An Evening To Remember-The Peak Of Pennsylvania's Elk Rut

As the sun slowly dropped below the horizon, a herd of elk grazed in a remote meadow on Winslow Hill, in the heart of Pennsylvania's elk range. Piercing bugles rent the air as a mature herd bull kept guard over his harem. His only challengers were small bulls. A large bull that could have been a contender kept his distance and spent most of the evening lying peacefully at the edge of the meadow.

Mature Bull That Didn't Challenge The Herd Bull

The dominant bull repeatedly horned the earth at times, and strands of grass were draped on his antlers. What a wild sight as he ranged about the meadow chasing the cows and repelling the young challengers.

Note Grass Flying From Tips Of Lower Points

Dominant Herd Bull With Grass In Antlers: Enlarge For Better View

After the sun dropped below the horizon, the landscape was bathed in a golden after-glow, which provided a superb setting for a close-up photograph.

"Posing In The Afterglow"

As darkness fell the herd slowly traveled to a meadow near the parking lot where I had left my vehicle.

I brought up the rear, slowly following the herd at a safe distance and eventually they climbed to the edge of a steep meadow. The moon shone high in the heavens, and the air was filled with the tremendous thundering bugles of the large bulls and the high pitched squealing bugles of the raghorns. The herd bull brought the evening to a perfect close, by posing against the darkening sky.

Bull Bugles Under Moonlit Sky

(This is a composite image, with the moon being photographed in a second shot and combined with the photo of the bull so that it could be placed in an artistically pleasing manner, but is indicative of what one may see in reality).

Note: Due to high sales volume "The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd" DVDs are currently out of stock at Benezett Store, but should be available again by mid-week.

For more Camera Critters photos, Click Here!

Pennsylvania Elk Photography-DVDs At Benezett Store

It is that time of year again, when the mating season for Pennsylvania elk is underway and thousands travel to Pennsylvania's elk range to take in the exciting sights and sounds of the rut.

Young Bull Elk Bugling: The Center Of All Of The Attention

Young Bull Bugling-Published Sept./Oct. Issue Pennsylvania Magazine:
Received Honorable Mention-PA. Magazine photo contest, Animals Wild And Domestic Category

The 2-DVD set "The Truth About Pennsylvania's Elk Herd", which I released last year is currently out of stock at Benezett Store, but should be available again by Sunday evening as I am traveling there tomorrow to join the other elk watchers and photographers, and will be delivering a fresh supply to the store. If you have not already bought a copy, please consider stopping by the store and checking the DVD out. There is a good chance they will be playing it, either in the restaurant or in the back room in the store, where they have a large screen TV, so you can check it out before purchasing. The DVD set, shows the life of the elk through the four seasons of the year. It also takes a look at the "Elk Culture" on Winslow Hill, with a special emphasis on the years from 1995 until the elk hunt began in 2001. It also deals extensively with issues surrounding the hunt.

I will be unable to answer e-mail inquiries or fill orders for the DVDs from the period of September 19, through October 2, 2009 and there will be no further blog postings until that time.

Enhancing Your Outdoor Experience With Photography And Video

Today's Featured Video: A tightly edited film showing several species of birds and animals.

Enhancing Your Outdoor Experience With Photography And Video from Willard C. Hill on Vimeo.

My brother, Coy Hill of Country Captures plans to teach a photography class at Youth Field Days at The Fulton County Pistol and Rifle "Club, this Saturday.

I produced this video, which is just over six minutes in length,to start the photography class. The video is a tightly edited presentation of Pennsylvania wildlife including, a bald eagle, golden eagle, turkeys,bear, squirrels, and of course whitetail deer, and elk. It encourages youth to develop an interest in photography. There are a few scenes of Coy and I in action with the big lenses and a short discussion of how a point and shoot camera is an excellent starting point. After the video, Coy will give some hands-on instructions with different types of cameras and teach some basic photography techniques.

Youth Field Days is designed to introduce youth to the hands-on aspect of the outdoor sports and has courses designed to familiarize the youth with the equipment used, and to promote safety consciousness. There are segments on archery, firearms handling, ATVs, boat, turkey calling, and trapping. Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Andy Carbaugh has co-ordinated this event for the past several years.

Whitetail Bucks: Shedding Of Velvet Completed

A week ago I featured a segment on the whitetail bucks, and the annual shedding of the velvet. Today we explore the subject in a bit more depth.

After the velvet cracks, it peels off in strips. The photo directly below is actually a strip of velvet that a spike buck just lost. If one looks at the left side they can see how the sheath is shaped like the underlying antler. I pressed the strip against the rough bark of a walnut tree to support it and provide a background to photograph the velvet against.

Shed Velvet-Interior View

Shed Velvet-External View

I hoped to get photos and video of a buck rubbing trees and saplings to remove the velvet, but that was not to be. I did see one animal that still had a few long strands of velvet hanging from one antler. This animal still had velvet at dusk on September 12th, but only a few strips remained the next morning.

Cracked Velvet: 9/12/09 6:45 p.m.

Velvet Hanging In Strips: 9/13/09 7:45 a.m.

Process Almost Complete

With the shedding completed, the bucks feel the stirring of the pre-rut, and move about more. If one frequents the same spot throughout the summer, it is common to see the same bucks over and over again, but as the pre-rut kicks in strange bucks appear.

Mature Whitetail Buck: Likely Three Years Old-First Sighting

While it is always rewarding to be afield, at this time of year the outdoors is particularly exciting as wildlife activity increases dramatically with the onset of the whitetail and elk rutting seasons.