“Should I carry bear spray?” is a frequent question we get from visitors to the Tetons. They fear attacks from bears, mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, or just about any animal with four legs. Bear Bells Many hikers carry “bear bells,” jingly bells that supposedly warn an animal that a human is approaching. Locals call those …
We’ve enjoyed target shooting over the years, always looking for a shooting range or a remote location with a safe backdrop to discharge any weapon, whether rifle, pistol, or archery. And we always clean up any shells and targets that we use. Anger and Disgust So, it was with a bit of anger and disgust …
Who hasn’t been startled occasionally by a surprise encounter with wildlife? Perhaps the most startling encounter would be with a bear, a moose, a javelina, a large spider, or even …………. a snake. Many people are repulsed by these scaly, slithering serpents. The mere thought of a snake can send some into fits of revulsion. …
Trash belongs in garbage cans, dumpsters, and landfills. It does not belong in parking lots, along roadsides, in school yards, or on lawns. But for some reason, it’s especially offensive when found along a nature trail. On the Trail Generally, very little trash is found on hiking trails, demonstrating that hikers and nature enthusiasts are …
After years of using my mammal skull collection for education, I feel comfortable at this point talking with anyone about the adaptations these animals had for surviving. I even enjoy these discussions and look forward to greeting people who might be interested in learning some of the differences in tooth design, eye placement, and nose …
Years ago, on a trip to Australia, we took a hike with a guide in one of their national parks with the hopes of encountering native animals. After hiking 14 miles, we returned to our cabin with no sighting of wildlife except for one spider and several birds. An older couple who were on the …
Who would enter the desert after dark? As it turns out, lots of people did recently at White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell, Arizona, northwest of Phoenix. White Tank is the largest of the Maricopa County Parks with about 30,000 acres in rugged desert terrain. We have brought our snakes and skulls here several …