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Archive 2018 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

lighthound
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

csinseattle wrote:
Dave, great series, thank goodness for long glass

Chris S

Thanks Chris! Glad you enjoyed them.
I wish I had more time when this was happening. I would have switched over to my FF and I could have gone bare lens and gotten much better shutter speed and lower ISO's.
This was one time I wish I had two 100-400mm lenses. One set-up on each camera ready to go.

Dave

Jun 01, 2018 at 10:47 AM

Jeff Self
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Terrific series! What part of the OBX was this? I need to get down to Alligator River some point this summer. I'm only 70 miles away right across the state line.

Jun 01, 2018 at 11:42 AM

Littlefield
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Dave, nice shots ! Were y'all on a bridge or down in the creek ?
Don

Jun 01, 2018 at 12:33 PM

Ed Swift
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Just an amazing series. I'm sure those memories will last forever! Not sure I can pick a favorite.

Jun 02, 2018 at 01:36 PM

lighthound
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Jeff Self wrote:
Terrific series! What part of the OBX was this? I need to get down to Alligator River some point this summer. I'm only 70 miles away right across the state line.

Thanks Jeff! Glad you enjoyed them. This was indeed Alligator River. It was a 7.5 hour drive for me. If I lived as close as you, I'd be there every weekend.

get out there man!

Dave
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Littlefield wrote:
Dave, nice shots ! Were y'all on a bridge or down in the creek ?
Don

Thanks Don! This was in one of the canals that are all over the place there. I don't know what all these canals are actually for other than maybe irrigation?

Dave

Jun 02, 2018 at 01:38 PM

lighthound
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Ed Swift wrote:
Just an amazing series. I'm sure those memories will last forever! Not sure I can pick a favorite.

Thanks Ed! It was a fun trip, and I have many more images to post yet. Stay tuned.

Dave

Jun 02, 2018 at 01:41 PM

Shasoc
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

A terrific set, Dave and what an experience! Not the usual setting for a bear. Lovely water reflections.
Socrate

Jun 02, 2018 at 02:41 PM

redmule
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Great set! Looks like a big bear.

Jun 02, 2018 at 04:37 PM

lighthound
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Shasoc wrote:
A terrific set, Dave and what an experience! Not the usual setting for a bear. Lovely water reflections.
Socrate

Thanks Socrate! Glad you enjoyed them!

Dave
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redmule wrote:
Great set! Looks like a big bear.

Thankyou! And yes, he was a big boy for sure.
As he was walking around in the thick woods just prior to capturing these images, it looked like a T-Rex was walking around back in there as fairly large trees were getting flopped back and forth like they were little bushes.
That didn't help any with the adrenaline rush and camera shake.

Dave

Jun 04, 2018 at 08:00 AM

DaleBerlin
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Super shots Dave I really enjoyed these. What an unusual environment and perspective.

Jun 05, 2018 at 09:44 PM

RustyBug
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

Adrenaline junkie pics. Those bear-a-gator shots are pretty sweet. Never thought about a bear in the swamp. Gators & Crocs & Bears ... oh my.

Jun 05, 2018 at 10:05 PM

lighthound
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

DaleBerlin wrote:
Super shots Dave I really enjoyed these. What an unusual environment and perspective.

Thanks Dale! Glad you enjoyed them.

And yes it was very unusual (to me at least) to witness this and to be able to capture it as we did. I haven't been photographing wildlife for many years but I have been around these guys and other large furry mammals for most my life and I've never had to pleasure of seeing this before. Having a camera in hand put this over the top for me.

Dave
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RustyBug wrote:
Adrenaline junkie pics. Those bear-a-gator shots are pretty sweet. Never thought about a bear in the swamp. Gators & Crocs & Bears ... oh my.

Yeah, you could say that.

He had his space and watching his body language I could tell he was comfortable with us being there. I almost felt like he was putting on a show for us on purpose. Craziest experience I've ever had with one of these guys. Magical.

I still can't get over the fact on how these guys thrive in that nasty wet environment. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes while exploring this place wouldn't believe it.

Mitesh had jokingly told me as he was leaving that I needed to capture the ultimate battle between a gator and bear while I was there.

I'm sure it must have happened in there somewhere already. Maybe that's where all their ears went.

Dave

Jun 06, 2018 at 12:06 PM

moranjr
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

These are great! I really enjoyed seeing them. Thanks.

Jun 06, 2018 at 03:30 PM

lighthound
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

moranjr wrote:
These are great! I really enjoyed seeing them. Thanks.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed them.

A side note after noticing where you are from.
While I was up there shooting these images, I ran into an amazing family that drove all the way from Texas to see these bear. The father and I chatted for a little while and I got such a kick out of seeing his little daughter which I'm guessing was around 11 or 12 years old. She was right out there with her dad and older brother? hand holding a Canon DSLR with a 100-400II attached. I joked with her about how her camera and lens were almost taller than she was. She just smiled and said "yep, I've been told that before."

It was so heartwarming to see this terrific family out there enjoying nature and sharing the same passion together. After a brief conversation, I knew instantly they were super nice people to the core.

Dave

Jun 06, 2018 at 08:39 PM

moranjr
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · Black Bear of the OBX - Part 1

That's great. Although I live in Houston I am originally from SC and know OBX well. Small world! I look forward to more of your images.

Jun 06, 2018 at 08:48 PM

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