Tag Archives: Pennsylvania Elk

The Social Side of the Pennsylvania Elk

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Elk are definitely social animals. Bulls make their presence known in the fall rut by bugling. Cows call their young with a verbal call. Elk congregate and move around in herds and if you spend any time with them you will hear firsthand just how vocal and social they really are in the wild. Yes, they are indeed a social breed!

I was fortunate to capture this photograph on Monday when we were photographing a small herd of cows and one bull. I find this particular pose to be humorous because it appears like the cow on the left doesn’t really want to hear what the cow on the right has to say!

These two cows were photographed later in the day. Once again, this photo depicts the social side of the elk. They really do enjoy hanging out together. There is comfort in numbers and for any animal or person who enjoys company, it’s just better to be together than it is to be alone.

Remember this when you are out looking for elk. When you spot one there is almost certainly more to be found nearby. Even the bulls hang together in what are called “bachelor groups” throughout the winter months. This happens after the breeding season is over. Although, the bull we saw and photographed with this herd of cows was actually still chasing the cows and even bugled on Monday night. It is quite late in the season for this to happen, but perhaps the warmer than normal temperatures have kept the bulls more active. Here is a parting shot of this bull chasing a cow just before he bugled.

Lone Winter Bull Closeup

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Sunday night we arrived in Elk County just before sunset hoping to see a nice Pennsylvania bull elk. We saw several cows and a few calves, but no bull. We persisted in our search and I was beginning to think we were going to get skunked, when I spotted this lone bull elk walking alongside the road. He was headed back into a run, so I turned the truck around, and traveled up the road in an attempt to catch him coming towards us. It worked! Before long we were set up with our tripods and clicking the shutters of our cameras. The backdrop consisted of some pine trees and the side of the mountain. Perfect!

Backgrounds are critical for quality photographs. I have captured many elk with my camera that have backgrounds that are just too busy. This is one of the main difficulties in wildlife photography–separating the subject from its background. If you are not successful in this method the resulting photograph will be unacceptable. After all, we are not after snapshots here; we are after photographs. We photographed this bull for well over 30 minutes and would have continued if the light wasn’t getting lost.

I like closeups of the elk, even the bulls. It is tempting to include their whole body and, of course, their large antlers; but I like to get up close and personal once in a while. These photographs reveal some detail we would never see otherwise. Look at the contrasting fur and pedicles of this bull’s antlers, as just so simple examples. I am quite sure that these two simple details would be lost if I had composed this photograph to capture the entire bull’s body and his antlers. Facial expressions on animals can be interesting as well. This photo shows some of the whites in this elk’s eyes. He is wondering what we are and what we are doing in his world. He is not totally alarmed but he is cautious, as his ears are up and on alert.

This last photograph shows even a bit more detail. Look closely again at the pedicles. Do you see the ring-like base protruding from the head of this bull? Do you see the tufts of fur below them? Do you notice the contrasting colors and size of the fur on this bull? What about the expression and the stare from the eyes of this bull? Each one of these details contributes to telling the full story of this bull as we encountered him in his environment.

My contention is the photographer who pays attention to detail and considers getting close-up will have quite a story to tell. Do you think these three photographs succeed in this attempt?

Remember that old saying: “a picture is worth a thousand words?” This can be true if the photographer pays attention to details. What stories do your photographs tell?

Why I Like Wildlife Photography So Much

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I like wildlife photography. Yep, I like it a lot! I actually like just about any kind of photography and I am currently active in sports photography, some musicals and plays, and a few other assignments as well. But given the choice, I will pick wildlife photography above all the others any day of the week!

Why?

Well, let’s see. First of all the subjects are beautiful, majestic, live in an awesome environment, and don’t talk back too much! That old saying is certainly true: “A bad day of wildlife photography is better than a good day at work.” But beyond the obvious, who could complain about spending a day outdoors in the beauty of God’s creation? Nature is absolutely spellbinding to observe and be a part of as a photographer. Even when our subjects do not cooperate or even show up, there is plenty of other things to observe and photograph. Landscapes are just one example, but smaller animals, insects, spider webs and more can be great alternative subjects.

Not that long ago, someone told me that you cannot be a wildlife photographer–it just doesn’t pay enough. I liken it to how most people honestly discourage youngsters away from professional sports, saying the odds of ever making it to the pros is just too big of an obstacle. Okay, there is no doubt that the chances are slim, but some people make it, don’t they? So why can’t you be that one?

I love it when people add their two cents, challenge me, and say, “You’ll never do that!” This happened to me at an early age and I’ve spent some quality time during my life proving people wrong! Maybe this is another reason why I like wildlife photograph–it is difficult and presents incredible challenges. I say, “Bring ’em on!”

Another aspect of wildlife photography I enjoy is the classroom-learning I experience in the field. I learn far more out in the wild than I ever do from any book or seminar. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in the power of books and I have a good library of them, too; but the observations and learnings I experience on my own outings are far more powerful.

Wildlife photography has also provided me with numerous new friendships and collegial relationships–much more than I could ever have imagined! The bond we have among us is second to none. I feel more kinship with other outdoor photographers than I do competition. Not everyone feels this way I suppose, but I actually enjoy seeing other’s perspectives and photographic eye. This not only helps me learn to see things differently, but reminds me that there is plenty of space for us all. I made some very good friends over the past few years, all because of my interest in wildlife photography. This is a huge reason why I like wildlife photography.

Lastly, my longtime belief that “there is no place like the mountains” is probably the number one driving force in my enjoyment for wildlife photography. I love the mountains, and spending time trying to photograph wild animals puts me in the greatest place on earth! When I am at work in my outdoor office it doesn’t feel like work at all!

These are just a few of the reasons why I like wildlife photography so much. I enjoy the challenges as well as the people and places wildlife photography brings to my life. I am a better person because of my involvement in wildlife photography and I truly hope that at least a few of my photographs can begin to adequately show just how special and amazing wildlife photography is to me!

Bull Elk from a Different Perspective

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This is a Pennsylvania bull elk. He is big but this is a different perspective from how I typically photograph these majestic animals.

This perspective takes in more of the surrounding environment where this bull roams. The foreground features a field of grass, which is turning to brown in the late fall when this photograph was captured. The background shows trees with just a hint of the changing color coming to the leaves.

The bull seems to be overshadowed by these surrounding elements and yet he appears to be just coming onto this scene. His majestic antlers are reflecting some of the light and they are huge!

What do you think of this different perspective?

 

Broken Bull Profile

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This is a profile of a nice bull elk. I watched him for several hours one afternoon this fall. First he was feeding in a small field. Then he laid down to chew his cud. I took many photographs, went back to get my photo colleague, and returned to take more photos. It was an incredible site to say the least!

If you look closely at the top of this photograph you will see that this bull’s left antler is broken. It was broken most likely in a fight with another bull, and probably taking him out of contention with other competing bulls for the fall rut. Interestingly, he was accompanied by two cows earlier in the day but they wandered off in the middle of the afternoon. A bull with a broken antler is no match for a dominant bull and he knows it well.

Fights between bulls rarely are fights to the death, but broken antlers and punctures from antler tips are somewhat common. These bulls fight when they must and they fight hard. Capturing such a bull-fight is difficult with a camera for a variety of reasons. The aftermath of these fights are easier to photograph; like this broken bull profile.

Midday Light

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Many photographers pack up their cameras and photo equipment when the sun gets high in the sky. This is understandable because the midday sunlight is often too harsh for good, quality photographs. However, some days provide excellent light even at midday.

This fall I was in the mountains of Elk County, Pennsylvania during a rainy week. It rained every day I was there! One afternoon I decided to take a walk. It was midday but it was cloudy. On my walk the clouds separated somewhat and the sunlight came pouring through. The light was absolutely beautiful!

Pay attention to the quality of light even at midday. Once in a while it will be okay to shoot photographs even when the sun is high in the sky.

Unique Perspective

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I came across this bull elk after quite a hike. I heard some bulls bugling and did locate two of the three I heard, but it was far too thick with trees to capture any decent photographs. Somewhat rejected, I returned to a field I visited earlier in the afternoon. I was surprised to find two cows and this bull out in the field!

Elk can sometimes be predictable while other times they are completely unpredictable!

I was below this bull and set up my tripod carefully, hoping not to alarm or scare this guy. He just kept looking at me and studying every move. I was slow and deliberate and was able to capture this photograph and quite a few more. Eventually, he slowly stood up, reassessed his surroundings, and moseyed up the hill into the woods. Amazing! These mammals are absolutely amazing!

 

Broken Brow Tine

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Bulls jockey for position to gather their harem in the breeding season. This is not an easy task, however. Other competing bulls constantly vie for the same cows. These competing bulls sometimes challenge the dominant bull hoping to oust them from their position and take their place.

These challenges often look like antler jousting as the two bulls butt heads and lock antlers. They push and shove each other and sometimes clash their antlers with a loud thud! Sometimes this results in a broken antler. This fall I saw at least two bulls with a broken antler. This one has a broken brow tine on his left side. The brow tine is the first antler from the bottom and the closes to the bull’s brow, hence the name “brow tine.” You might have to enlarge the photo so see this broken brow tine, but it is broken. Just another battle wound from the fall rut.

 

Bull Elk in Goldenrod

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The elk rut each fall is a time of anticipation and excitement!

This year was no exception. In fact, this year turned out to be one of the best fall ruts I ever photographed! There is just something special about the fall season — the cooler air, the rich aromas, and the colorful sights all contribute to this unique time of year. The goldenrod is in full bloom at this time of year and it provides a wonderful background for photographs of elk. I just love the bright yellow colors!

 

Backgrounds

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Backgrounds are critical in photography. A bad background can ruin an otherwise excellent photograph. A good background can enhance even a mediocre photo. Backgrounds are critical, so learn to pay attention to the background when making photographs.

This background is nothing fancy. In fact, that’s why it works. The white clouds in the background help to eliminate any distractions and help the subject of the bull elk stand out in this photo. I do wish the blue sky was brighter, but otherwise I think this photo works. What do you think?