Gray Wolf (open season)

Gallery: Man & FaunaPosted September 4, 20101,194 views11 comments

D700, 200-400VR @ 400, f6.3, 1/15, 0EV, 800 iso, full frame. This photo was taken this week on the edge of a logged area. The Alberta Government has implemented an annual wolf kill in a desperation effort to save the few remaining Woodland Caribou in the area of northwestern Alberta. Wolves are also hunted here. Oil and gas exploitation is going gangbusters however. The many roads and cutlines they create allow predators to gain access to the caribou. Deer and elk benefit from the clearings but the wolves who follow them also find caribou who are collateral damage. What a mess!
(On a positive note however, Alberta has recently listed our Grizzly Bear as endangered, about 691 remain at last count)

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on September 4, 2010 at 8:27 AM

Interesting treatment of this image, I like it alot. You story is very touching. I had followed the efforts to protect the woodland caribou before I retired. It seems like the government there is using the wolf as a scapegoat to hid behind what is really going on with all of the development in the caribous' range. Thanks for posting this story and the photo. Good news about the grizzly, hope it is not too late.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on September 4, 2010 at 3:34 PM

Really sad to read

awesome shot btw.

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on September 4, 2010 at 5:34 PM

Excellent! Very nice combination of blur and pan and great subject. Since you didn't mention it I will assume you handheld and did not use a tripod. I just bought a 200-400 VR II for use on a trip to BC for grizzly and spirit bear with Brad Hill. From the limited amount of use I have gotten with it so far I am very impressed. Glad to hear about getting the grizzly listed in Alberta.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on September 4, 2010 at 5:48 PM

Robert, I was in my vehicle for this photo, the lens rested on the window opening and VR on. I have the original 200-400VR. It has been a wonderful lens to use, very versatile and wonderful image quality. Seems to work equally well full frame or crop sensor. Have fun with the bears!!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Hartmann on September 5, 2010 at 10:52 AM

Nice shot, Gary. What a privilege to be so close to this beautiful animal.

I have never shot moving subjects, but I would think that fast shutter speeds would be important.

Why did you not use a larger aperture?

Registered on January 15, 2009, 13 Posts, 772 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on September 5, 2010 at 11:03 AM

Thanks Richard. The wolf was moving fairly quickly and I just grabbed the camera and started firing. I refined the settings as time went by (about 15 seconds worth of shooting). I posted a photo of this wolf in the fauna gallery, in that photo I had opened the lens right up to f4 as you suggested as well as pushing the iso to 1600 just before he disappeared into the forest. I usually try to have my camera set up for the light available and anticipated aperture but sometimes I get lazy.

To be truthful I don't think I really would have wanted everything sharp, especially the disturbed foreground, with a really fast shutter speed. But I agree 1/15 is a lot slower than I wanted. I guess, technically, if you are good at panning it doesn't matter too much what the shutter speed is as long as you are moving with the subject at the proper speed. You are also correct about feeling privileged to see wolves in the wild. I still get a huge rush when I see one, very exciting!!!

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Hartmann on September 5, 2010 at 1:20 PM

“I just grabbed the camera and started firing…..
….but sometimes I get lazy.”

So I’m not the only one?

By the way, I think this is a good pic. The face seems to be sharp and the movement in the rest of the pic makes for an exciting action shot. Now that I know you got more than one shot I am not only impressed, but jealous, too.

Keep shooting.

Registered on January 15, 2009, 13 Posts, 772 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on September 7, 2010 at 10:34 PM

Another super EP!
Congrats!!

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on September 8, 2010 at 11:42 PM

Congrats Gary, great image

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on September 15, 2010 at 2:38 AM

Gees. What's the bad news? NO, don't tell me!

Congrats on the EP for this wonderful glimpse of a magnificent animal. I hope it makes it through "the season."

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Douglas Graham on September 16, 2010 at 7:45 PM

Thats a wonderful pan shot. Looks like something you would see in National Geo. Nice job.

Registered on May 14, 2009, 123 Posts, 522 Comments