A smoky day in Missoula

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There was a pretty brisk wind overnight from the west and this morning the wildfire smoke was particularly bad, enough to irritate your eyes and throat. We met up with David and Caroline this morning and drove north a ways to the National Bison Range, a large area that is part of the national wildlife refuge system, managed for bison. If you are ever in the Missoula area I can heartily recommend a visit to the refuge. There is a 19 mile gravel road loop that takes you up a mountainside and back down and then across a lower grassland, and its much like a camera safari. We saw plenty of bison but also pronghorn, mule deer, whitetail deer, several coyotes, and a couple grouse type birds that I believe were blue grouse. The scenery is spectacular, even with the smoky haze.
We got some chores done in the afternoon and got together again for supper.
We have reached the high water mark of our trip. We had some indefinite plans to go a little further west from here, maybe to Oregon. However, due to the fires, we are instead going to Yellowstone tomorrow and then east from there.

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Photos

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Driving on a smoky morning

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Bison on the loop road

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A short hike on the refuge

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A blue grouse, maybe?

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Two mule deer bucks

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Pronghorn antelope

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Coyote

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One more bison picture, too good to leave out