To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt
Snow-covered grizzlies, lions (with kittens), curious coyotes, and more. Welcome to Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front. On the Boone and Crockett Club’s 6,500-acre Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch, herds of elk, mule deer, and cattle share the same landscape with North America’s most iconic predator species. Thanks to a system of three dozen trail cameras, Ph.D. candidate and Boone and Crockett Fellow Christopher Hansen takes you into the very heart of it all.
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1 of 15 Grizzly bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
With a coat like that and plenty of fat, -25 degrees for this grizzly is a walk in the park. Be sure to watch for a close-up at the end. Turn the sound on.
Want to see more wildlife in action? Ten of the fifteen images have video available!
2 of 15 — Mountain lion (Puma concolor)
Mama lion keeps her kittens up long after bedtime. Or maybe it was the other way around.
3 of 15 — Grizzly Bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
This burr-covered bear does not want to be in our slideshow.
4 of 15 — Gray wolf (Canis lupus)
Not to judge, but these two gray wolves don’t look like they’re up to anything constructive.
5 of 15 — Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
This bobcat isn’t quite as imposing as a mountain lion. Even so, if you’ve heard one growl in the wild, you’d think twice about setting out a saucer of milk.
6 of 15 — Grizzly Gear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
We sincerely hope the only time you see a grizzly looking like this is on a trail camera photo.
7 of 15 — Grizzly bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
Imagine what this grizzly’s breath smells like after sleeping at least four months, then feasting on leftover winter kill. Care for a mint?
8 of 15 — Ursus americanus OR Ursos arctos horribilis
Quick, is this a grizzly or black bear? Click on the video to find out if you’re right.
9 of 15 — Mountain Lion (Puma concolor)
It’s late September and this lion actually looks like it’s simply out for a stroll before dinner—or looking for it.
10 of 15 — Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
This fox wants nothing to do with the flash of the trail camera.
Fun fact: Foxes will typically move into the dens of other animals, assuming they’re vacant.
11 of 15 — Grizzly Bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
There is something about this spot on the ranch that attracts every single species, fat-bottomed grizzlies included.
12 of 15 — Coyote (Canis latrans)
This coyote is doing its best impression of the Baywatch TV show intro, Montana winter edition, of course.
13 of 15 — Coyote (Canis latrans)
Wile E. makes sure the coast is clear before taking a drink. When you’re this far down the predator pecking order, you can never be too careful.
14 of 15 — Grizzly Bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
As the windiest place in Montana, the Rocky Mountain Front can be downright brutal any season of the year—with or without grizzlies.
15 of 15 — Grizzly Bear (Ursos arctos horribilis)
If bear butts drive you nuts, be sure to check all the summer edition of our trail cam videos and photos here.
Christopher Hansen is a Ph.D. candidate and Boone and Crockett Fellow at the University of Montana. His research explores the conservation benefits of sustainable land use on mammal communities, specifically focusing on rangelands and Urbanization. The TRM Ranch makes the perfect petri dish for his research.
The * on the map below shows B&C’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial (TRM) Ranch and the inset indicates the location of the trail cameras placed on theTRM Ranch as of May 2021. Working in partnership with the Boone and Crockett Club,
"The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So we must and we will."
-Theodore Roosevelt