Watching Wildlife

   ~Visit Mt

Montana has a greater variety of wildlife than anywhere in the lower 48. It's easy to spot a bison on the road near Yellowstone National Park or a mountain goat on a hike in Glacier National Park. Between the parks fauna is just as abundant. No matter how cute, cuddly or harmless they make look, it's essential to rem

TAKE A MAP & FIELD GUIDE

A map will show you the accessibility of the area and the available services. You can find maps with the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, or even a state highway map. Look for wildlife refuges or land set aside for wildlife preservation. Guidebooks can help you identify species, habitat and tracks. Local bookstores and gift shops are usually well stocked with options. 

ember that wild animals in their natural habitat are not pets. Disrupting their natural order can be disastrous for the animals and for you. Being prepared is essential for a safe and rewarding viewing experience and these guidelines and tips are great starting points. 

KNOW WHEN ANIMALS ARE MOST ACTIVE

The best times of day for most wildlife viewing are dawn and dusk, so plan to get up early or going to bed late if you want to catch the best viewing opportunities. Seasonal changes also affect animal behavior; some species are more active at certain times of the year. For example, fall migration is the best time to watch waterfowl and spring for snow geese.

BRING BINOCULARS & BEAR SPRAY

Certainly everyone knows that bears, mountain lions and other large animals can pose dangers. But keep in mind that any wildlife can be dangerous—even animals as seemingly harmless as deer can injure if provoked. Most animals react with alarm when approached by humans on foot or in any type of vehicle. Depending on the situation, an animal may stand its ground, flee or attack. What's the best way to avoid injury? Keep your distance and enjoy with the help of binoculars. When enjoying the outdoors in bear country always carry bear spray.

LEAVE NO TRACE

This means just what it sounds like: respect wildlife and their habitat by not leaving behind your empty soda cans and potato chip bags. If you see trash left behind by someone else, pick it up. Wherever you camp or picnic, leave the spot in better condition than you found it. Camp in designated areas only. Use pre-existing campfire rings. Do not start chopping at live trees and vegetation for your campfire. Instead, use only dead wood from fallen timber on the ground. 

TREAD LIGHTLY & NO HANDOUTS

Stay on designated roads and trails to minimize the impact of vehicle and foot traffic. In delicate ecosystems of Montana, there really is a fragile balance. Traffic (whether by foot or vehicle) can create ruts and trails where they didn't exist before. These ruts can lead to erosion, loss of plant life, habitat and so on. While it may be tempting, keep your food to yourself. That sandwich may taste great to you, but it can harm the digestive systems of wild animals and convince them to look for handouts from other people.  Such actions can cause habituation. Animals get used to human food and human contact, which in turn can lead to aggression. No one wants to see chipmunks getting aggressive. Or bears.

_{Montana’s Most Unique Visitors: The Sandhill Crane}

   ~Sean Jansen

The loud, rattling, and unique call is unmistakable. The deep, high pitched bugle is easily distinguished between its other feathered friends the geese. You instantly scan the horizon in search of the unique sound, all to discover the stork like body and immense size. Almost always paired with another, flying around like pterodactyl from Jurassic Park. What are commonly joked about as the, “Ribeye of the Sky,” this seasonal Montana visitor is a treasure for anyone who appreciates our ornithological visitors.

The Sandhill Crane or Anitgone Canadensis, have to be the most unique visitors migrating to Montana. Beyond the extraordinary tourists that flock to our state and National Parks. With Southwest Montana being the headquarters for viewing in our state do to breeding grounds, the state is also a literal layover in their incredible migratory route to Alaska and far northern Canada. These gargantuan cranes and their migrations are a spectacle to be seen and heard.

In winter months, they head south to areas of our country that border both the Caribbean as well as Mexico. Some have even been seen in Cuba. Where on the contrary, their summer destinations are in the far northern reaches of North America. Alaska as well as the Yukon and far Northern Canada with some even crossing the Bering Strait into Russian Siberia. Some of which also over winter and summer in destinations only migrating within the state they choose. Our chance at viewing these long distance travelers happens in Spring and Fall, where we get to hear and see these unique giant birds.

Seeing them in the air is certainly not a difficult task as their calls are loud and harmonious with the others they fly with. But typically throughout our state, they will be seeing in the fields and farmlands foraging. They feast on a multitude of items including small rodents and reptiles, frogs, insects, seeds, and berries. In the fields they also court and breed. Their courtships are a beautiful dance where both birds open their wings and jump to incredible heights. All the while calling back and forth to one another, more jaw dropping than anything Dancing with the Stars and Americas Got Talent could showcase.

Luckily for us, these birds are indeed numerous and therefore your chances of seeing one are quite high if you were to head out in the spring and fall months between migrations. As they are a large bird, their size will help you spot one. They get their name from the gorgeous gray to sand colored feathers, uniquely capped as well with a red forehead and tan cheeks. Whether you get the chance to head out into the fields in search of these birds or are simply walking downtown, the pleasure of hearing and seeing these birds fly overhead is a beautiful expression of nature that Montanan’s are lucky to have.