Photographers Vs Animals

TaoTeJared

Seen various articles about Photographers Vs Animals in the past so I thought I would start a thread so others can share what the found.


http://gosmokies.knoxnews.com/m/blogpost?id=1060157:BlogPost:385202

donaldejose

Don't have photos of the events because I was busy retreating or climbing a tree but I have been chased by a young grizzly bear, a mature male moose and a Canadian goose. Some animals run when you cross that magic line and others attack. It is best to learn which do what before you walk towards them in the wild.

dissent

Good thing it wasn't a bighorn ram. The "approach" might not have been so gentle.

Obligatory -

Photobug

Those kids were lucky and that one boy could have been speared. Buffalo and Bison need 50 yards. It's no wonder there are so many injuries each year in Yellowstone.

Now off the soap box, I can tell you back in 1993 I had a 200mm lens on a film body and got to close when a female charged me. I had 30 yards between us but when you are looking through a lens and it charges it's scary. I was lucky and made it to the road before she gave up. Yes, I got off two shots before turning and running.

DenverShooter

IWhat part of wild animal don't these people understand? These aren't some animatronic display in a Disney World petting zoo. Male Bison weigh in at 2,000 lbs and can run at 40 MPH. Think getting run down by a enraged Honda with horns. More people are killed or seriously injured by Bison in Yellowstone than any other animal. There are signs everywhere in the park about staying away from the animals. The Park Rangers hand out a brochure to everyone that clearly states to Stay Away from the animals..

Last time I was shooting bison in the badlands of SD I was using my 600 mm F/4 and doing it from the far side of the car across the hood on a moving blanket. When asked about this practice, I suggested that cars could be replaced, me not so much..

Denver Shooter

cbg

The first image could have resulted in a good nomination for the "Darwin Award", For those unfamiliar with this: http://www.darwinawards.com/

Msmoto

@DenverShooter

Right on!

proudgeek

I have to admit I once got too close to a male sea lion and had to beat a hasty retreat. Lesson learned.

MikeGunter

Hi all,

In Montana, we used to have signs that said, "Animals are unpredictable."

It seems people really, really don't understand what that means. :-)

My best,

Mike

Correlli

Last time I was shooting bison in the badlands of SD I was using my 600 mm F/4 and doing it from the far side of the car across the hood on a moving blanket.

Back in the 80ies Tamron had a great print ad for a long tele zoom showing a wolf running towards the camera and the head line:

The zoom that works if "stay boy, stay" doesn't...

Loved that ad!

ThomasHorton

For a moment, I was kinda rooting for the Bison.

Killerbob

In Kangerlussuaq in Greenland the local wild population of Musk Ox is all over the place, and a popular tourist attraction. I was there in the late 90s, and on one Musk Ox safari, we had along with us two Japanese tourists. I only had my pocket camera at the time, but both of the two Japanese guys were equipped with expensive high-end cameras.

Of course they got close to a young calf standing some ways of the Musk Ox flock, and were taking pictures, when suddenly Big-Mama Musk Ox got upset as the tourists had ventured in between the young one and herself. Basically one of the tourists got run over, his camera tramped to a pulp, and the other one found himself running for dear life. Quite a funny thing to witness, as Musk Ox, despite their size, are very very fast in a straight line, and the Japanese tourist did not think to take 90 degree turns. At least he drew the attention of Mama-Ox, and we were able to pick up the pieces of the fallen hero, and eventually catch up with the runner in the car.

Just goes to show that some species knowledge goes a long way, as does a little common sense...

Vipmediastar_JZ

some funny stories here.
I live near some forest preserves. I sometimes see deer and two times i saw a coyote a few blocks from my house. I haven't had any ecounters or witnessed anything like the stories on here. I wouldn't risk my life or anybody's to get a photo.

ChasCS

If you want to photograph "big game" come to Edmonton...
Buddy has a surprise for your camera... Smile, but he's tame...
This is the second time around for him too and his larger than life best friends...
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/good-news/alberta-man-unusual-pet-1-600-pound-bison-165343825.html
http://news.ca.msn.com/local/north/bison-is-alberta-mans-best-friend

Elvishefer

Quite enjoyed the pet bison story, ty.

NSXTypeR

Large animals are pretty cool. I had a volunteer assignment with horses and we were told that horses have no idea about their size. If you're leading them up near a fence they'll have no idea how big they are compared to you so they might smush you against the fence.

While I was in the stables I was listening to a safety talk and I was standing way too close to an enclosure with a pretty high fence. Little did I know that the horse inside it was curious too and I felt a puff of air coming from above me, along with bits of drool. The horse had swung his whole head over the fence and was curious about the crowd that had gathered outside.

Horses remind me of very, very large dogs, in a way.

I wonder how that bison's temperament will change when puberty hits- they might get more aggressive as their hormones kick in.

ChasCS

Even a large dog can be more than a handful for many. I often see them pulling their brave owners around the neighbourhood. Heck even a small pooch will pull a sleigh. Hahaha hahaha!!

It's funny to a degree, but it's crazy how strong most animals are, compared to us, their average wimpy handlers.

Yes, with minds of their own too. I remember years ago, watching this poor guy trying to coax his lost pet monkey down from the top of a large tree it had happily scampered up, when it got loose from its chest harness leash...

Hahaha, no way in Hell that long tailed, incredibly nimble climber, was ever going back to him willingly.
I left before Thee fire department showed up... If they did?
You have to give it up to our brave men in uniform that risk life, limb, and fingers bitten to the bone for us "Pet Lovers"!

Yeah, wild animals can be marvellous mates too.
Whether you raise wolves or wolverines, some have grizzly bears too.
I've Never seen anyone with a pet polar bear yet though, I wonder why...?

Scratch my own head,,, thank you very much!!

donaldejose

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257088/Starving-polar-bear-attacks-BBC-cameraman-pod-Arctic-Norway.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/26/us/alaska-bear-attack/

Nikonhotep

While at Yosemite a couple of years ago, a friend and I watched a mother and father urge their children (three, I think, probably between the ages of 9 and 14) to get closer to a couple of black bear cubs.

We expected to witness a Darwin Award moment, but it didn't happen.

ChasCS

I was smiling heartily while watching this interesting filmmaker, introduced on the early evening news this afternoon...
http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/features/2013/11/12/alberta-filmmaker-captures-first-hd-footage-of-north-american-wolverine/

Alberta,,, it's home!!

POLAR Bears: It's easy to see that some people have had very different experiences with these large glorious and majestic animals.
http://amazingdata.com/the-only-one-in-the-world-who-can-touch-the-polar-bear/

Please do not open this link if you are squeamish and or sensitive to graphic injuries!!
http://www.freedomwriter.com/issue35/ak34.htm

This is the reality of nature folks. Bears can and will hurt you!
And black bears can climb trees, some one earlier mentioned climbing to safety. Smile

NSXTypeR

Even a large dog can be more than a handful for many. I often see them pulling their brave owners around the neighbourhood. Heck even a small pooch will pull a sleigh. Hahaha hahaha!!

It's funny to a degree, but it's crazy how strong most animals are, compared to us, their average wimpy handlers.

Yes, with minds of their own too. I remember years ago, watching this poor guy trying to coax his lost pet monkey down from the top of a large tree it had happily scampered up, when it got loose from its chest harness leash...

Haha, I kind of always wanted a dog. I have no time to take care of one though.

Monkeys are surprisingly strong. Chimpanzees are many times stronger than a human and will easily rip your arms out of their sockets.

There was also this Nat Geo photographer with a leopard seal.



Seems scarier than the polar bear encounter because he had no cage around him.

Vipmediastar_JZ

Next year I will plan to make the bull run in the us. Maybe i can get some man vs wild encounters

http://www.thegreatbullrun.com/events/chicago-2014/

Photobug

My daughter since me this one Bull Elk and photographer interaction from UTube...taken in the Smoky Mountains National Park. This photographer should no better and is very lucky. A bull Elk is not to be messed with. Be sure to watch all 7 minutes of the video to see what happens at the end.

ChasCS

Hi Photobug, the link is broken as posted, but by simply doing the copy and paste, this in youtube, xGQExgOxZMQ.

Yes, some people think wild animals in parks like Bannf or Jasper here in Alberta, are tame.
Sure MANY TIMES protected animals show little fear of man, but they can still gore or trample you in a heart beat...

Useing all due care and attention is mandatory.

What smokes me, and deeply saddens, are the sickos who poach these rather docile animals! Thankfully DNA...

Really an interesting thread..Please Keep it going...

haroldp

Rules for safety in bear country:

1- Be in a group

2- Make sure at least one person in the group is slower than you

... H

Photobug

Thanks ChasCS, I fixed it.