Having just returned to Jackson following a long Thanksgiving hiatus, it was a surprise to see the lack of snow on the valley floor.  Frustrated grumblings from the winter sports enthusiasts are growing increasingly vocal, but these conditions offer a temporary respite for wildlife as they continue to move toward lower elevation wintering habitats.  As we humans prepare for outdoor fun and extremes in the backcountry, wildlife are gearing up to face the extremes of being exposed to harsh conditions for months to come.

It is at times like these that the often elusive movements of Jackson Hole’s native inhabitants become most evident.  The skimpy snow cover yields all sorts of insight into the species and numbers of animals that are on the move; mule deer to south facing sagebrush slopes, moose to lowland riparian areas, elk to open meadows.  Dustings of snow offer the opportunity to see the tracks and migration corridors in action, even if you don’t see the animals navigating these ancient routes during your waking hours.  On a recent walk in the woods, evidence of the large ungulates was accompanied by smaller and more solitary snowshoe hare and coyote activity.  Tracks in the light snowpack also reveal intricate details that often times go unnoticed: locomotion traits such as footfall patterns & cadence variability, as well as indications of the pace of movement.

  
While the buzz around town is of the Tram’s inauguration, the wildlife that make Jackson Hole so special are in preparation for their long winter bedded down in the out of doors.    
 

Take heed skiers, snowboarders, and Nordic folks, the onslaught of winter will be upon us soon and we will get our winter sporting fix over the duration of the season.  Until then, get out there on foot and take advantage of this unique window of opportunity to see where and how wildlife moves about the valley.  ~Steffan Freeman