Just as I began my back cast, out of the corner of my eye I caught movement along the shoreline. Letting my rod dip back toward the water I waited to see what creature was poking around in the understory among the large boulders. Suddenly out popped a head with a curious look on its face, and then the animal jumped up on a rock to see who was intruding on a peaceful hunting trip along the river. Rather than making a quick exit, the scruffy fellow snuffled along the rocks for several minutes seemingly unconcerned about the intruders looking on.

The setting was the beautiful Lamar River in the northeastern portion of Yellowstone Park. Lew Hinman and I were enjoying our second trip to the park for fly fishing in some of the fabled rivers of the great American West. During a wonderful trip in 2023 our young guide told us that if he could only fish one river it would be the Lamar, so we planned our 2024 trip to give us three days to explore. Where the 2023 trip gave us cool rivers above normal levels, this year was hot and dry, with river closings at lower elevations as water temperatures rose above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But while the fishing was challenging, there was plenty of wildlife on offer as we explored the backcountry.

The hunter described in the opening paragraph was a large red fox, and as you can see from the photo Old Renard was decidedly disheveled since he was still shedding his luxurious winter coat. Upon seeing the fox on the shore I spoke quietly to Lew, walking the shoreline just behind me, to alert him to our visitor. At the noise and our movements within 40 feet of the fox, I expected the animal to disappear but he was completely undisturbed by our presence. Rather the fox was clearly curious about us, perhaps wondering if we might present an opportunity for a meal. It is not unusual for wildlife in more populated areas to become acclimated to human presence and adapted to taking food when it is on offer, like the bald eagles known to patrol popular ice fishing lakes in Maine winters.

While Yellowstone Park is famed for the diversity and abundance of wildlife within its borders, it is also known as a place where major traffic jams can occur when a herd of bison or a family of grizzly bears show themselves along busy park roads. Certainly, we saw plenty of this action, and stopped along the roads to take our own snapshots of photogenic critters normally hidden from sight. One morning we had only to step outside the cabin at Roosevelt Lodge for wildlife viewing, with a large cow moose walking through camp and a small mule deer doe feeding along the parking lot.

The coyote in the nearby photo was very close to the road soon after dawn as we left the West Yellowstone entrance behind us. Paying no attention to us, the coyote was actively hunting for small mammals in the deep, wet grass, chomping down on a couple mice or shrews while we stood there transfixed. She was beautiful in lingering ground fog with the rising sun behind her. Later we watched a large mule deer buck in velvet feeding on a steep slope among myriad wildflowers.

For people who are unfamiliar with such wildlife, especially those from major US cities or visitors from abroad, the ability to see such animals at close quarters is a thrill but it can cause trouble for both wildlife and human visitors. Naïve people have been known to approach huge bull bison in hopes of getting a closeup selfie, only to find themselves in jeopardy from an unpredictable beast. Attempts to feed bears from car windows can result in significant damage both to the car and to the foolish visitor. Despite the brochures and warning signs all over the park, such events happen on a regular basis with millions of people flocking to parks like this in the summer.

What I love about Yellowstone and our other great national parks is the opportunity for city dwellers to learn about wildlife and the natural world they inhabit. For those who take the time to view wildlife from a distance, and to learn from the park rangers and available reading material, it can provide a valuable education in matters of habitat protection and conservation. Sometimes those education opportunities can be harsh, such as the elk calf we saw floundering in a mud pit during our family visit to Yellowstone when our children were pre-teens. The natural world is not a Disney movie, and that perspective is also important for visitors to understand.

The other joy for me is being in what you might call “big country,” areas where millions of acres of mostly undisturbed land is heavily populated with wildlife and minimally populated with humans. Whether in our superb wilderness parks or simply poking around the great Maine woods, there is something about the peace and solitude of wild areas that enriches the soul. And it is in such habitats that you can find wildlife at their best, undisturbed and unspoiled by humans. That red fox was completely as ease with us along the river because we were in his habitat, not ours, and he might never have seen creatures like us.

When we take the time to leave the highways behind and quietly walk into big country, we may stumble upon the best wildlife encounters. Because of the number of fishermen in popular areas on the Lamar, Lew and I used our legs to leave the roads and people behind, walking half a mile or more into the country and finding big sections of river all to ourselves. One morning we walked about a mile in, passing a couple natural ponds full of waterfowl like blue-winged teal and gadwalls. Spilling down the steep banks to the river we found ourselves in a lovely canyon along the Lamar with big pools and long riffles with gorgeous cutthroat trout on offer. I remember the huge golden eagle that soared overhead, giving me the same kick that the bald eagles of Maine do when in the backcountry.

The river was peaceful and we often stopped along the shore to rest, enjoying the cool water on our legs in the hot summer sun. We often spotted common mergansers feeding along the river, adults and their young swimming among the rocks. At one point I saw movement to my right and quickly spotted a lone pronghorn doe slipping down the bank toward the river. These graceful animals visit water just once or twice a day and this doe was keen to get her morning drink. Our presence unnerved her but as we stayed quiet her confidence grew and she approached to within 40 yards of me, far closer than she would have dared if we were on the open plains that are her primary habitat.

Sometimes these backwoods jaunts can take an unexpected twist. Because we were in grizzly country, Lew and I wore our bear spray cartridges up front and handy, practicing our quick draws in case of an emergency. Fortunately, we were not forced to draw down on a grizzly, a thrill we could both do without when armed with whippy fly rods! But surprises can occur, such as my coming within 20 feet of a huge bison bedded down in the shade very close to the river. Later I looked upriver to see the bull crossing the river perhaps 70 yards above an unknowing Lew, but all was well.

My advice is to tread lightly when walking into big country, but do yourself the favor of going there for the unexpected encounters and the soul-enriching time in quiet surroundings. It is best to go with friends, and prepared for emergencies, but the rewards are way beyond the risks.

If you like Ed Robinson’s writing, check out his two Nature Notes books! Click here for more information.