{"id":15524,"date":"2014-07-31T05:09:59","date_gmt":"2014-07-31T11:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=15524"},"modified":"2026-03-07T08:28:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T14:28:41","slug":"uinta-ground-squirrel-in-montana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/07\/31\/uinta-ground-squirrel-in-montana\/","title":{"rendered":"Uinta Ground Squirrel in Montana"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SittingSitting Uinta Ground Squirrel – Nikon D7100, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though Uinta Ground Squirrels are called pests, vermin and varmints by some people I happen to like them a lot as photographic subjects. Uinta Ground Squirrels have a limited range in north central Utah, western Wyoming, southeastern Idaho and southwestern Montana. They are most often found in mountain meadows and moist mountain valleys.<\/p>\n

I was very happy to photograph a cooperative Uinta Ground Squirrel in Montana on my recent trip to the Centennial Valley.<\/p>\n

\"StandingStanding Uinta Ground Squirrel calling out\u00a0– Nikon D7100, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Uinta Ground Squirrels are only active about three and a half months of the year and the rest of the time they spend underground in burrows hibernating where they live off the fat in their bodies and seeds and vegetation they have stored for the winter.<\/p>\n

\"RestingResting Uinta Ground Squirrel in Montana\u00a0– Nikon D7100, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC at 500mm, natural light<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Usually by the end of July adult Uinta Ground Squirrels<\/span><\/a> have already gone underground to hibernate though the young squirrels may linger above ground a few weeks longer. I know that if I head back up to Montana in August or September I won’t be seeing, hearing, or photographing these squirrels. I’m am always happy to have them in my view finder.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Uinta Ground Squirrel photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Even though Uinta Ground Squirrels are called pests, vermin and varmints by some people I happen to like them a lot as photographic subjects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":171497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1513,223,12,1630],"tags":[4004,5072,1631,5071,4035,4156,5073,4872,3826,3827,953,2619,2620,4032],"class_list":["post-15524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","category-uinta-ground-squirrel","tag-adult","tag-burrows","tag-ground-squirrel","tag-ground-squirrels","tag-nature-photography","tag-resting","tag-sitting","tag-sleeping","tag-squirrel","tag-squirrels","tag-standing","tag-uinta-ground-squirrel-2","tag-urocitellus-armatus","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-sitting-mia-mcpherson-3705.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-42o","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25522,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/06\/17\/uinta-ground-squirrels-of-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":15524,"position":0},"title":"Uinta Ground Squirrels of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 17, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Uinta Ground Squirrels are the most plentiful mammals I see during the summer months in the Centennial Valley.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Centennial Valley Uinta Ground Squirrel close up, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-5415.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-upright-mia-mcpherson-5415.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Uinta Ground Squirrel, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-calling-mia-mcpherson-9964.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38355,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/14\/uinta-and-richardsons-ground-squirrels\/","url_meta":{"origin":15524,"position":2},"title":"Uinta and Richardson’s Ground Squirrels","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"By doing more research I found out that Uinta and Richardson's Ground Squirrels and the rest of the ground squirrels in North America have been changed to Urocitellus.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Alert Uinta Ground Squirrel in the Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, 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Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"May... the month where baby Uinta Ground Squirrels seem to show up everywhere within their favorite habitats which include shrubsteppe habitat, meadows and pastures with elevations of between 4,000 and 8,010 feet in areas of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Uinta Ground Squirrel in the Wasatch Mountains, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-mia-mcpherson-1041.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-mia-mcpherson-1041.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-mia-mcpherson-1041.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-mia-mcpherson-1041.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5194,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/17\/creatures-great-and-small-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":15524,"position":4},"title":"Creatures Great and Small – Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There are many mammals to see at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, I haven't seen them all yet but I hope to one day. On this last trip I saw Moose, Elk, Skunks, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Foxes, White-tailed and Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmots, and Pronghorns.","rel":"","context":"In "Montana"","block_context":{"text":"Montana","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Moose with calf in Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57695,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/05\/08\/photographing-uinta-ground-squirrels-in-a-wasatch-mountain-canyon\/","url_meta":{"origin":15524,"position":5},"title":"Photographing Uinta Ground Squirrels In A Wasatch Mountain Canyon","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 8, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago while up in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains I was able to finally realize a personal goal while photographing Uinta Ground Squirrels.","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel munching on spring grasses, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-grass-mia-mcpherson-2619.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-grass-mia-mcpherson-2619.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-grass-mia-mcpherson-2619.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/uinta-ground-squirrel-grass-mia-mcpherson-2619.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15524\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}