Camera Critters: A Win-Win Situation

It is that time of year when haymaking is in full swing in our area. At this time most of the meadows that are planted in grass are mowed and baled to make winter- feed for livestock.

While I do maintain one meadow solely for wildlife, another favorite spot is commercially farmed. Mowing usually destroys the natural or wild look of an area for a time so that it does not make for photogenic backgrounds. I looked at this spot closely as mowing time neared and realized that the "wild" look of photographs could be preserved if only a small portion was left in natural meadow grasses.

In a win-win situation, the farmer graciously agreed to this, so on mowing day I accompanied him and pointed out which area I wanted preserved.

Mowing With A Haybine

This machine mows the grass. After it dries for a day or so, the farmer returns and rakes the hay into windrows and then bales them into large round bales.

The "Business End" of The Haybine

Recently Baled Meadow

This morning a beautiful eight-point buck came to the meadow. The plan was a decided success as the photographs have the natural meadow background, yet behind and to the right of the animal is the hayfield. The key was in leaving the tall grass stand slightly past the crest of the knoll where the photo was taken.

Whitetail Buck Arrives

Whitetail Buck In Early Morning Sunlight

I wish to thank the farmer so much for his co-operation. For more Camera Critters photographs, click Here!

A Morning In The Meadow

I watched a complex of meadows at dawn on Tuesday morning and filmed several respectable whitetail bucks, but sunrise found me wanting a change of pace, so I went to a meadow that is maintained solely for wildlife. It has a variety of succulent grasses growing, most notably ladino clover. I was tired of carrying my usual extensive array of cameras and lenses, so I selected a relatively light compromise-the 100-400mm Canon zoom with the Gitzo 1348 tripod. For good measure I took along a 25mm extension tube if the opportunity arose for some close-up photography.

The local rabbit population has been depressed for years, but now they have recovered for the time being and I find them almost everywhere I go. I had no sooner than entered the meadow, than I encountered this one busily munching away, and he continued to do so for ten minutes or more.

Rabbit Numbers Are Rebounding

For some reason there are few butterflies in the meadow this year, although there are plenty of the thistles, which ordinarily attract them in droves. I did encounter a small specimen, which I am reasonably certain is a variety of Skipper. My butterfly guide is not handy, so I cannot give a positive identification, but I think it may be Silver-Spotted Skipper (If anyone knows differently, please feel free to correct me).

Silver-Spotted Skipper?

When one has an enjoyable experience, it is tempting to try and repeat it, so that evening found me in the same spot. This time I encountered a Spangled Fritillary. Its' wings are somewhat damaged, making it a less than perfect specimen, but I couldn't resist taking several photographs.

Spangled Fritillary on Thistle

While thistles are considered by many to be a noxious weed, and are a problem in crop and pasture fields, they are an important plant to insects, and a wide variety of bees and butterflies may often be found feeding on them.

Camera Critters: Spots and Velvet: Summer Whitetails

Morning At The Meadow

There is nothing quite like an early summer morning at a backcountry meadow, with the song of birds filling the air. This provides a perfect backdrop against which to observe and photograph the whitetail deer.

The fawns are moving about more now and are seen more frequently, but are still not traveling with the does full time.

July 8th

The buck's antlers are growing rapidly and will reach their full potential soon. Later the tips will be more pointed, the antlers will harden, and the velvet will crack and fall off.

The following photos are of the same buck and show how much larger he grew in a period of slightly over a week.

June 27th

Notice the seventh point beginning to show at the tip of the right antler (It is just a small bump at the top of the wide part of the antler).

July 6th

For more Camera Critters photos click Here!

Thoughts On Pennsylvania Elk Hunting: An Interesting Comment

A Potential "Great" Pennsylvania Bull

On July 7th, I received a comment from Jim B , which is as follows:

"I enjoy looking at your photos and my wife and I enjoy visiting Benezette and photographing the elk. I have been a hunter for over 45 years (and I am deeply involved in the firearms industry), but what PA calls an Elk Hunting Season is anything but a hunting season. The elk in PA regardless of where you see them are acclimated to humans and have not developed a healthy fear of humans as the deer have.

I think your film did some good and we need to do more to convince the Game Commission that other means of population control is needed versus leading the public to believe that the elk season provides "elk hunting". I at least wish that the TV stations would avoid filming the "hunts" that certainly would cause those that do not hunt to just have more examples to share on why they do not believe in hunting."

I appreciate Jim's comment and wish to elaborate a bit.

I find that most of the people I personally know, that do object to the elk hunt as it is currently implemented, seem to agree with much or all of what Jim has to say. Many also come from a hunting background and most still hunt.

A prime example is a retired biologist and college professor who hunted Elk in Colorado, but opposes the Pennsylvania Hunt. He told me it was far different to hunt elk in a state with a large herd (247,090 after the 2005 season according to "Rocky Mountain Game and Fish"), than in one with a herd numbering considerably less than 1,000 animals. (an estimated 700-750 animals in October of 2007, according to a report on the PA. Game Commission Website). He felt the hunt was likely to damage the genetic makeup of the herd as there was extreme danger of removing too many of the biggest and best animals from such a small herd.

He related this to me as we stood on an Elk County hillside, with several bulls ranging about pursuing a cow in heat. This was after a few years of elk hunting. He pointed out that at a casual glance this seemed like a great situation, but if one looked closely, second tier bulls and not the prime animals of a few years before, were doing much of the breeding activity, as too many of the mature animals had been removed by the hunting season.

Jim B. touches on an interesting point concerning the videotaping of hunts. Those who do so should should look closely at the resulting footage, not just from the standpoint of a hunter, but they should ask, "does this portray a negative image to those not involved in the sport"? It is quite common for the participants to look only at the successful aspect of the hunt and miss seeing things that the more critical observer will take exception to. More importantly they should review the situation with a critical eye and make every effort to insure that any negative aspect does not occur again on future hunts.

One episode comes to mind in which a hunter fires several shots at a bull from what appears to be moderate range. Some shots miss and some hit. The bull runs some distance and collapses. After quite a bit of talking, and congratulatory backslapping, the hunter reloads his rifle and they approach the fallen elk. As they approach the dead bull, the camera cuts to a smaller bull standing in the area where the first animal fell and the hunter thinks that the bull he shot got back up. Luckily the guide knows it is a different animal and the hunter does not shoot. The animal stands there for quite some time while the hunting party approaches before running away.

I have heard comments from numerous persons who have seen this episode. We must bear in mind that it is possible that events were re-arranged somewhat in editing, or re-staged for the camera after the situation was resolved, but if the story is taken as presented, some come away with a less than positive view of the situation.

The most common reactions include the following points.

1. Would the hunter have shot the second elk by accident if an experienced guide had not been present?

2. Why was so much time spent before the party approached the fallen animal?

3. The behavior of the second elk is not exactly that of a wary animal and does not support the view that "Pennsylvania elk are as wild as any"!


I welcome comments from all points of view about our elk herd and elk hunting, as long as the discussion is respectful!