| Bill
Silliker, Jr.
The Camera Hunter
Camera Hunting Moose Offers A
Challenge
Camera hunting for a bull moose in the Maine woods in the fall
presents a greater challenge than shooting one with a firearm
does. I'll just bet that some of you doubt that!
Before we examine the reasons why, let me just add that one
thing is easier for the camera hunter: he doesn't need a
skidder or a come-along to bring home his prize. That roll of
film in the pocket weighs a matter of ounces. It's only the
telephoto lenses and camera bodies and tripod and such that
weight down the camera hunter.
The Reasons Why
So
why is it more difficult to photographically shoot a Maine
bull moose - or any other bull moose for that matter - in the
fall? First,
because the camera hunter needs a moose that's willing to pose
for the lens. While you generally see lots of moose if you
cruise the big woods long enough or go to the right places,
bull moose that stand around and pose just aren't so easy to
come by once the color hits the maple leaves. And while moose
are certainly plentiful in most of the Maine woods, it's just
not that easy to get into good camera range on the mature
bulls when they're at their most photogenic during the rut.
Then
there's also the question of light for the camera hunter.
What
good is a great moose target when the light stinks?
While the
firearms hunter can drop him with a well-placed shot, the best
aim with a camera does little good if the light is wrong.
A
camera hunter needs to catch his trophy Maine moose in good
enough light to properly record the dark animal on film.
Properly balancing the brightness of the moose's rack against
the dark coat also requires either a lower sun angle or the
softer light of a light overcast sky. And for a real trophy
the camera hunter also needs to capture the moment with the
eye "tack" sharp and a highlight glint in it.
The
Safety Factor
I’ve
been backed off by a few bulls who made it quite clear that
they were the guy in charge of their stretch of woods and that
they wouldn't truck with any interference. Talking to the big
guy sometimes helps in these situation. Having a sturdy tree
real handy  to climb or at least get behind helps a lot too!
Consider
the size and strength and speed of a bull moose and the fact
that they have rather poor vision before you laugh too hard at
the notion of talking to one to calm him. Moose truly don't
see very well. But they sure can hear you coming.
A bull moose
that will tolerate no competition in his kingdom casts at
least a dirty look and sometimes even a head toss of his
handsome rack at anything suspicious that he hears but can't
quite make out.
If
you're downwind or there's little wind to tip him off he may
well wonder if the sound that he heard is another moose.
While
that can work to the camera hunter's advantage, you'd better
pay attention to his body language in case he really gets
worked up.
Talking
to him lets him know that you are a human. It's insurance,
just in case he didn't make you out as one. You doubters can
laugh about that, but only if you've really tried it first.
In
fact, anyone that doubts it should come camera hunting moose
with me sometime and I'll prove to you that it often calms
them when you talk to them.
What
does one say to a bull moose? It depends on the day and the
moose. I've told them that they looked pretty good, but could
they turn sideways to get into better light or maybe show me
the best side of their rack. Mostly they ignore such comments.
I've
also told one big bull that the honey he was challenging me
over was all his, that she was beautiful, but that he had
found her first and that he needn't worry about competition
from me. That seemed to work. He stopped waving his lowered
rack that he was showing off at only 50 feet and he didn't
come any closer. Or was it just the sound of a human voice
that convinced him?
While
a few folks have had closer calls with an angry moose, there
are no recorded human fatalities from an attacking moose in
Maine. But anyone who doubts that an angry moose can kill you
should contemplate recent history in Alaska. Two people have
been killed by attacking moose there in the past several
years. And both were in urban areas!
One
fatality was actually videotaped: the attacker  was a cow moose
defending its calf of the year from thoughtless students at
the University of Alaska in Anchorage who had been harassing
it with snowballs. The other nailed a woman in her own
backyard in Anchorage when she apparently tried to break up a
dispute between the moose and her dog. The wardens never saw
the animal but the evidence was clear that she was stomped to
death by a moose.
While
we're talking about Alaska, it's worth noting that much of the
best moose camera country out there has no trees worth even
thinking about climbing. The tundra and taiga of Alaska offer
some monster bull moose, but the pursuit of those critters
with a camera during the rut requires extra caution.
You
could be in just as much trouble camera hunting a Maine bull
moose during the rut on the wrong day.
For
those moose firearms hunters who still think that hunting a
rutting bull moose with a camera is no big deal, let's just
remember that you're armed. The camera hunter is not.
Catch
yours in the good light.
Bill
Silliker, Jr. teaches wildlife & nature photography for L.L. Bean's Outdoor Discovery
Schools and has done the photography for 5 books, several of which he also wrote. He is
editor of the website www.wildlifewatcher.com
as well as for his own website at www.camerahunter.com
©
Copyright 2000 Bill Silliker, Jr. all rights reserved.
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