Path of the Pronghorn
Fall migration
October 21, 2019
The fall pronghorn antelope migration has been going on for several weeks now. Animals spend the summer in the higher elevations of the Upper Green River Valley. With the colder weather and late fall snowfall, bigger herds begin moving down the valley headed towards their winter ranges. Many of those animals pass through the Trappers Point bottleneck and can be seen on the Trappers Point wildlife webcam. Watching them on the web cam allows the public to view them up close while not being physically present and disturbing them.
For those up for a drive and wanting a photo opportunity, herds of animals can also often be seen along the Cora Highway 352 on the way to Green River Lakes and on the East Green River Road between US 191 and Hwy 351. (Please watch animals from a distance and stay out of their pathway. If you stay in your vehicle to watch or photograph, the animals will feel less stress from your presence.)
While the weather prompts the pronghorn to migrate, it also causes the cattle that have been grazing in the Upper Green to come out of the mountains in what is known as the Green River Drift. The pronghorn and cattle mix well and can often be seen near each other as herds of both animals move southward down the valley. Cowboys are also helping gather the herds and making drives moving cattle along the drift fences and sorting grounds to home ranches down the valley. These operations usually take place in the morning hours.
To view the Trappers Point wildlife webcam, go to http://www.trapperspoint.com. You will need to have java enabled on your browser to view the live cam. The camera pans a circular view every several minutes. Sometimes administrators will manually move the camera as well.
To learn more about the historic Green River Drift cattle drive, visit http://www.greenriverdrift.org.
|
