"Drill Baby Drill"

I've been in the Gros Ventre Mountains for the past couple days, mainly just trying to find pronghorn in the high mountain meadows and locating spots where I will set up remote cameras in a couple weeks. I spent last night camped on a high mountain pass with the Wind River Range to the east and the windswept sage steppe of the Upper Green River Basin to the south. This local is equally beautiful as it is full of untapped oil and gas deposits. About 50 miles farther south near the town of Pinedale, energy exploitation is full on and evident. 

 

Before I went to bed last night, I drove up to a hilltop so I could tune into NPR to hear the Republican national convention coverage. It made me tear up as I listened to the crowd at the convention in downtown Minneapolis chant "drill baby drill." I wandered if any one of those people chanting have seen the landscape that I am in, and if it would have changed their opinion on oil and gas exploration. I wish they could see what uncontrolled natural gas drilling looks like, as well as experience the wildness of a place like the undeveloped northern part of the Upper Green River Basin that is currently under siege to be developed. I understand that we need energy resources to continue our way of living, oil and natural gas drive our society. But when are we going to draw the line? I am looking forward to showing you images that will inspire you to draw that line. Until then, best wishes, Joe.

Finally...

Make sure to read Emilene's first post listed below...


Today marks the start of my Pronghorn Passage field work. I've been planning and researching this pronghorn migration with Emilene for almost one full year now and finally I am doing what I like doing, wildlife photography! I spent the past couple days in Laramie going over last minute details with Emilene as well as making field work plans with my photographic assistant, Jeff Jewell. Jeff will be helping me keep all 8 of my remote cameras running smoothly, as well as watching for migrating pronghorn and relaying information to Emilene.

I will spend the first part of the Fall in Grand Teton National Park and the Gros Ventre Mountains just to the east. Then later this Fall I will move down into the Upper Green River Basin as the majority of the pronghorn move south towards more favorable climates. I will be living full time in the corridor with exception to a few Pronghorn Passage related obligations. On September 20th, I am giving a Pronghorn Passage presentation at Duke University for the National Geographic Society, then a couple media related obligations later in the Fall. Other than that, it's full time photographing pronghorn until Santa arrives.


I look forward to telling you about some of my field experiences. Until then, enjoy these wonderful Fall days and thanks for reading.