we've had a few sightings. Here's a quick rundown of the trails or trail system where we've seen the most wildlife. Curt Gowdy State Park: We've seen some deer hiking along the Stone Temple Circuit. Vedauwoo: We saw a bull moose hanging out grazing on a beaver pond. South Branch: We saw about 20 to 30 head of elk while hiking along the Stock Trail. While hiking the trails near……

5 Little Facts About Mountain Pine Beetles

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I don't know if it's just me but the forests used to be full of lush green trees, even here in Wyoming. Now it seems like 75% of the coniferous trees in the forest are red and brown and dead-- thanks to a little thing called the Mountain Pine Beetle and a big epidemic that's sweeping through some of our favorite places. Earlier this week I met a few awesome people from TigerTree here in Laramie.  They are doing super good things to prevent pine beetle infestations.  Since we're obsessed with trails and mountains and forests we figured we ought to……