Here is an article I posted over at basecamplegends.com thought you all might enjoy. Kind of a short recap of my non hunting photography from 2008.
Hunting With A Camera [/align]
Early this spring I decided to make it a point to capture more of my outdoor adventures on film. Instead of packing a camera in my backpack as dead weight, I decided to start keeping it out and at the ready to capture the moments that would be missed otherwise. With a little trial and error I found that a Bino buddy neck strap and surgical tube chest strap would keep my camera handy, yet not have it dangling in my way as I navigated Idaho’s back country. With the slow economy and kids to feed I was unable to purchase the SLR camera I wanted, but was able to upgrade from my 4 mega pixel Fuji to a 8 mega pixel Cannon Power Shot S5 IS with a 12x optical zoom.
The difference this camera made on my ability to capture wildlife was immediately made apparent on a few early spring wildlife viewing trips with my boys on the Selway. We managed to capture some great pics of deer, elk, turkeys, and various waterfowl that call the lower portion of the Selway home early in the year.
The first payoff for not leaving the camera in my pack and having it at the ready came on an early spring spot and stalk bear hunt up a drainage off from the Lochsa river. On our way back after a 12 mile round trip day hike I was blessed with getting to have a rare close encounter with a Mountain Lion. My buddy had hiked out ahead of me on the trail, as he was in “turn and burn back to the truck mode”, and I was in “check out the scenery mode”. As I rounded a corner in the trail I saw what at first appeared to be a dog in the trail ahead of me, but soon realized it was a Moutnain Lion. With the high water in the creek below, the lion was unable to hear my approach, and I believe his attention was focused on my friend who was several hundred yards ahead on the trail. I quickly went into picture taking mode and snapped a couple shots as the lion rounded a corner. I then ran up around the corner to see the lion stopped a mere 10 yards away. I centered the cougar in my viewfinder and shouted “hey” to get him to turn around for a couple more shots. Upon catching up to my friend at the truck he was surprised to get to see what was following him down the trail.
Throughout the remainder of this year I managed to obtain several other great shots of Idaho’s wildlife and scenery, though it was hard to top up close pictures of a lion in the wild. Having a camera at the ready, as you would keep your rifle or bow, has made my time in the wilds of the west even more enjoyable.This hasexpanded my year round outdoor adventures, while making it possible to easily share these encounters and vistas with others. If you don’t pack a camera, or keep it buried in your pack where you can’t deploy it in time for encounters with wildlife, then maybe you should try hunting with a Camera also.
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