A light drizzling rain for days; this summarizes the weather for the last several days I spent in Montana. In spite of the light drizzle, I set up my photo blind right outside my rental cabin, near a moss-covered rock. It was under a spruce tree, and several species of birds were briefly landing on the rock while foraging.
June 1, 2026 was my last day in Montana. Sadly, it was spent behind the wheel, mostly on Interstate 90. I figured that a good stopping point was Wall, SD near the Badlands. I arrived early enough to make supper and drive south into the park for nice evening lighting. My most cooperative subject was the prairie dog.
Once the sun set, I rushed back to town to get as much sleep as possible before I headed back into the park the next morning, well before sunrise. The short night of sleep paid off when the sun rose underneath a cloud bank. The soft light of early morning was short-lived but I knew where I could find Bison due to scouting the location the previous evening.
Before leaving the park, I did see a Bobcat watching a prairie dog burrow, hoping to catch a meal. But I did not get any images that pleased me. It was time to jump back on Interstate and head for home. I had left home on April 28th and returned on June 2nd. Ten minutes after arriving home, I almost headed back to Montana. The heat and humidity in Iowa was terrible and I had even missed the worst of it.
So, what are my thoughts on moving to Montana some day? I could easily live there. I just need to spend more time visiting various localities in the western part of the state to determine what area suits me best. I haven’t ruled out living in Wyoming or Colorado either. I am sure I will be visiting all three states over the next several years. Beauty and wildlife abound. Decisions, Decisions.