January 2022 - 32

Bison in Grand Teton National Park sift through the snow for sprigs of grass beneath a sun dog, also called a parhelion. Sun dogs are created by the refraction of sunlight by ice crystals, or diamond dust,
suspended in the atmosphere.
I
ce crystals hang suspended in the air - brilliant, sparkling particles
contemplatively covering the distance between sky and earth. The sun has
just peeked over the layered hills on the horizon, and as it slowly gains altitude
the rays catch tiny shards of ice and ricochet until the sky is illuminated
with scattered light. The refraction of light through ice creates a sundog - a
circular rainbow that appears concentrically to the sun's center. The artistic
phenomena seems like compensation for the harshness of winter, as sundogs
only appear on the most brutally cold days when diamond dust shimmers in the
air. This morning in mid-January is well below negative 20 degrees.
A small herd of bison stands knee-deep
in snow and sage beneath the spectacle. The
white frost dusted on their backs catches the
refracted light and sends it skyward. They
remain mostly still - occasionally dipping
their great heads to nose through the snow at
their feet - concentrating as much energy as
possible on keeping their bodies warm beneath
their thick, shaggy fur. The animals know,
as they have for thousands of years, that it's
time to settle in and hunker down. Although
peaceful and stunningly beautiful, winter in
Wyoming is long, bitterly cold and requires
patience and endurance.
Like the ice crystals in the brisk air, time
during these winter months is suspended -
the world frozen in four months of languor.
The big game migrations of fall draw to a close
32 | January 2022

January 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2022

January 2022 - 1
January 2022 - 2
January 2022 - 3
January 2022 - 4
January 2022 - 5
January 2022 - 6
January 2022 - 7
January 2022 - 8
January 2022 - 9
January 2022 - 10
January 2022 - 11
January 2022 - 12
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January 2022 - 26
January 2022 - 27
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January 2022 - 29
January 2022 - 30
January 2022 - 31
January 2022 - 32
January 2022 - 33
January 2022 - 34
January 2022 - 35
January 2022 - 36
January 2022 - 37
January 2022 - 38
January 2022 - 39
January 2022 - 40
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January 2022 - 46
January 2022 - 47
January 2022 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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