Bull Moose (Alces alces) I did’t think such a large animal could be sneaky, but sneaky, they are. Saw this Bull Moose in the Pebble Creek, Round Prairie area in Lamar Valley, YNP, early in the morning before the sun broke over the mountain. One lone bull appeared on the other side Soda Butte Creek and was too far for a decent shot from the road, even with long glass. So, I pulled on my coat and strode off through the snow and 5º temperatures to get closer. I was soon joined by another photographer, Dan Swart, Swart Photography. I was armed with the new Nikon Z7 camera and Nikkor 500mm PF lens. Seeing what others were hauling through the snow, willows, and small creeks, I felt as though I was cheating having such a small, light load. We stayed on the opposite side of the creek from the moose and continually lost him as he “snuck” through the tall vegetation. Eventually, he reappeared about 100 yards farther upstream from where we thought he was. The sun finally broke through the overcast skies, and illuminated the frost on the willows and other vegetation as the moose reappeared for a brief moment. Since the Z7 and 500mm PF are so compact and light, no tripod was necessary and I had not packed one in pursuit of the moose, which made it possible to move rapidly, lock focus, and shoot as the moose continued to be evasive. If you notice, he knew exactly where we were — he was watching us watch him.
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