Photo essays, field recordings, and journal entries from predator country on the working lands of the American West.

My name is Alex Buskey and I have been fascinated with the lives of small predators my whole life.

When I was a boy I would listen to the coyotes yip and yap out my bedroom window during the cool summer evenings and I’d imagine they were singing to celebrate a kill. I would overhear my parent’s concerned discussion over dinner about coyotes wandering the fields close to the house during the daylight hours. My Dad would sometimes fire a shot over their backs to scare them off. I always wondered what their lives were really like. Were they actually only supposed to be active after dark? I’d think, if only I could get close enough to see them.

Fast forward to my adult life, and I found myself with my head down looking for predator tracks and scat while out helping my longtime friend, Jeff, hunt elk and mule deer on Montana’s public lands. I loved the time out on the land while hunting, but I was far more drawn to looking for coyotes and cats than deer or elk most of the time. I wanted to understand the lives of these elusive predators.

Through folks in the hunting community, I was introduced to mouth calls, used to mimic prey distress or predator vocals. I learned the skill not to kill, but to see — to call predators in and witness their behavior on their own terms. That’s still what drives me today. I began reading the books of Wyman Meinzer, studying coyote and bobcat behavior in his work and through my own time out in the field. I eventually picked up a Canon R5 and a 100–500mm lens to document what I was seeing.

Over time, I’ve come to realize how misunderstood these animals were in the stories I heard growing up — and how complex the relationships are between predators, people, and the land. I see it now, respectfully, among the western ranching community and I enjoy listening to the stories, no matter how knotty the perspective may be.

Now, I spend my free time quietly calling, observing, photographing, and writing. I document these animals not in isolation, but in the broader context of working landscapes — where barbed wire, cattle, and wildness all meet.

I’m based in Bozeman, Montana, and I’m always looking for access to the kind of land described above. If you or someone you know might be open to sharing access, whether anonymously, or to help document a legacy property, a habitat restoration effort, or simply the natural behavior of predators on your land, I’d be honored to speak with you.

Whether it’s for a photo essay, a personal assignment, or simply a quiet visit with permission, my work is rooted in respect for the land, the people, and the animals.