What does it feel like to sit in sub-zero cold for almost eight hours, waiting on wolves, from Yellowstone to the shores of Hudson Bay?
“I sat outside on that carcass for almost eight hours.” In Season 2, Episode 1 of Vallerret’s Creative Outsiders, Lukas Riedl and Carl van den Boom sit down with Hannah Rheaume. A wildlife photographer and storyteller who started out as a travel blogger and now spends her time in the cold, chasing wolves.
Hannah takes us back to a winter day in Yellowstone. A snow coach, a bison carcass across the river and a long wait in freezing temperatures. Then a big gray wolf lunges at a raven, and she captures her favorite wolf image ever. It became her best-selling print.
We talk about the 100 yard rule around any predator, habituation, the wolf hunt and why meeting people in the middle matters on such a polarizing animal. Hannah also shares why she writes down every encounter, what wolf collars and bioacoustics can tell us, and how her upcycled clothing brand Good Wolf gives back to wolf conservation.
Content note: from about 16:10 to 17:10, Hannah describes a real case of cruelty to a wolf.
Cold toes, a dry mouth and a lot of patience. A great listen for anyone who loves wild places, and for every photographer who wants to shoot wolves one day.
In this episode, we talk about:
- The Yellowstone wolf and raven photo that became her best-selling print
- How to prepare for wolf photography in the cold: staying warm and protecting your gear
- Why 100 yards is the rule around any predator
- Habituation, the wolf hunt and wolf conservation
- Meeting people in the middle on a polarizing animal
- Why she writes notes after every encounter
- What wolf collars, wolf numbers and bioacoustics can tell us
- Good Wolf, her dream shot with a great gray owl, and why impact drives her
🎙️ Listen to the episode here:
Resources & Mentions
Good Wolf (Hannah's upcycled clothing brand): https://shopgoodwolf.com/
Good Wolf on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopgoodwolf/
Cry Wolf Project: https://www.thecrywolfproject.com/
The Grasslands Trust: https://www.thegrasslandstrust.org/
Wolf Connection: https://wolfconnection.org/
Wolf Connection on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfconnection/
Hannah on The Wolf Connection Podcast, Episode 211: https://thewolfconnection.buzzsprout.com/1081496/episodes/16571081-episode-211-hannah-rheaume-storytelling-through-photography
Hannah on The Wolf Connection Podcast, Episode 227: https://thewolfconnection.buzzsprout.com/1081496/episodes/17278822-episode-227-hannah-rheaume-a-visit-to-wolf-connection-and-a-yellowstone-story
Explore more of Hannah’s work through the links below:
Celebrating the creatives who stay curious and keep showing up for the wild places they love. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a comment, give us a rating and send it to your wildlife photo friend who wants to shoot wolves.
Stay sharp. Stay curious. Stay out longer. 🧤🔥
