Colorado Mac

A bull elk sharpens his antlers for battle. I took this shot back in September during the rut. It reminded me of the incident that happened during this encounter. An older photographer went off trail and followed this bull into the woods for better shots. What he didn't realize is that there were other people nearby, on the trail, wanting to observe the elk in a natural state and not follow him everywhere he went. But the man was unaware of anyone else around him and continued to push the elk further and further into the woods. Near me, there was a mother and her young son with his camera. He had a 300mm zoom lens, which isn't a great zoom range unless you're really close to your subject. The poor kid was disappointed because the man kept approaching the elk, causing the elk to move further away, and the boy couldn't get his picture. The mom finally snapped. It was a heated moment. I just stood there watching all of this unfold. The man wasn't confrontational or upset about being scolded, but he sure did walk back to the trail like a kid who just got yelled at by his own mother in public. He seemed genuinely unaware of his actions, almost ignorant in an innocent way. But it made me think about the ethics of wildlife photography. We need to normalize not interrupting wildlife in their natural habitat. Observing them from a safe distance is the best approach to great wildlife photography. They know you're there. If they move on, let them. I am not against holding your ground and letting them come to you (depending on the season, place, and species). I definitely don't recommend that for everyone. Sometimes, it pays off. But if you're inexperienced and not familiar with wildlife behavior, depending on the species, you should maintain a safe distance and back up when they approach. Give them enough space to move around you. There will always be people who will scream at you if you go off trail. There will always be people who judge you for getting "too close" in their opinion. But there are people out there who interact with wildlife every single day. It's not our business to tell them what to do just because we're not comfortable with something they're comfortable with doing. But also, if you're in a national park, you should probably respect the rules and stay on trail. In my opinion, it's not about preserving the grass... I think that's a weak argument (I have another story about that, later). It's about genuine safety. You could get lost, easily. You could also injure yourself when no one else is around to help you. You're at the mercy of unpredictable and harsh weather conditions... as well as wildlife encounters. It's best to observe wildlife from the trail, if that's your goal. What I should have said to that man, specifically, is this: "You should never approach a bull elk during rut season because their testosterone is elevated and they will absolutely charge you if they feel threatened." Because he was slow, feeble, and unconcerned for his own safety, I am glad he listened to that woman and came back to the trail. It was a good learning moment for everyone. What I ended up saying was, "Did you get any good shots?" He didn't need another person scolding him. I tried to lighten the moment. Either way, be cautious in the wild and respect nature. With that said, I just want you all to know, I took this shot from the safety of the trail with my Sigma 150-600mm zoom, and then I quickly left. I really don't like observing wildlife with crowds of people because it's always so dramatic. Hence the story. 😁