My Saturday walk

[danc]

It was a very nice crisp and clear Saturday morning here, so with no plans for the day, I hopped in the truck and went for a drive with both my shotgun and my camera. As usual I did most of my shooting with the camera.

 

This guy could have easily became my supper, but I won't shoot them on the road like this. It's illegal as well. He did walk into the bush where I could have taken him, but I just didn't bother.

 

 

I eventually arrived at a favorite trail that I like to walk. It takes me up a mountain. I love the exercise and fresh air. While walking the trail, I noticed that some of the peeling birch bark was lit up by the sun in an orange glow. Being so close to Halloween, the forest seemed to be celebrating the occasion.

 

 

 

As I continued my walk, the silence was suddenly broken by a very loud noise of something crashing through the trees. It became obvious that I had startled a Moose, and it was on a mission to run for safety. I only saw a few glimpses of the jet black fur as the animal plowed through the trees about 50 yards from me. If any of you guys have experienced this, it's really an amazing thing to witness and hear. It sounds like a full size half ton truck driving through the trees at about 20 mph without the motor running. It was probably a cow and a calf, as I found these tracks on the trail shortly after.

 

 

I didn't take my tripod up the mountain with me. Lord knows that I had enough things to carry on my uphill 8 km trek. So I didn't do very many bracketed shots for HDR. Occasionally I rested my camera on a rock or log and took a few brackets. This was about my best shot. The skim of ice on the pond in mid afternoon gives you an idea of how cool it was. Holding the cold steel of the gun barrel all afternoon in gloveless hands wasn't a great idea.

 

 

I did manage to bring one Grouse home with me. I saw 8 or 9 of them. But, despite how great they taste, it seems that bringing home any birds has become secondary to just being out there and taking a few photos these days. It's an age thing I think. More than ever, I really appreciate just what we have up here. It's scenes like this, that change every weekend, that keeps me coming back.

 

[Deano]

Wow Dan, looks like a great way to spend the day. I find myself shooting more with the camera also, but I like to bring home at least one bird. Heard the sound of a moose coming through the trees many years ago, we ran to get between three trees that were closely placed like a triangle, sure got the heart pumping. Any ways great pics and walk through to boot. Going for a quad ride with my son, I'll see what we come up with for pics later.

[brandon]

I love that 5th pic man.......that ice adds a nice touch to it. And hearing the moose is definatly something neat to hear. When I was guiding bear hunters last summer I startled many bears and they also make quite a commotion as they tear off through the brush