Reflection on the Arctic #7

Last night Craig Roberts, our faithful photographer of the arctic, sent a few photos. What a good camera and a fine eye can do is impressive. While his photos cover all aspects of the trip the three offered up are the dominant mammals of the coastal plane.

On the day of our arrival, and after the tents were up, we hiked up to a high cut bank of the Canning river and started our endless starring off into the distance, a pastime we never seemed to tire of. We, of course, glassed off in all directions wanting to see vast herds of 'Bo and roaming bears looking for only squirrel flesh and maybe the scarce Musk Ox or Dall Sheep. We saw little more than tundra expanse initially and I suppose were disappointed, but I am sure Ian and Tara knew full well that would be a fleeting thing.

As we turned toward our camp some two hundred yards off, there on the wash were three bull caribou sauntering past our tents. They seemed unmoved by our homestead. We were unarmed because the rules say we can not hunt on the day of arrival because Fish & Game does not want folks to use planes to spot game, plus meat management for 10 days is not ideal. We watched and admired the brutes whose antlers (horns to some) were massive and seemingly unmanageable. This bull, I believe was the smallest of the three, still an impressive sight.

On our return to camp, and after our first meal, Craig headed to the river for a little rinsing of plates. In minutes I noticed a bear of some stature moving in his direction but across the river. The "Bear Alert" was sounded the artillery was secured. Craig managed to take this picture of the bruin as he skedaddled off, not amused by our presence.


On the later part of the trip, and farther north we had a better look at one of the bears favorite snacks, the ground squirrel. While these rotund ground dwellers are readily seen what is almost more impressive are the excavations the bears do to get at them. The diggings are over broad areas and must require tremendous energy. But I would suppose the grizzlies are so powerful that a few simple digging motions probably tear up huge swaths.



The squirrels are similar to Prairie Dogs, a little smaller but with similar antics. The various hawks and Golden Eagles of the north cruse the holdings of these ground dwellers but really don't seem to have much of a change. Then maybe they follow the bears and wait for them to flush the fat fur balls out of their holes. It is all dynamic and ever changing.

Do click the photos for a nice close up.