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| p.20 #1 · p.20 #1 · Official Nikon Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR Image Thread | |
OwlsEyes wrote:
Hi and thanks for the note,
I never post captive animals, in fact I can't recall the last time I've been to a "wildlife sanctuary" where the wildlife is not free to roam beyond pre-defined boarders... Hmm maybe 'Ol Pejeta Conservancy" in Kenya (But it is 360 square km... so essentially free roaming).
I live in MN and we have a frightfully large deer population. Furthermore, the Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge is part of the NPS system and it is illegal to hunt there. This refuge runs into multiple state parks along the Mississippi and St. Croix River (another NPS controlled system). The parks allow for very tightly regulated hunts when the deer populations are exceeding park carrying capacity. As such, there a few parks where deer have semi-permanent residence or migrate into the Mississippi and St. Croix Valley Refuges only to return to breed in November. Unlike the bucks, many of the does and fawns will winter in the state parks and the bucks return for a captive audience 
For example, I photographed this same buck around the same time last year. There is one buck who died two years ago that I photographed for at least 4 consecutive years.
I have plans to move to California during the first quarter of 2024, so I am trying to pad my files with big bucks... My decade-plus run of "trophy" white-tail deer photography is about to come to an end 
RE the 180-600 v 100-400.. I think this depends more on your weight tolerance, existing kit, and size rather than optical quality. While the 400 f4.5 edges out the 180-600 @ 400mm, it's not enough to make me pull out that lens. I will only use my 400mm lens when I need the extra stop or I know I will be shooting handheld all of the time (like from a kayak, canoe, or other watercraft). If 600mm is your max lens (like 600PF or 600S) or you use a 400mm f2.8S, I think the 100-400 is the right "other" lens. For me, I use the 800PF for some birds and distant or small mammals (coyotes, deer landscapes, otters, etc...). The 180-600 is the perfect "other" lens and will likely be my most used wildlife lens. I also continue to hold onto my 400 f4.5 and 1.4x. So when I go on a nature shoot, I always carry my 17-28 f2.8, 70-180 f2.8, Z6II, Z8, and Z9. If decide to go long, I will pack the latter in my Backlight 36L with the 800mm and 400mm lenses; if I decide to be a generalist or am planning a flight, I'll pack the "smaller stuff" in my FStop Tilopa w/ Pro-XL ICU and stick the 400 and 180-600 in that bag (yes it all fits nicely).
I carried the Tilopa kit into the state park yesterday with the Z9 on the 180-600, Z8 on the 400, and the 2 smaller lens + Z6II separated... I was able to hike comfortably for 3 miles on a lot of uneven and trail-free brush habitat with this stuff, and probably would be just fine with this kit into the future... even if I didn't have the 800PF.
bruce...Show more →
awesome stuff! I love Minnesota. Would love to have a cabin or something up there one day.
I found a couple of local parks here in Michigan with decent bucks (couple 6s, 8s) but poaching is an issue and it's mainly in the city so I don't think they tend to get as big.
The Mississippi Wildlife Refuge sounds like a sweet setup!
Currently I've got a 70-200 2.8, 400 f2.8 tc, and 800 6.3. I pretty much only need a zoom for trips where wildlife photography is not the main attraction... I took the RF 100-500 with to Hawaii in March, and the Z 100-400 to Iceland in September of this year for example. In both cases I wanted more reach, and aperture wasn't an issue since I was shooting in daylight. I could use the 1.4x on the 100-400, but I much prefer an internal zoom mechanism. I'm thinking the 180-600 may give similar optical quality with further reach, assuming I can figure out how to accommodate it in a travel pack.
thanks for all the info!
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That buck thanks you. 
!!!
