See My Baby

I am shooting an article for a conservation magazine and told some people I was looking for a mountain lion. The next day I got a call from a guy telling me he had been out hunting and found a female with a baby. Sunday he took me back to where he had seen her and I had the pleasure of photographing this female and her two babies for about 500 shots worth. The babies are young and she didn't want to leave them while we were near. Yes, she is wild! The babies (2) are about two weeks old as they are just beginning to open their eyes.

Canon 20D with a 400mm 2.8 ISO 800 - It was pretty dark in her cave. She did get up and false charge us, then turned around and went back to her babies.

Comments appreciated!

Update: 2/9/08
Thank you all for your comments. I don't believe I will be showing many more as I am being coached by two National Geographic Photographers, and they both agree for coveted magazines to publish my project these images can't have been widely distributed.
As mentioned, this can be very stressful for animals, but I was respectful of her space. The false charge was near the beginning of the encounter. After she settled back in with the cubs I even have pictures of her rolling onto her back and feeding them. Albeit she would look at me and hiss a bit every once in a while.
This has become a full blown project, Monday I will be taking a crew back up (including the Montana director of Audubon) to install a camera system with which I can view, zoom, pan, tilt and fire from 500 meters away. A world renowned nature photographer has loaned me a video camera that will also be filming. The specs for the system will allow me to photograph the cubs development for the next month without going up to the den.
We don't believe she has moved them as we still see fresh tracks where she goes to hunt at night.
I assure you all I am exhausting every resource to ensure I am not or will not endanger this cat,once more I have the assistance and am consulting the very best on every move I make.
Thanks again for your comments and your concerns!
Kenton Rowe
Helena, MT.

Second Update: 2/9
Regarding this negative feedback. I want to write and expound on the story. If I was not shooting this story this mother and her young would likely be dead soon. Unfortunately, she made her den on a sheep ranchers property. This sheep rancher has an open property mind set when it comes to lion hunters. Because of the project and the publicity he is allowing us to put no trespassing signs for a couple of miles along the road until we are done. I have spoken every night since Wednesday to a noted wildlife photographer and he is founder of a foundation for mountain lion protection. He is approving and helping to develop the protocol for which we will follow while working near her. He and I both feel that the benefits and publicity for cougars will be positive if it works out.
The mountain lion crosses the road nightly where she goes to hunt and if not protected would be an easy mark for hounds men. As long as I am shooting and the rancher is getting picture worth getting, the land is closed to lion hunting. I understand the concern and respect it. I am excited for this opportunity and am working very hard to respect her and keep her safe, so it makes me a little frustrated being chastised on this forum.
If you have any questions feel free to drop me an email.
Kenton Rowe

Update: 2/13/07
We got the box with a still camera and a video camera up today. It took 5 of us 3 hours to pull a sled with the gear in it up the side of the mountain. I didn't get to much footage today as I was trying to put the equipment up. The female had moved the cubs to a site about 150 yards from the first den. She was evidently out hunting because we never saw her. The new site was far more of a difficult location to shoot than the first, and I don't believe I will get as good of images even is the system works. The cubs looked fat and healthy. They should be about 3 1/2 weeks old now. A friend who shoots video professionally came and shot footage, and documented the whole set up. I'll keep you all updated.
Kenton