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Native Utah Wildlife Photography
Utah is natural wonder land with numerous interesting creatures that depend on the unique diversity that can only be found along Utah's Rocky Mountain range. Few places on earth will one encounter such diversity, in not only terrain, but wildlife as well as many other attributes that make Utah like no where else on earth. The diversity is a great contributor to why so many different species are able to call Utah home, and thrive what can often be an unforgiving climate. Wildlife found from the Wasatch mountain range, to the incredible rock formations found in arches national Park, home of the Rocky Mountain big horn sheep, is just a scenic 3 hour drive from downtown Salt lake city. As you wander out west, you find yourself in the middle of what's called the west dessert, a barren landscape with sand dunes, lizards, hares, Grass Hoppers, cactus, and basically all the interesting spiny things one might find traveling to one of the worlds most famous giant deserts. This to can also be experienced just 100 miles west from the city of Provo. On your way out there you pass by one of only 10 shallow lakes found on earth, and one of them being Utah Lake, which is a fascinating Eco system in and of it self. Yes, Utah is unmatched when it comes to diversity, and with diversity one finds great change, and where there is great change, you can find some of the most scenic spots on earth.

These attributes contribute to Utah's healthy trout populations, that thrive in Utah than they do elsewhere in the Rockies. I believe this is true due to it's location in the Rockies, which would be the southern section, marked by high desert landscape, and a shorter winter than the northern stretch of the Rockies. Entomology is the study of aquatic insect life, which has much to do with the over all health of a trout fishery. Most of these insects are also affected by there food sources, which again are dictated by the length of the seasons, and water temperatures. So with Utah having a bit of a longer spring, summer, and fall, important times for the growth these insects, which in return adds more time for brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout to get big and healthy, filling Utah's rivers and streams. I have traveled with my fly rod North, South, East, and West in search of a fishery that is drastically different from the Provo, as in blowing it away in regards to fish size, fish quantities, and trout species. The result is that when taking into account the most important factors that make a fishery perfect, and have yet to find a fly fishing destination that offers such a wealth of opportunities for fishing with a fly. that match the fly fishing found for fisherman on the Provo river.
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Burrowing owl using artificial nest structure at Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area.  Photo taken 8-25-05 by Phil Douglass, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
cougar
Utah's top preditor of stealth, cougar hunting trophy trout via paws and canines, the rocky mountain king of Utah's Wasatch Mountain range. Sitting's are rare, however populations are healthy here in Utah. The animal is primarily hunted with dogs, treed and then shot with a small caliber rifle. I have seen 3 in the last 15 years tromping around the Utah mountains. They are so elusive, to get a shot like this one is amazing. I for see in the near future, with the loss of habitat we are loosing at an alarming rate, primarily along the front side of the Wasatch mountains, we will either have more siting. With more sitings in near towns and such, there removal will be of a high priority to people, as there are reported attacks, most recently the ones in California. The most siting for me personally have been near Highway six either fishing or on my way to fly fish that incredible region.
cougar on rocky ledge
Meadow lark on post singing.  Photo by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. These beauties are seen while fishing the Provo River, as they will come down to feed on caddis flies and may flies during the summer month's.
This photo of a live eagle was taken at the Tracy Aviary. 
photo by Brent Stettler, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
You can see thousands of snow and Ross' geese at the Snow Goose Festival.  Photo taken 2-7-06, courtesy of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Mule deer buck taken by A J Rogers on 12-4-04, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
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