On the way back home I was greeted with a number of Mule Deer Bucks who seemed to be everywhere. This fellow was next to the hiway and paid me little attention as I photographed him.

I had dropped by Kathys Koffee yesterday morning and had a cup with Skip who is a fellow I actually knew as a kid who lived west of where I grew up. He told me a big Black Bear had been seen along the hiway on an Elk carcass that had apparantely been hit by a vehicle and died on up the hillside.
Befor daylight I drove the 20 miles west of town to the spot and right away spotted this fellow. He is not a black bear but a Grizzly. And most folks thought they were all in hibernation?? This fellow was not and in the falling snow and first light of morning I sat and watched him from the safety of my truck. With both binoculars and shooting a number of photos {I shot over 40 pixs]I enjoyed the early morning. There were a number of Ravens circling overhead and sitting in a dead tree above him. Interestingly none flew down to take part in the banquet but a number of Magpies would light very near and did not seem to be bothered in the least by him. Every once in a while a truck or car would drive by and he would rise up to look and sniff the air.
Quite a sunday morning experience.