Fine Art Portfolio | Elk Bugling Fall in Yellowstone can be majestic with the Bull Elks bugling during their mating season. It’s truly the call of the wild. The unique, distinctive sound of an Elk bugling can be heard for miles. This Bull Elk had gathered a rather large harem around him. The Elk are in their best condition in the fall; ready for the coming winter. Harsh winters at Yellowstone can also provide some interesting images. Normally, black & white wildlife images just don’t work for me. Color just seems more natural to me. However, this image really captures the spirit of rut season in Yellowstone for this ionic animal.
The Back Story This Elk was far from the road and on the other side of a long grassy field close to the Madison River. We had to hike a good half a mile through tall grass and some tree stands without alarming this Elk as well as numerous elk around him. The D200, a DX camera with a 1.5 crop factor, makes a 400mm lens an effective 600mm lens. Even with the long reach of the lens, the hike had to be slow and cautious. As a wildlife photographer, I try hard not to disturb the wildlife. Also, Elk an be aggressive animals; even dangerous, year-round. Males get even more aggressive in the fall during rut. Finally, after finding a location close to a stand of trees, I setup my tripod for numerous clicks. See Elk | a 7 Image Story for more Elk information and images. For more images and information about Yellowstone, see Yellowstone NP Wild | a 7 Image Story.
Details…
| Event | A Fall Day Trip to Yellowstone NP |
| Location | Yellowstone NP along the Madison River |
| Date/Time | 9/24/2008 5:43 pm Local Time |
| Weather | Partly Cloudy | 58°F | Light Winds |
| Method | Park in a turnoff area, hike closer to the Elk herd, setup tripod, clicks. |
| Gear | Nikon D200 with 80-400mm lens, tripod |
