After a lot of landscape picture taking and a big scare with a bear, here is my wildlife contribution from this morning - a common loon family, on Herbert Lake.
Here is my bear scare story, without pictures, as you will read about:
I was shooting landscapes at Bow Lake and returned to my car and started putting my lens and tripod away, and behind me I heard some trotting. I turned around and a grizzly was at full speed running (thought he was charging) toward me. He was running so fast by the time I processed the event he had gained about 50' and was closing the last 50', full speed at a big trot flying through the air between strides.
I was debating jumping in my back door on top of my 500 f4, ts17, 5diii.... with the damage that would result... and also considering that I had run out of time and likely would be pulled from the car and should just face him.. but then I decided he was going to go by me since (now down to 20') he was going so fast and slightly tangently, so I pulled my camera up, but by then he flashed by within 10' and kept on going, without a picture to prove it. All took about 2 seconds.
It took about 10 minutes for my heart to slow down and the adrenaline to decline. Then I followed with my big lens and car (car first) to check to see whether he had surprised the other photographer I saw, and the other guy send the same thing. About 300' beyond me he went over a bridge with full speed and a look toward the other guy, and carried on, leaving the other photographer in the same state. Finally I just found a group of hikers with their bear spray out - about 1/2 km away, so he must have kept on going exciting everyone in the path.
After the incident, I checked around and found that:
1) a fishermen had disturbed the bear in the bushes - he was equally excited.
2) the bear had been hazed (shot with bean bags) the previous evening because he was hanging out too close to the lodge
So despite my intense excitement, he was just running by me at full speed (amazing speed) to get away from a (imagined) pending bean bag in the but. But my heart sure did not know it.
I have operated with as long as I am within 1/3 of the distance between car - assuming I am 1/3 the speed - but now I know I could not even get my bear spray out in this time.
We get used to, get experience with fast moving objects such as cars when crossing streets, footballs and baseballs when playing games. We have little if any experience with bears chasing us, emergency stopping a vehicle or crossing a freeway on foot and will likely misjudge the timing of such events to our own detriment.
Glad the bear had other objectives than you for lunch. Sure would miss your photography here!
Those stories are great when they end well Scott...so you now have cocktail party material for awhile Seriously, we quickly figure out how insignificant we are in the animal world with such an encounter....I am sure similar stories did not end up with the same result.
The loon shots are wonderful with the last 3 my picks.
Eric
jctriguy: He was fast. Glad you like them. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
tfoltz: They are a good looking bird. And they always hang out at Herbert Lake. Glad you like them. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
GeorgeM:Glad you like the loon family. Thanks for the good wishes with the bears. It was too fast for my life to flash before my eyes Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
eyelaser: I continue to be impressed with the grizzlies - speed, intelligence and the ability to pick the photographers out from the forest rangers. I find that when I take pictures the grizzly will move off when he sees someone dressed like a forest ranger because he knows what might come next (bean bag or a needle or ...) Glad you like the loons. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
Here is one of the shots I risked my life for :) :)
What an experience ! One I am sure you will never forget or ever want to happen again.
Very happy for you and the others that he was a bear that had learned and not one that had not!
As for the pictures you won me over with the first one, what a tender shot I thought. Then I saw the parent feeding the young one, another super interaction. Great low angle, top notch techs. These are wonderful!
Tim
Jul 09, 2012 at 10:56 AM
David Leask Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
What a story Scott!!!!! People who have never seen a bear running would be shocked to see how quck they are!
And super Loon photos too ..... I recall having a loon chasing a small trout I was madly trying to land and hoping that sharp beak wouldn't puncture my float tube ..... I was along ways from shore. Those loons sure can swim .......
Lucky
PS looks like a dragon fly nymph that loon is feeding to its chick...
birdied: It was an intense experience that I won't forget. Thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
kmunroe: Glad you liked my story and the loons. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
Tim Kuhn: I was impressed by the birds and their care and attention to the little birds. Glad you like them. Much appreciated. Scott
David Leask. I am now practicing my quck draw with the bear spray. Hopefully my photography friends are understanding. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
LuckyStrike: Even people that have been around bears a lot (me!) are shocked by the speed. Thanks for the id on the bug. Glad you like the loons. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Scott
Seriously, we quickly figure out how insignificant we are in the animal world with such an encounter....I am sure similar stories did not end up with the same result.
People who have never seen a bear running would be shocked to see how quck they are!
