SPECIAL IN 2009

ELK BUGLING TOURS OFFERED IN SEPTEMBER AND SOMETIMES EARLY OCTOBER

Big Bull Elk during the "Rut" in Grand Teton National Park.

If you've never had the opportunity to see and hear the bull elk during the "rut", or mating season, there is a wonderful experience waiting for  you. The piercing sound of the bugle of a bull elk in the early morning, or late evening hours, is unforgetable. The picture of a big bull travelling through one of the forest parks, or out in the sagebrush flats is exhilerating. Even if you have seen and heard this phenomena you will renew the enjoyment of the experience all over again. It's an experience we never tire of. As an additional benefit this is also one of the finest times of the year in the Jackson Hole Valley. The Fall colors are just begining to turn in mid September, the temperatures are still enjoyable, there are a great deal fewer people, and the animals are becoming more active after the warm summer months. All in all this is a local's favorite time of the year. Come join us to witness and experience this seasonal wildlife phenomena.


Strarting in early September we will offer two and a half hour "Elk Bugling" Tours for up to four guests for $250. For additional guests, after the first four in the same tour vehicle, there would be an added fee of $25 per guest. A Park entry fee is also required for all guests over sixteen years of age. The fee is $12/person, or $25 for a family, and is paid directly to the Park at the entrance gate. The receipt you will receive is good for reentry into both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks for a period of seven (7) days from the date of purchase. We offer these special tours until the season ends in late September or early October when the mating season fianlly comes to an end.   

All tours are done in 7 passenger Chevrolet Suburbans, or GMC Yukon XLs. Your naturalist/guide will have several pairs of binoculars to facilitate viewing the animals, however if you wish to bring your own optics please do so. We can do these as private, or open tours, although the private tours are the most popular. These tours can be extended upon request at an additional cost of $90/hr. We will pick our guests up at their place of lodging prior to sunrise, or in the late afternoon,  and will return them following the tour. We offer these tours both early morning and again in the late afternoon/early evening.
 

In September the Bull elk start to gather their "harems of  females" in groups of as many as 20-25 females. They then spend most of their time chasing off the "satellite" (young) bulls, fighting for dominance with other big herd bulls, and mating when the opportunity presents itself. During this time of year you can hear a sound specific to the elk, which is called a "bugle". With the biggest bulls it starts out in a low bass sounding moan, escalating into a high pitched crescendo, and then tapering off into a deep bass, generally followed by a series of "grunts". The higher pitched bugles are generally the smaller bulls. Soon after witnessing this remarkable and unforgettable sound you will begin to be able to identify the larger bulls.


The elk are nocturnal animals, and are most active just before dark until shortly after daylight. However, in the "rutting season" it is not unusual to find the bulls, and their harems, coming out of the fields where they had spent most of the night. This is one of the best times to be able to observe the animals as they return to the forest.


Contact us at 307-734-8387 or 730-7327 to book a tour, or to ask any questions you might have. We look forward to hearing from you, and sharing this short, but spectacular period of time in the life of our native elk. 

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WILDLIFE/SCENIC/PHOTOGRAPHIC TOURS OF JACKSON HOLE         

Jackson Hole Wildlife/Scenic/Photographic Tours - These tours are $90 per hour for up to six guests in the same vehicle.  There is a two hour  mimimum  fee required to allow us to offer this tour. We would invariably travel into Grand Teton National Park, therefore an additonal $12/person fee for Park Entry will be required, unless of course our guest(s) have in their possession   one of the  many National Park Passes, including weekly, yearly, or lifetime Passes. Any guest under sixteen years of age  is not required to pay an entry fee. For additional pricing info please visit our  Tour Costs page.

The best time of day to view the animals is early morning, or late afternoon/evening. Either time would be better than the heat of the day when many of the animals have returned to the forested areas to bed down. This would also apply to most of the larger mammals that prefer the cooler times of the day, be it early or late. The bison and antelope would be an exception to this generality.

We will have umbrellas, and rain jackets in our vehicles, however if you would prefer to bring your own foul weather gear that would be fine. It is also a good idea to carry a jacket, or warm sweater with you on these tours, even in the summer months. Remember there are only 60 days a year in the Jackson Hole Valley that remain frost free, and only 45 frost free days in Yellowstone. Mornings can sometimes be quite exhilarating if you know what I mean. For example, in 2005 in Yellowstone we only had one month that we didn't see snow, and that was July. As of July 22 of 2009 it has snowed every month of the year. 

We will also furnish binoculars in our tour vehicles to facilitate viewing the local wildlife, as well as the many scenic vistas. However, if you have your own optics we would encourage you to bring them along. Our company policy relating to use of our binoculars entails charging for any damage repair, or replacement costs, incurred as a result of misuse. Unfortunately, due to numerous instances of abuse and neglect in the past, we have had to replace many pairs of binoculars at a considerable expense.

On your tour you will have an experienced guide with many years of experience guiding in the the Grand Teton and Yellowstone regions. Your guide will be more than happy to try to answer any of the numerous questions which normally arise during the course of a normal tour. We look forward to having the opportunity to answer your questions, and we will do our best to provide the information you seek. WE DO NOT MAKE UP THE ANSWERS, as I've seen some guides do. If we don't know the answer to your questions we'll tell you, but we will do our best to find the answer(s) before the tour is complete.

A Coyote looking for that next meal.  ________________________________________________________

Make sure to bring your photographic equipment and plenty of film, or digital media. Also remember extra batteries. With all the pictures you will find yourself taking you will be surprised how fast the batteries in your camera are discharged. This is especially true during very cold periods, which drain batteries at a much faster rate. To be most honest, a backup camera, even if it is a disposable one, is a real good idea.

Grizzly sow number 399 in Grand Teton National Park.                             

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A Tour to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center and Imax Theater in West Yellowstone, Montana is another option available. 

The Discovery Center has eight adult grizzlies which can be seen in a  natural enclosure, not in cages. There are also a couple packs of Gray Wolves in a new natural enclosure area viewable from either outside, or from an interpretive center. There is aslo  a wonderful interpretive center with exhibits, and displays, ands a theatre which show many different wildlife film topics.

Shopping in West Yellowstone, Mt. is also something that many of our guests enjoy. West Yellowstone is known as the Snowmobile Capital of the World.

The cost for this tour would be $600 for for up to six guest.  Meals are the guest’s responsibility. A 15% guide's gratuity will be added to the cost of any of our tours of four or more guests.

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To review the cost of any of our tours  please visit the Tour Costs   page. To book any of the listed tours please contact us at our office at 307-734-8387, or 307-730-7323, or finally at 307-730-7327.  If you have questions concerning any of the tours please call us at one of the number listed above. If for some strange reason there is no answer please leave a message, and we will contact as soon as is possible. You can also use our email at raven43@centurytel.net, or grizzlie@centurytel.net  with any questions you might have. 

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