October 8, 2015

 

 

Call me crazy, but I may never tire of admiring elk.

It would take much more time than I have here to tell you why, but if you are a hunter, or another elk enthusiast, then there would not be much of a point in doing so. You already know what I might say.

I would be with them right now, amongst the herd, if I could. September is the best of all times in the Rocky Mountains, and elk have more than a little bit to do with that. I suspect the elk might agree with that too.

Yet, personal time in the wild lands is limited and precious, and there are always so many things that get in the way. I can appreciate a good picture when I see one though, and this one really puts me in the proper elk-country frame of mind.

A wildlife photographer is a hunter too, though they may prefer a different kind of tool to acquire their prey. With luck and perseverance they may just catch that perfect moment in time, preserved for you and I and for those who may never step foot in the land of rutting and wild-eyed bulls.

They fill in the gaps of our lost experience, and placate our wilderness longings when we simply cannot be there ourselves. We are all so very much richer for their efforts, and I salute them.

This particular photograph was taken by David Schroeder this September in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. He used a Nikon D600 camera with a 600mm telephoto lens, set at ISO 800, an aperture  of f/4, and a shutter speed of 1 /400 sec.

Dave tells me that he has been crazy about elk for over 35 years, and it shows. I can tell a kindred spirit when I see one.

I have no doubt that he, like I, shall never tire of admiring elk.

Posted by Michael Patrick McCarty

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