Author Archives: Kent Jarrett

Mountain Loin / Cougar

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This is only my third run in with a cougar, or at least the four legged kind.

I took this first photo, it was chewing on something, like a dog would with a bone.
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The first click, BAM instance eye contact!  I started to slowly back away and look for some kind of club and cover.  The cat got up and slowly started to work away and down the ridge.

I took the higher road, and tried to follow from what I thought was a safe distance!

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Once it got into snow covered ground, it walked across this log, thought that was pretty cool!

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It stopped one last time before bolting out of sight.  I was just glad it didn’t ever make a move towards me.  Can you image an old fat guy on ice and snow dodging a charging mountain.  I am guessing this cat was in the 85 to 100 lbs range.

Life is good and I am blessed!

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Winter River Otters

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I have looked and looked for River Otters out in the Great Smoky National Park (GSMNP) and have never found them.  I posted an eagle a day for the month of February, and got behind in my other adventures.  I found these guys in Central Illinois on Feb 15th.

I was pretty sure something big was keeping the hole in the ice open.  I was guessing beaver, but there wasn’t any tree damage around.  It wasn’t long before this one must have ran out of breath and popped his head out!KJ5D0514-FrameShop

Less than a minute later a second one shot out.KJ5D0534-FrameShop

The second one the smaller of the two started to chase the larger one around.  I am guessing he was the male, but no way to tell!KJ5D0622-FrameShop

I think spring must have been in the air, because it looked like Otter foreplay!  The twenty or so minutes while I watched and photographed them I kept hearing Muskrat Love playing in my head.KJ5D0666-FrameShop

Ahhhh!  They were cuddling!KJ5D0671-FrameShopHowever the larger one looked kind of annoyed and put off, so she had to be the female!  It was the day after Valentines day and maybe he forgot the card, flowers and chocolates!

Life is good and I am blessed!

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Hunting for Owls

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Ray and I weren’t the only critters out hunting for Snowy Owls.

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We found 6 sightings, but really nothing close enough for great photos.  I am hoping this red fox didn’t find any!

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Life is good and I am blessed!

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Red Tail Hawk

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The hawks of central Illinois are very skittish!  Many a time I have slowed a vehicle down in an attempt to photograph one out a car window.  Couple weeks ago I was able to drive right under one and photograph through my sunroof!  Closest I have been to a wild hawk.

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Life is good and I am blessed!

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