Some mornings I know exactly where I want to go to try and spot moose or other critters. And, I'll often wonder if I should go somewhere else instead…. what if I don't see anything, should I have gone somewhere else, maybe there's a better spot, etc.

A very specific valley and meadow at Wild Basin was in my mind from the beginning, so I trusted my instinct even though I was contemplating other places the entire drive. Rain, clouds and very little light have been the norm lately so I didn't expect much and I knew my time in the forest would be limited. The moment I turned into Wild Basin, I saw my first moose of the day and I knew that I made the right choice. It was a great sign and confirmation that I decided on that spot.

The light was great at the moment, but clouds were quickly rolling in. I quickly hiked over to the valley and along the way I saw a lot of recent moose evidence – tracks, droppings and other signs.

I saw a dozen or so deer, but no elk, moose or other notable creatures. Upon my hike back I saw the same female moose from the beginning and so I stopped to take some more pictures of her. Based on her body language, she made me think there was another moose nearby and, to my surprise there was a bull that I hadn't seen at first. She seemed a little smitten with him, but all he cared about was grazing on aspen.

The young female walked closer and eventually sat down, while the bull drifted off into the woods. I decided to leave them alone and on my way out I spotted one other bull sitting in the grass. Gorgeous morning, but heavy rains soon took over and ended the adventures for the day.