Just returned from a beautiful weeklong getaway to NE WA with family. We saw
mule and white tail deer, nephew spotted a bobcat, I managed to photograph a
snowshoe hare at sunrise, a small two point mule deer buck about an hour
later, a bald eagle. Missed the opportunity to capture a Kingfisher (right
at the camp at lakeside) and a loon (too dark out -- maybe 800 ASA might have
done it).
Heard an owl every night, and coyotes singing. When it wasn't snowing (two
nights), I left the door of my tent unzipped and marveled at the stars, much
more prevalent in the more complete darkness there. Three mule deer does
slept above us on a knoll every night. One morning I snuck up there to try
to capture them. They were way ahead of me, as usual, and I caught sight of
them running around me and across the road to the hillside, where I saw
another 4 or 5 feeding. Hunters were trying to get at them (it's posted "No
Hunting, No Tresspassing") -- I waved, my camera obvious on my chest. :-)
Saw fewer mule deer and heard fewer shots than any year before. Apparently
the mule deer herd has yet to recover fully from some tough winters. I
suspect more poaching than ever (there are some strange looking dudes living
up there, waaay out of town, not wanting to be found by someone, I think),
plus the Indians can and do take game all year 'round. Nearby Colville
Reservation is the largest in the state.
White tail herd just continues to flourish. I managed to get off two shots
of a white tail doe at about 25 yards before she flew into the bushes. I was
kinda wishing for a quiet rangefinder shutter at that point, rather than the
double crash of the OM-2S shutter, which, out in the quiet of wilderness,
sounds like a Chevy Impala hitting a light pole at 70 mph. She stomped her
hind leg after the first shot (nervous), so I knew my time was very limited.
The second shutter crash was all she could take. I crept over to where she
disappeared, and after about half a minute, heard a LOUD snort (her
boyfriend) and thumping, as they took off. Exciting.
But the OM-2S did sterling duty in some drippy, drizzly, and even snowy
forest conditions. I cringed, I wiped, I prayed. It did fine. I wouldn't
dream of hiking in those conditions with a more expensive camera like a
Leica. I consoled myself with, "This is what you bought it for. If it dies,
just get another one!" Good Tom Scales advice, if I remember correctly.
Used mostly the 35-105/3.5-4.5, except for the eagle shot, which was too far
for even the 300/4.5 on the monopod, as he lit in a big snag up on a ridge
above a high lake. Will be a miracle if any of those turn out sharp.
Shoulda had the camera around my neck when he first flew right over us. An
eagle travels far, FAST. A bald eagle in the wild is a beautiful thing, esp.
with the world situation what it is right now. Our hearts soured, to quote
Chief Dan George.
My greatest hope is for the snowshoe hare pics, shot with Fuji Provia 400. I
was on the dark, shadowy west side of a ridge at sunrise. He was sitting
right in front of his little rock cave. I managed to shoot, creep a little
closer, shoot, creep, until I got within about 12 feet or so, which made for
good composition with the 35-105. That made my day!
Also saw several grouse (dumb as ever), steller's jay (very wary -- never lit
long enough for me to focus & shoot), Clark Nutcrackers, many crows (the
sound of the wind in their wings, and their sarcastic chatter, is part of the
music of the wilderness -- easy to understand why they are special to the
native Americans). Squirrels, chipmunks, elk sign; a small, long pelvis of
some sort, still red with blood in places, a fresh kill.
All in all, a good wilderness experience. The reason I keep going back. Got
some big smiles from hunters because I was carrying a camera instead of a
rifle. The joke's on them. I got more "shots" than they did! And had a
more rewarding time, IMHO.
Lessons for next year: 1) get a chest harness, to keep the camera from
flopping into and away from the chest while hiking. I had to keep it around
my neck while hiking to be ready at a moment's notice. If I had left it in
the Lowepro Mini, I would have missed the whitetail doe for sure; 2) take
more 400 ASA film, and some 800 ASA as well, for those sunrise and dusk
shots; 3) keep the camera out and around the neck or at least on the picnic
table AT ALL TIMES! Don't EVER put it down on the truck seat or away in the
bag/backpack. Those fleeting glimpses of wildlife are sometimes the ONLY
glimpses (the loon, the Kingfisher, the bobcat, the doe).
Planning a summer return trip for another wilderness fix. Mt. Rainier has
the grandeur of the mountains, the intoxicating spruce smell, the
wildflowers, and much wildlife, but NE WA is where the TRUE wilderness
survives, still. Hope someday to catch a wolf on film up there. Dunno if I
want to actually see a grizzly. Just seeing their tracks is enough
excitement, thank you very much! But knowing they're around, along with the
occasional moose, is part of the experience.
Rich
P.S. The OM-2S is still on batteries installed last Christmas. I haven't
shot all that many rolls of film since, but still, I'm convinced this camera
is no battery-eater.
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