Moose moment

I had a busy weekend...Canada's Birthday an all.
shot moose...buffalo...fireworks...fire dancers and more.
got some up on the website if anybody's interested in seeing some Canadian wildlife.


more:http://web.mac.com/lightexpressions/iWeb/lightexpressionsphotography/Advertising/52E37A1D-798E-4798-AE05-28E5352FE818.html

D17 and 19 are magnificent Don, thanks for sharing. But, Lord thunderin' geese us, you are one hell of a lucky individual that you were not attacked in D15 - I'm sure that cow did see you you.

Well for those of us who cannot afford a $$$$$$$uper telephoto lens there's always the free library card. Pays to learn your prey and brush up on ones hunting skills. I have guided photographers in the arctic to shoot arctic wolves, and do have experience with observing animal behaviour. There's always risk, but it's a calculated risk.

And thank you for the compliment.

Yes the moose did see us..my wife was there too...the only nerve racking moment was when the calf, got curious and came up for a sniff...hard to shoo it away without startling the mother....the brief encounter was really quite an intimate moment, a comunion with nature, one of those zen things.

there are actually two shots of TWO different cows we got that morning. One by the side of the road, and one with calf in the woods.
I had gone to scout the area the day before, and found tracks so I knew where to look when we set off "hunting" at 5:00 am.

In and around national parks the animals do tend to develope a higher tolerence for people than in more remote locals. but ten feet is pushing it by anybodies standards!

Here's a couple outakes from that shoot:

Gerri calls this one: "Idiot chasing moose."




I call this one: "Bewildered moose staring at Idiot."

Thanks for sharing these ones. You got guts buddy - guess I won't make a good nature photographer unless I win a lottery and be able to buy a good 500mm.

Some nice shots there Don - thanks for sharing!
Not having moose this side of the 'pond', never really appreciated just how long the jaw is!

Andy

these animals will spend up to half thier days in marshy waters foraging on aquatic plants, hence the enlongated face and the nostrils which can seal out water. the cow by the road is very young (no calf, and very small), by moose standards she's got another head and shoulders to grow.
I wish I'd found a Bull....you have no Idea just how big they get until you see one up close...even by clydesdale standards they're huge, and with that rack...well try to imagine a clydesdale crossed with a bulldozer...I've seen one charge, another bull and a birch tree about 3 inces diameter was between them, he ripped the tree out of the ground and threw it up and over his back!