I was able to visit Yellowstone National Park last fall enroute to Montana. I’ve always liked taking pictures, especially of wild animals in their natural setting. There is a rule that you are not allowed to approach animals with certain safety distances.
Judy and I spotted a herd of elk down in a canyon and later walked down a ridge to see if we could spot them. From a steep slope we could see about 50 elk feeding and laying along a sand bar island near a river. I went about 150 yards further down the ridge and started taking pictures using the 20X zoom lens on the small Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ7 camera.
Sitting on a rock I alternated between taking several still shots and using the video feature as I filmed the elk calves frolicking among the herd in the top video link I noticed that part of the herd was feeding up the steep slope toward me. I slipped down between two rocks and rested my camera on my bent knee as a makeshift tripod and looking at the display to frame the picture.
I soon found the ELK had fed all around me and while several gave me long looks none acted concerned except one cow warned ‘snuffles’ with a mew when the calf came up and sniffed my camera four times as it sat on my knee.
The herd fed uphill into the late sunset and I spent some time going one way then back the other to get around them without bothering them. As I met Judy back at the campground and tried to explain why I was gone so long, we could hear the bull bugling. The next morning as we checked out I again had to walk around the back way as the herd was near the manager’s office.
Turn on your speaker. I hope you enjoy them- it was a thrill for me.
Greg
