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The Kill
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The Kill

by Mark Seaver

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted March 5, 2013330 views7 comments
We had the great luck of watching this kill in Yellowstone in early Jan 2009. We had stopped to watch two wolves harassing a cow elk, but it seemed like she fended them off as they trotted away. I was ready to leave, but my daughter wanted to stay. Then a new wolf loped over the ridge, stopped, howled once, walked up to the elk and grabbed her by the throat. A few seconds later, the elk collapsed and I took this shot. It's cropped to 61% of FF. (5D, 400mm f5.6 + 1.4 TE, 1/60s, f/9, iso 200, tripod)

Comments

7 comments
Comment posted by Rob Graham on March 5, 2013 at 10:06 PM
wow, glad your daughter wanted to stay. This is an intense scene, and I like how the wolf appears to be keeping an eye on you.
Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments
Comment posted by Carolyn Derstine on March 5, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Amazing scene to witness! I guess you are glad you listened to your daughter. :smile: Very intense and amazing shot of this major kill. Great capture, Mark.
Registered on February 16, 2011, 610 Posts, 3684 Comments
Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on March 6, 2013 at 6:58 AM
This sure is a brutal image! I think it would have been hard for me to see :rolleyes: But you got what you were waiting for! It is definitely a good behavior shot & you managed well with a tricky environment!
Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments
Comment posted by Nancy de Flon on March 6, 2013 at 7:40 AM
Talk about good timing! Good you were able to get the wolf's face in just as you did--I imagine there must be a lot of movement going on when this is happening. I like the way the white snow allows the viewer to focus on the action.
Registered on June 28, 2010, 61 Posts, 284 Comments
Comment posted by William Gillis on March 6, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Great capture mark. Life or death as it really happens. I notice the wolf has his eye on you too. Well done and worth the wait.

William Gillis
Registered on November 28, 2011, 17 Posts, 204 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 6, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Interesting story of the elks demise, great job of pulling out this POV with the setting here..
Good comp/placement of the subjects, very graphic indeed :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Ray Whitt on March 7, 2013 at 7:36 AM
Excellent for the challenge, outstanding work.

Ray
Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments