Photographing Wildlife

Animals, wild and domestic, abound in and around this town nestled in the Rocky Mountains.  As one would expect, then, wildlife photography is a vital pass-time in the area.  Some wildlife are more amenable to having their pictures taken than others.  

It seems, though, that animal sightings are not plentiful enough for the inhabitants.  Or perhaps they just love the animals so much that they can't bear to go one day without seeing them?  Whatever the reasons, the town also abounds with animals that are not now, nor have ever been, alive.  No.  In reality, most of them are more 'mineral' than 'animal.'  

Banks seems to be one of the main perpetrators of this curious trend.  There is the "Elk Bank,"

the "Deer Bank,"

and the "Antelope (pronghorn) Bank."

Subdivisions, especially newly-started-and-now-mostly-abandoned subdivisions, seem to offer a good market for these statues as well.   The bull with cows motif works for both subdivisions below.  The small adjustment in species helps keep the idea fresh.  

One subdivision prefers the use of a mother bear and her cubs, though.  

There do seem to be some species that are more commonly displayed than others.

Joining the bank and subdivision in the Elk's Club (not the one on Babcock) is a sporting goods store with this bugling elk:

(It does seem, oddly, that bull elk are generally more popular to display than cows, and they are always portrayed as they appear during the fall and winter seasons.  I think a successful discrimination suit could probably be filed here.)

The bovine club seems to have a popular following too.  The sighting of elk is rare enough to make the desire to display fake elk slightly more understandable, but I fail to understand the attraction of fake cows.  I suppose they don't smell as funny as real ones, but that's hardly seems to be enough of an attraction to justify their prevalence in the valley.  Nevertheless, they do prevail.  These three appear to be ice skating around a large barn.

This particular cow is eternally visiting the library.  One does have to give his creator kudos for creativity in the use of the varied gears and such.

These two concrete oxen appear to be plowing up someone's front yard with a concrete pioneer woman.

A cow can even be found painted on the side of a building.  

Bears are also quite common and, again, not just found at failed subdivisions.  Here two cubs appear to be successful in their quest for honey.

Metal bears, while not uncommon, are no match for the wooden bears that can be found all over the state.  This one ensures the success of the restaurant he advertises.  After all, who wouldn't want to buy food and ice cream from such an adorable bear?  While it must be admitted that wooden bears are not nearly as good at actually living as real bears, they are far more successful in the advertisement business.  

The local airport also sports a bear...

...along with various geese trying to show the airplanes the proper way to fly, a large cat of some sort leaping from a fake rock ledge, another large cat guarding the baggage claim...

...and a T-Rex skull.  

Nor is this the only place where such long-extinct animals find a second life.  Another monster of ancient times presides at the Museum of the Rockies...where he occasionally makes an attempt to eat the flag.  

The museum also has a horse, which is also a fairly common animal to form out of bronze and display.

Here a horse and his rider plod through the snow in a local park.  

Some horses (made of unknown materials) are also quite successful in the advertisement business, acting as mascots for stores in the area.

Though elk, cows, bears, and horses are among the most popular animals to display, they are by no means the only ones.  Some of the other sculptures fit into the general motif of Montanan animals like this moose in someones yard

 and these fish at the library.

Some even include humans engaged in Montanan activities like fly-fishing.

(I think he's probably after the library fish, or possibly their cousins.)

Others wander into the bizarre and eclectic like this primate on a motorized bike

or this Einstein dancing with a crane.  

There are even a few sculptures that imitate members of the plant kingdom:

Of course, the wonder of all these sculptures doesn't take anything away from the joy of actually seeing living, breathing animals.  Unbothered by their imitations, they still wander the area, making us hold our breath and walk quietly in wonder and awe whenever we see them.