Roosevelt Elk Bull
A bachelor Roosevelt elk bull at dusk in Humboldt Lagoons State Park.
A bachelor Roosevelt elk bull at dusk in Humboldt Lagoons State Park.
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Dec, 2014Views
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People's Choice in One With Nature Photo Challenge
Superb Composition
Peer Award
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken near Stone Lagoon in Humboldt County, California. A large herd of Roosevelt elk spends much of the year there, and it's a great spot to view rutting behavior during the fall. This bachelor bull arrived to try to win the harem from the area's dominant bull, and spent around an hour bugling and rubbing his antlers. When the dominant bull bellowed back, the newcomer froze in his tracks, which was when this photo was taken.Time
This was one of my last shots of the day. It was taken after the sun had dropped behind the coastal hills but while the clouds still reflected a bit of the evening light.Lighting
Only natural light was at play here. Low clouds had rolled in off the ocean and were reflecting/diffusing the fading evening light.Equipment
This was shot on a RED Epic-X with a Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6 zoom lens, mounted on a Cartoni FL-7 tripod.Inspiration
I've thoroughly enjoyed watching, filming and photographing the Roosevelt elk since I moved to Humboldt County five years ago. They're the largest land animal we have in the region and are usually very tolerant of having people nearby, so they make for some fantastic encounters in the forests, fields and dunes. I started following, filming and photographing the elk herds between other jobs during the rut last fall, and found that the Stone Lagoon area seemed to attract more mature bulls than most of the other easily-accessed elk viewing areas.Editing
Only basic white balance and curves adjustments were made to this photo.In my camera bag
A Nikon D800 with a Sigma 300-800mm zoom or Sigma 120-300mm zoom, a Tamron 24-70mm Di VC and a Tokina 90mm f/2.5 macro. For stills, I almost always shoot handheld, and will attach a small monopod to the 300-800mm zoom if I'm going to be in the same spot with the camera at the ready for a while. When I'm filming wildlife, swap the D800 for a RED Epic-X and add a Cartoni FL-7 tripod.Feedback
Rutting elk can be dangerous and unpredictable, so stay next to your car or a sturdy tree while you're near a herd or a bachelor bull. Herds of elk tend to rest throughout the middle of the day, so it's best to film or photograph them in the mornings or late afternoons (both for the sake of capturing interesting behavior and the quality of light). They're very large animals, so you can take some great photos of them even if you don't have a super-telephoto lens.
