Eerie Screeches

Ann and I decided to jump camp to West Yellowstone a couple of days early due to an incoming rain storm (we were hoping to move to higher elevations and perhaps get snow - which we did, somewhat).  We jumped on Friday - driving through pounding rain on a route we hadn’t planned on taking, but had heard was beautiful (it was) and got ready for the next day.  Saturday morning, we were expecting more of the same weather (which we got somewhat), and planned on a day of scouting.  Well, we got more than we’d planned.

As usual, we took off well before sunlight, planning to go as far as we could before sunlight really hit, then slowly work our way back to camp.  We’ve been frustrated with taking the northern-western part of the big loop road in the past and were glad it wasn’t closed for either weather or roadwork (the things that frustrated us in the past).  We were well north of where we’d ever been when, with the first dark glow of overcast skies, we saw this incredible mountain with clouds.  Ann wanted to stop to photograph it.  We had passed one pull-out with a truck in it, so kept driving.  Two other pull outs shifted the view too much, so we turned around and went back to the first location, just as the other truck pulled out.

We grabbed our gear and started setting up.  And then it came.  The eeriest, screeching-wailing sound we’ve ever heard echoed all around us.  There were multiple sounds from multiple creatures.  And it repeated a couple of times.

Now imagine that the darkness of night is fading, though it’s not really morning yet, and this is what you’re looking at.   And what sounds like ghosts are screaming all around you. . . . .

The fact is, we knew what it was.  Elk bugling.  I eventually saw them, about a quarter mile away across the open field.  Still, I’ve never heard that range of sounds, or so eerily delivered, echoing all around us.  At the same time amazing and unnerving.  

We’ve been fortunate in our wildlife experiences on this trip, probably more so than the photography.  Several coyote stories, wolves, bear, elk, pronghorn sheep and even a black bear by the side of the road.  This really is an amazing place!