In nature photography sometimes hard work and perseverance pay off and sometimes they don’t. This time my results were mixed.
8:48 AM: Two days ago we found a bull moose sleeping or resting (I suspect the former) in the deep, deep shade of a nearby mountain. The light was so poor it was hardly worth taking any photos but you know me and documentary images. I only had 1/100 sec shutter speed for this photo taken at an effective 1120mm so I was lucky to get it as sharp as I did.
9:15 AM: Twenty seven minutes later the light from the sun coming over the mountain was still so far away from the moose (dark spot at lower center left) that it seemed futile to wait around any longer. The moose was likely to wander into the willows before the sun reached him so at one point I drove down the well-lit road to see if I could find any birds.
But the thought of photos of a bull moose during rut kept nagging at me so just a few minutes later I returned to see if I might get lucky.
9:49 AM: So I sat and waited for what seemed like forever. Eventually, an hour and one minute after my first photos of him the sun began to reach him after he stood up and walked just a few feet to the west (a runner had come by and it made him get on his feet). But even when the light flooded the area I usually didn’t have a good angle on him so I backed a short distance up the road to try to improve the situation.
9:59 AM: That helped with the angle but now I had vegetation in front of his legs and rump. I took many photos and this is about the best I could manage before he disappeared into the trees.
So I worked on this guy for most of an hour and eleven minutes and still didn’t get any great shots of him. But just seeing a moose is always a special occasion for me and I got some fairly decent photos so that was a bonus.
But I’ll continue to fantasize about that spectacular shot of a bull moose during rut that has always eluded me.
Ron
Notes:
- I used three different cameras and lenses on the moose so if you noticed that the image file numbers (seen when your cursor passes over an image) don’t match up well with the time sequence, that’s why.
- For my own reasons I did some minor cloning on image #2 but it didn’t alter the story line.
- On this morning I saw my first freezing temps (28 F.) since last spring. It felt good.
I can’t find anything wrong with the pics. Picky picky..He’s gorgeous!
I’m reasonably happy with some of them too, Jean. Yes, he is.
I see you were in my backyard, Ron.
Moose are a common and revered visitor at my home and key part of my outdoor life. Had an encounter with a rutting bull with his belle up high in the backcountry on my annual conservation survey last weekend in Toll Canyon. Stimulating!
I’m jealous, Art. “Stimulating” – yeah, I’ll bet!
WHAT a magnificent beast. I am so glad that eagle-eyes spotted it. I most certainly would not. I do hope that the ‘other’ hunters miss him completely. And thank you for your patience. Isn’t that first cool night after unrelenting heat blissful?
It sure is, EC. Nice to not have the AC coming on at night too. Pretty soon it’ll be the furnace though…
A gorgeous guy — that coat is magnificent, so glossy in the sunlight in the third photo. I, for one, am hoping any hunters in the area will have to work much harder and longer than you did to get these shots — and get NO shots of their own! 😏
I have the same fervent hope, Chris.
That has to be the strangest bird I’ve ever seen on your site. Great shots.
Occasionally I post mammals, James. Insects and flowers too, but not very often.
Hooray!!! Great shots of a young, sturdy, well-conditioned male!
Where was the love of his life or another ardent suiter? It is getting to be the right time of year, I just wouldn’t want to be out of my truck when the males are so turned on that they have blood-shot eyes and act a tad crazy.
Many thanks for the post.
They can go more than just a tad crazy, Dick. Some of them almost go berserk. Thanks.
What a handsome guy! The photos are great to look at even if they aren’t perfect.
Thanks, Joanne.
That bull moose is one gorgeous and healthy animal. His shiny fur shows his health. I envy you getting to see this guy – a bull moose is an animal I’ve always wanted to see. Unfortunately the one time I might have had a chance – in Grand Teton National Park – we weren’t up early enough. The best I’ve done is to see elk in Yellowstone National Park.
Susan, Moose can be elusive. On a road trip to northern BC years ago I read that the province had 200K moose and there were “moose crossing” signs everywhere on the roads but I never saw a single one. The only one I saw was in Glacier Park on the way up there. Frustrating.
Love any pictures of Moose taken. I do see them a lot in the mountains during the summer, only made two trips this year. I hope your moose makes it thru the season, and hope there is a female cow around the area. He does look in good shape. Thanks for sticking around till he got up and moved to the light.
I never see a lot of them, Trudy.
Bullwinkle!
🙂
Hurrah and splendid!!
Thanks, Martha.
Always great satisfaction in getting good photos as a result of much effort and patience. Great job Ron under trying circumstances. Have a good weekend.
Everett Sanborn
Prescott AZ
Thank you, Everett.
What a glossy coat……..the more to attract lady mooses–meese? with–I add my wishes for his survival, too–looks like he’d add good genes to the pool .
He’s a looker for sure. And good point about the gene pool, Kris.
Beautiful moose……. As Dave noted it looks to be in excellent condition with a shinier coat than I ever remember seeing. NOT something you want to hit with a vehicle for sure – you lose! 🙁 The 3rd photo with the sun just hitting his antlers and top of his head is beautiful in in it’s own right. 33 this morning – cold/rain/N breeze yesterday – fall is here!
Thanks, Judy. I kind of like the lighting effect in that third photo too.
Wow, is he ever gorgeous!!! Thank you for the location shot — it’s a good reminder of your excellent eye to even spot the critters and the power of those lenses to bring them up close and personal.
These “amooseing” shots this morning have taken the sting out of waking up early with a coughing fit (yes, the little stinkers got me sick!).
Marty, I wish I could take credit for spotting him but I didn’t. Mia did. I have to keep my eye on the road when I’m driving, especially in the mountains.
He’s a gorgeous creature. Fingers crossed for that perfect shot. And hooray for the temperature drop.
I’ll keep trying, Arwen. Yes, the cold felt good but I imagine I’ll be complaining about it before long…
Do really like that first photo! Love the looks of the soft brown muzzle! The last photo is a good angle also. Sitting and waiting…the name of the game…reason why I always have a few good books in my bag. Three years ago I drove to Montana to visit friends; they spent three days taking me out for wildlife…did get young moose wading in a stream eating vegetation (not a bull but still a moose), pronghorns, elk, and bison. What a time I had!
Montana is special for a variety of wild critters and birds, Kathy. The southwest part of that state is my favorite camping destination.
Having been to Alaska, I have found the Moose to be the one animal when asked I admire the most. They may have bad sight, but they are fast. Learned when you hunt them, they are hunting you. They have a attitude and that is what I like most. If standing in the middle of the road, you come along in a car, they will not move, you might think of hitting with the car, needless to say you not have a car worth driving. They just know who they are, and back it.
I’ve heard some incredible stories about Alaskan moose in particular during the rut. Talk about hormone-driven!
Several weeks ago in this same canyon I saw a bull moose (possibly this same one) enter a willow thicket and then just a few minutes later a group of hikers (including little kids) entered the same thicket. I held my breath but eventually the hikers came out of the willows unscathed. I’m pretty sure they didn’t even know the moose was just a few feet away from them.
What a beauty. How lucky are you to get pictures like that. Thanks, Ron.
Thank you, Sarah.
That moose looks to be in magnificent condition, what a beauty! I admire your determination and grit in waiting for the right light. I don’t think I could wait that long without going halfway nuts.
I’m not saying I didn’t go a little nuts, Dave!
Yes, he looked to be in great condition. I hope he survives the hunting season.