Elk Are Specail In Any Setting...

No words today just photographs.

Shane...

How about something different today, like a couple of photos of Shane while vacationing in Hawaii. The first one tells allot about Shane, he just had to have his photo taken with the Monkey, you ask him why. The second was taken on our cruise ship, he though he was part of the press corp.

Speaking of Shane it is Tuesday so visit his blog for a new post.

Wow! What A Huge Buck...

I guess by now you know I was just kidding about a huge buck. You should have also figured out by now that I don't just photograph rack bucks but also does and small bucks. I find the beauty in the animal not just the rack and enjoy watching any deer.

I just realized that other than the video I never really told you about the trip. I learned about Shenandoah National Park by viewing Willard's blog. We tried twice before to get there in the last year but weather or something else always seemed to mess up the trip. When I noticed the Hills were there for the whitetail rut I emailed Willard to see if the week I had available would be a good time to go. His reply was it should be the peak of the rut. He got me, just kidding Willard. When photographing wildlife nothing is a given from the weather to the animal. I awoke at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning two weeks ago and was on the road by 2:40. After driving over three hours I pulled into the Big Meadows the same time as Coy and Andy. Shortly after Willard and Billy came pulling in. They told me the places to go and we set off in search of whitetails. The weather was a little warm with increasing clouds. The typical rut activity was not present. The bucks were not curling their lips, chasing the does or locking up with other bucks. I seemed to be the only one tickled by the days events. But of course I had never been there and didn't know any better. For the day I seen upwards of 100 deer and about a dozen bucks photographing many. The trip out of the park was an experience in itself dodging deer along the road on almost every turn.

The next morning I awoke to rain and fog. Getting in the park before sunrise I ran into Willard and Billy again, they quickly departed for home but I was determined to get some whitetail photos. Seven hours later I left the park after seeing about 25 to 30 deer and three bucks. I did get some decent videos and a few good photos. The next morning I got to the park about the same time only to find it was closed. It snowed the night before and I was informed it would be about two hours before they opened the park. I decided to wait it out. I never said I was very smart. An hour and a half later I was told it would be another three or four hours because of black ice. I am not that stupid, I left for home. All in all it was still a good time and the first of many return visits. I hope to get back in January for some whitetail and snow photos. I really need to quit looking at Willard and Coy's blogs before they get me in trouble for taking off every chance I get. But then maybe my wife likes me being gone.

Blooms For The Birds...

I have been posting mostly wildlife and have mixed things up on occasion. Recently I posted a few Hawaiian and Pa. birds, what good is birds without blooms. I have no idea what this flower is and didn't take the time to look it up, it was photographed in Hawaii during our July vacation. Surprised I photographed a flower?

UPDATE to today's post. I added four more links to my links on the left. If you like wildlife these are sites you will enjoy, http://sullivanshollow.blogspot.com/, http://rangersadventures.blogspot.com/, http://hannibalsanimals.blogspot.com/, and one for the firefighters out there http://statter911.com/. Stop by and check them out sometime, you won't be sorry.

The Blogging World...

Today's photograph is the same eight point whitetail that was featured yesterday. I know I said yesterday that I also preferred the full view photo better but until I can keep reminding myself to take a step back and view the whole picture sometimes close ups is all I get. With this buck turning at the neck to view me from around the tree with his rain soaked coat I just liked the pose.

Today's post is about the blogging world and the friends you can make doing this. I have been lucky enough to photograph wildlife with some really good people I met by doing this and others I have known for years. Often I get to walk the camera with Brian Bastinelli, Brian got me started on wildlife in the west and has past on allot of his photographic skills and Photoshop knowledge. Haney is another one I have shot with. I have known Haney since we were teenagers. Two other bloggers' I have spent time with is Rich Bistline and Woody Woodward. Now if Rich would get back to keeping his blog up. Last February I had the opportunity to photograph birds in Florida with Klauss. Klauss is an excellent photographer and was more than happy to show me around a few places in Florida that I will be going back to often. Because of others that I will mention shortly I have had the chance to meet and shoot with people like Buckwheat, Steve Friel, Henry Pierce, Andy, Carl Eckstien, Bob Shank and Billy Cromwell. There has been countless others that I have met in Yellowstone that are good people and share the same love of wildlife. I also get to meet people that are not there for the photography experience but are there for other reasons. One such person was Jeff Sullivan last week at SNP. Jeff is there as a contractor but it was obvious he shared the same love of wildlife that we did. He took the time to speak to a number of the Pa. posse and even offered to do me a favor on the last day that I will not mention to keep him out of trouble. I do thank you for the offer and hope when I get back your are still there working. If not maybe I will run into you someplace else while enjoying wildlife.

Two in particular I met doing this stand out more so in there love of wildlife and knowledge of them and photography, is brothers Willard and Coy Hill. After viewing there sites in amazement of the excellent wildlife photos and knowledge of the subject I emailed Willard a few times and began to get the impression that I knew him. He got me started on going to Benezette and this last August I finally got the chance to meet him. Willard was very helpful showing my son and I around places to go off the beaten path to photograph the Elk. During the rut this year he introduced me to more of his friends and showed me a great time that will be repeated for years to come. This past week I got to photograph whitetail with him at SNP. While there I got to meet his brother Coy for the first time. Both men are from small rural areas like me and share the same interest in wildlife. With any luck I will get to share more memorable experiences with them in Benezette and SNP. Photography is a fun and rewarding experience that can also lead to new friendships.

Of course I can't forget my favorite fellow blogger and son Shane, and did I tell you it is Thursday and he has a new post for you to visit.

Which Do You Like Best?

Both of these photographs are of the same 8 point deer taken last Wednesday at Shenandoah National Park. I spent the bulk of this day alone in the park searching for whitetail deer and hoping the weather would change. I did see some deer, maybe 25 or 30 and three bucks. This eight point was the nicest of the day. The weather didn't change, it rained all day, heavy fog had the meadows socked in and the wind was pretty strong. The weather was not good for still photography but videos do not come out bad so I took advantage of that feature on the Nikon D90, occasionally firing a few shots when it was clear enough to do so.

I find myself fixated on taking close up photos of wildlife when I am out. Often I forget about the big picture and only after looking at other blogs like Coy and Willard's do I realize I am missing out on other photographic opportunities. That brings me to this question, what do you prefer a full body shot like the first one or a close up like the second one? I like both but need to get more of the landscapes in when they contribute to the image. As for these two I like the first one better.

Young Bull Waiting His Turn...

Like most of the others this young bull was photographed during the rut in the Benezette area. If this young bull stays out of the hunt zone in a couple of years he will be able to take part in the rut and compete for the cows. Lets hope he stays out of the hunting areas.

It's Tuesday and after months of me doing this you all know that means go visit Shane's blog for a new post.

The Biggest I Seen...

Last Friday you found out that I went to SNP last week for the whitetail rut. Like most of my trips I don't tell to many people in advance or post it here because of leaving my wife and son at home alone. Like my trip north for the Elk rut there will be many photos to come, I will be trying to mix them up with more Elk and other photos for those that don't share the same love of wildlife that I and some others do. This was the largest buck I seen when it comes to points. He was a nine point that I followed in the woods trying to get good photos. I really think he was playing with me as we seemed to make complete circles. Everything I got of him were stills but I wish I would have carried the D90 when I got out of the truck, he rubbed a pretty big tree putting on a nice show for me. More on the trip later including weather and shooting friends.

Today I would like to revisit the Pennsylvania Elk hunt. On October 8 of this year I posted a video of bull number 40 taken during the rut this year. The video was taken early on a Friday morning as Willard and I enjoyed this old bull in the rain. He was not the largest bull there that week but for me he was the most attractive and had a very distinct bugle, please click the link and listen to this fine animal. I found out Thursday evening after getting home from Shenandoah National Park that he was taken this year during the Elk hunt. For more information on him and other Elk killed this year visit Willard Hill's site "Pa. Wildlife Photographer" Thanks Willard for keeping us informed on the happenings with the Pa. Elk herd.

SNP:Whitetail Rut...

Watch the video for today's narrative, 57 seconds and yes I also took the video.

They Need To Rest Also...

You have seen this bull many times in the past on this site. Sometimes with grass on his antler, grooming calf's, chasing cows or just posing beautifully for photographs. Sometimes they get tired working so hard for the photographers that they just need a break.

It's Thursday, visit Shane's blog for a new post.