Jump to content
Outdoor Writer

How was your day?

Recommended Posts

For about 15 years running in 1980-90s, I always spent 3-6 days in YNP taking photos during the elk rut. So I've seen several incidents like the one in Estes Park. In fact, the bad boy pictured below tried to tear a hunk outta my butt near the campground in Mammoth. 

When I started shooting, he and his harem of about 20 cows were 30-50 yards away, but the cows kept coming my way. Finally one of them meandered over to me and stood less than 5 feet from me. The bull didn't like that one bit. He pinned his ears back and came at me on the dead run as I scrambled to get a tree in between him and me. I dodged behind a pine with about a 6" trunk, put my hand on it and stood back at arms length as he butted up against it with his antlers on either side just missing me. My legs were literally shaking, and I had to keep control of the two cameras strapped around my neck. We did circles around the tree for about 3-5 minutes until he just turned and meandered off. My buddy was standing on a bridge above us and took quite a few photos. He gave me one, but it's 35mm slide buried in my files somewhere. 

487879970_Bullelk61.thumb.jpg.9e1702f872c3e4db54a34e4e29884f22.jpg

In another incident in Mammoth, I was sitting in my truck using a window-pod to shoot a herd in the middle of the grassy meadow in front of the hotel. Some gal pulled her SUV up to curb on the opposite side from where I was. A few minutes later two big bulls got into it and wound up fighting their way right next to her SUV. I'm only guessing here, but it seemed like they slammed into it at least six times on one side, then moved to the back end and wound up tearing off the spare tire dealie that was mounted to the rear door. She was sitting inside the entire time and too dumb to start the engine and move. 

One other time I was taking pix of a bull moose along the shore of Yellowstone Lake. We were on a sloping hill between the main road and the water. It was probably about 25 yds. between them. I had the moose all to myself until a van load of Japanese tourists pulled up and parked. With cameras in hand about six of them proceeded to close in on the moose from behind it. I was on the other side in front of it. At first it didn't seem to bother him, but when he felt pressured, here he came. Fortunately, there was downed tree about six feet behind where the trunk was up off the ground a couple feet. I quickly ducked under and through the opening to the other side as the moose closed in. He stopped coming, reared up and started pawing the air with his front legs. Tired of that, he decided to go down to the water and wade around the tree. That was my opening to get my a$$ outta there and up to the road. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

Did you just assume their gender? 

A felony in CA

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Last night, I had a bull freaking out right outside the back of my blind.  There was another herd coming down the slope in front of me and every time that herd bull bugled the bull behind me just lost it.  He snorted,  huffed and puffed and was stomping the ground.  For a moment I was sure he was going to start tearing into my blind.  Then he must of finally, after a few minutes,  caught my scent as he stormed out of there taking the herd with him.  Sure exciting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, Outdoor Writer said:

For about 15 years running in 1980-90s, I always spent 3-6 days in YNP taking photos during the elk rut. So I've seen several incidents like the one in Estes Park. In fact, the bad boy pictured below tried to tear a hunk outta my butt near the campground in Mammoth. 

When I started shooting, he and his harem of about 20 cows were 30-50 yards away, but the cows kept coming my way. Finally one of them meandered over to me and stood less than 5 feet from me. The bull didn't like that one bit. He pinned his ears back and came at me on the dead run as I scrambled to get a tree in between him and me. I dodged behind a pine with about a 6" trunk, put my hand on it and stood back at arms length as he butted up against it with his antlers on either side just missing me. My legs were literally shaking, and I had to keep control of the two cameras strapped around my neck. We did circles around the tree for about 3-5 minutes until he just turned and meandered off. My buddy was standing on a bridge above us and took quite a few photos. He gave me one, but it's 35mm slide buried in my files somewhere. 

487879970_Bullelk61.thumb.jpg.9e1702f872c3e4db54a34e4e29884f22.jpg

In another incident in Mammoth, I was sitting in my truck using a window-pod to shoot a herd in the middle of the grassy meadow in front of the hotel. Some gal pulled her SUV up to curb on the opposite side from where I was. A few minutes later two big bulls got into it nad wound up fighting there way right next to her SUV. I'm only guessing here, but it seemed like that slammed into it at least six times on one side, then moved to the back end and wound up tearing off the spare tire dealie that was mounted to the rear door. She was sitting inside the entire time and too dumb to start the engine and move. 

One other time I was taking pix of a bull moose along the shore of Yellowstone Lake. We were on a sloping hill between the main road and the water. It was probably about 25 yds. between them. I had the moose all to myself until a van load of Japanese tourists pulled up and parked. With cameras in hand about six of them proceeded to close in on the moose from behind it. I was on the other side in front of it. At first it didn't seem to bother him, but when he felt pressured, here he came. Fortunately, there was downed tree about six feet behind where the trunk was up off the ground a couple feet. I quickly ducked under and through the opening to the other side as the moose closed in. He stopped coming, reared up and started pawing the air with his front legs. Tired of that, he decided to go down to the water and wade around the tree. That was my opening to get my a$$ outta there and up to the road. 

Dude you got some life experience. I'd love to sit around a campfire with you someday.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×