Antelope Island Bison

I went out to Antelope Island over the weekend looking for bighorn sheep. It was a beautiful day with zero sheep sightings, but I did find some rather photogenic bison. After recent trips to photograph the bison round-up and bison research projects, it has been a while since I was just shooting shots without human interaction. Enjoy.

©Benjamin Zack, 2015

©Benjamin Zack, 2015

©Benjamin Zack, 2015

©Benjamin Zack, 2015

Best of November

I wasn't as active with my blog in November. However, I still wanted to share some of the people and places that I photographer over the month. Here are a few of my highlights from November.

James Reeder finishes attaching his regalia ahead of the opening ceremonies at the 9th Annual Social Pow-Wow at Clearfield High School on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. Reeder came down from Logan to dance along with his wife and son.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Visitors explore the Ogden Exchange Building during a groundbreaking and open house on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014. Built in 1930, the building has set vacant since the 1970's, but new plans call for the art-deco structure to be the heart of a new business park.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Tomas Gomez has worked at Prairie Schooner Steak House for 16 years. On his way in to work on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, Gomez stopped along the Ogden River for a cigarette and a break before the dinner shift.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Wildlife biologist Steve Bates, left, checks for an ear tag on a bull bison while Bob Middlemas, right, tries to detract the animal and control its head at Antelope Island State Park on Monday, November 10, 2014. Most years, the large bulls are not rounded up with the rest of the herds due to their aggressive nature. This year, all of the animals were brought in so that genetic testing could be down in order to see if there are cattle genes mixed in with the herd.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Riders carry their bikes over a pair of barriers during the Utah Cyclocross State Championships at Mt. Ogden Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. Designed especially for poor weather, cyclocross races involve multiple laps on short courses filled with obstacles. At the state championships, riders had 45 minutes to an hour to try and complete as many laps as possible on the 1.7 mile course which included hurdles, a fence hoping and numerous sharp, slick turns.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Bob Okazaki of Denver pauses at the frozen fall in Waterfall Canyon on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014. Just a few days after consistently freezing temperatures arrived in Northern Utah, the large waterfall is already frozen solid. Sunlight doesn't reach over the steep canyon walls for several months during the winter.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Georgie Corkery, left, tries to bring in a loose ball with her battle during a game of kayak polo at the Marshall White Center in Ogden on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014. Throughout the winter, kayakers gather once a week for several hours of polo.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Hundreds of "Santas" warm-up as they wait for the start of the annual Santa Run in downtown Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Around a thousands dressed up runners took part in the 5K run.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Ron Gardner rides his horse, Sundance, down Washington Ave. during the Electric Lights Parade on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Sundance was decorated with 140 LED lights.
©Benjamin Zack/Standard-Examiner

Back With the Bison

Two weeks after photographing the bison roundup at Antelope Island State Park, I went back to the island to photograph the biologists as they took DNA samples from some of the bulls for genetic testing. I'll post more images soon, but I want to post this favorite photo today. Enjoy.

Wildlife biologist Steve Bates, left, checks for an ear tag on a bull bison while Bob Middlemas, right, tries to detract the animal and control its head at Antelope Island State Park on Monday, November 10, 2014. Most years, the large bulls are not rounded up with the rest of the herds due to their aggressive nature. This year, all of the animals were brought in so that genetic testing could be down in order to see if there are cattle genes mixed in with the herd.
©Benjamin Zack, 2014

Bison Roundup on Antelope Island

I had the opportunity to go photograph the bison roundup at Antelope Island State Park last week. Each year, hundreds of volunteers on horseback come from around the west to help roundup the roughly 700 bison that live on the island. Biologists will spend the next couple weeks vaccinating the animals and doing some testing. They will also auction off some of the bison in order to keep the herd at a healthy size for the island. There is a large slideshow of photos on the Standard-Examiner, but some of my favorite images are below.

Riders move a herd of several hundred bison up the east side of Antelope Island during the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Around three hundred riders came out to move the 700 bison currently on the island. 

Riders move a herd of several hundred bison around the east slope of Frary Peak during the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Once a year, the bison are gather on the north end of the island to be vaccinated and studied. Around 200 bison will be sold off in order to maintain a healthy population on the island.

Riders from the Utah County Mounted Search and Rescue eat breakfast around the campfire before the Bison Roundup on Antelope Island State Park on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Mounted posse members from around Northern Utah helped lead the roundup with assistance from hundreds of visiting riders.

Neal Christensen, left, and Jeremy Shaw talk to the roughly 300 riders taking part in the Bison Roundup on Antelope Island State Park on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Before the ride, officials laid out a plan for how to reaches many bison as possible and went over the safety concerns.

Riders move a herd of several hundred bison up the east side of Antelope Island during the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Around three hundred riders came out to move the 700 bison currently on the island. 

Neal Christensen saddles horses before the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Antelope Island State Park on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014.

Richard Webb and Kendalyn Hill prepare their horses for the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Antelope Island State Park on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014.

Riders move a herd of several hundred bison up the east side of Antelope Island during the 28th annual Bison Roundup on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Around three hundred riders came out to move the 700 bison currently on the island. 

Bison Auction

Over the weekend I went to a bison auction for ranchers from around the Western U.S. and Canada put on by the Western Bison Association. I've posted a few photos below and you can see more here. Enjoy.

Vaughn Scott hopes on a gate to get out of the way of a 926 pound bison at the Wild West Buffalo Stampede Show and Sale at the Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. Scott is the president of the Western Bison Association, who puts on the annual auction for ranchers from around the Western United States and Canada. (BENJAMIN ZACK/Standard-Examiner)

Ranchers and spectators watch as an 1,800 pound bison is auctioned off at the Wild West Buffalo Stampede Show and Sale at the Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. Fifty-five bison from around the Western United States were sold at the annual event.(BENJAMIN ZACK/Standard-Examiner)

Rex Snyder, left, and Nolan Miller chat during the auction at the Wild West Buffalo Stampede Show and Sale at the Golden Spike Event Center in Ogden on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. Snyder was down from Wyoming to sell some of his animals while Miller was visiting from Manitoba to act as a show judge. (BENJAMIN ZACK/Standard-Examiner)

Bison Roundup

I went out and shot photos of the annual Antelope Island Bison Roundup over the weekend in the Great Salt Lake. The day managed to be pretty tricky in between shooting photos and video simultaneously, doing the whole thing on horseback, and dealing with several hundred running bison. You can see that video here as well as more photos. Enjoy.

©Standard-Examiner/Benjamin Zack

©Standard-Examiner/Benjamin Zack

©Standard-Examiner/Benjamin Zack

Antelope Island

I made my first visit to Antelope Island yesterday since moving to Utah a few weeks ago. I climbed Frary Peak in an attempt to find some big horn sheep. I never found them, but it was still a beautiful climb, including the pair of bison that were waiting on the ridge near the top. Enjoy the photos.