Prime time for watching Western wildlife

Sunset, Wntr, 1992

In a time of deep concern for disappearing species, it's heartening to know that many of the largest concentrations of wild animals in North America are right here in the West--not even counting Alaska. Several are a day trip from a major urban area. And visits are fun: at some sites, you can travel to see animals by horse-drawn sleigh, river raft, or cross-country skis.

We talked to wildlife experts to find seven species--elk, elephant seal, big-horn sheep, bison, bald eagle, snow goose, and sandhill crane--that collect in large, accessible wintering groups. Nine states are included, with California, due mostly to its mild winters and big unfrozen wetlands, offering the greatest number of sites.

All the sites we suggest are on public lands; some have interpretive centers and guided tours. Obey rules, keep a safe distance, and don't annoy or threaten animals. In winter, animals are under stress from cold and reduced food supplies; being chased may cause them to lose critical fat--which may threaten their survival. Note that hunting is allowed on many refuges, though well away from visitor viewing areas.

Animals tend to be most active early and late in the day. Bring warm clothes and binoculars or a spotting scope, and then be patient. Sometimes it's best to stay in the car: it may act as a blind, letting you get closer to animals. For close-up photographs, it helps to use a tripod and at least a 300mm lens. In extreme cold, zip your camera inside your jacket to keep batteries warm.

Call ahead for weather, driving conditions, and reservations.

On the following pages, we give the best viewing site for each species first, listed by nearest town. National Wildlife Refuges are identified as NWR. Hours are dawn to dusk unless noted.

Northern elephant seals: Ano Nuevo is their largest mainland rookery

By the early 1900s, these huge, lumbering pinnipeds (bulls weigh up to 6,000 pounds) were nearly extinct. Today, the population has rebounded to some 100,000. From December through March, they breed on island beaches from Baja to Northern California. At Ano Nuevo State Reserve, about an hour's drive south of San Francisco, the seals now number 3,000.

Polygamous bulls arrive first to fight for territories and--once the smaller, snoutless females arrive days later--establish harems. Look and listen for threat displays: a bull's inflated snout and loud bellow mean he's spoiling for a fight. If a bull is challenged, teeth are bared and a battle ensues, often with both warriors bloodied.

Ano Nuevo, California. This state reserve is just off State 1, 55 miles south of San Francisco. Join 2 1/2-hour, 3-mile guided walks over the dunes to see the colony, daily from December through March. For required reservations, call Mistix, (800) 444-7275.

SamTrans runs buses from the Bay Area on weekends and holiday Mondays, early January through midMarch; call (800) 660-4287.

Elk: in the shadow of the Tetons, the nation's largest herd

Come winter, elk head down out of the high country. From November to April, they congregate on warmer winter ranges, with young bulls joining herds of does and young. Elk, which are related to deer but much larger (up to 1,000 pounds), eat grasses as well as some woody plants. In winter, the largest herds gather on a few refuges where they're given supplemental feed.

Look for dark-maned rival males snorting, pawing, and clashing racks in sparring matches. Some may be shedding antlers, which are replaced annually. Bulls can hit speeds of up to 35 mph; give them a wide berth. Female elk lack both antlers and dark manes.

Jackson, Wyoming. Elk head down from the Tetons and gather at the National Elk Refuge, at the edge of town. You may see as many as 4,000 animals on 1/2-hour sleigh rides from December to late March; call (307) 733-9212.

Other sites. Washington: At Oak Creek Wildlife Area, see as many as 3,000 elk, December to early March. View the 1:30 feeding from the interpretive center, 15 miles west of Yakima, off U.S. 12; call (509) 653-2390.

Utah: At Hardware Ranch Game Area, 21 miles southeast of Logan, sleigh tours take you to some 800 elk mid-December through mid-March; call (801) 245-3329.

Oregon: About an hour's drive northwest of Portland, see 300 elk at Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area along State Highway 202, just north of U.S. 26. Call (503) 755-2264.

Colorado: Off Interstate 70 west of Denver, Genesee Park has 250 elk.

Snow geese: jamming California's Central Valley wetlands

Standing under a sky full of squawking snow geese, you get a hint of the abundance of game that stunned early American travelers. At dawn, huge flocks rise as one from the night's roosting fields, circle like a white funnel cloud, then head to marshes and stubble grainfields to feed. The clamor of large flocks can be heard a mile away.

Smaller than a domestic goose, this bird is easy to spot with its white plumage, black wingtips, pink feet and bill. Geese summer in the Arctic; from November to March, thousands stop to rest in California's Central and Imperial valleys.