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Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my!
#1

When I first moved to California I saw a TV program on bears... and decided I needed to photograph one in the wild..... and I have been into both national parks and the mountains around here many, many times over the last four years hoping to get a shot of one....

Well after thousands of miles of driving and walking the trails... I saw not one, but 3! I didn't dare get too close as it was a mother with 2 cubs and I had nowhere to hide safely if I annoyed her. Not great pictures, but pictures of a wild bear none the less Smile 300 mm hand held just before sunset doesn't make for the sharpest of pictures.

The mother and one of the cubs has scientific tags in their ears.

[Image: bear%2001.jpg]

[Image: cubs%2001.jpg]
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#2

That's great Craig. Good find. Smile

Sit, stay, ok, hold it! Awww, no drooling! :O
My flickr images
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#3

I can imagine your emotion and excitement when you found them. The pictues are really great! Thanks for sharing your story and pictures Smile

A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.
Paul Cezanne
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#4

Hey great stuff, Craig. Wildlife shots, excite me! Big Grin

Just my 2c - I think the diagonal framing would work better if the bears were facing up - just like sports cars - they always look better when they are going up. Big Grin
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#5

Probably would ST... byt they are crops from the frame... the hillside was really that steep! That was my prblem, if mommy got annoyed I couldn't out run a bear on the flat, let alone 300' up the side of a very steep hill!

Thanks for all the comments.
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#6

They say that running downhill might help to outrun a bear - I guess you'll try anything if desperate enough.

Reminds me of the old joke about the 2 guys hiking - the first one asked the other why he was wearing running shoes instead of hiking boots.

The other guy says: "in case a bear chases us"

The first guy says "You'll never outrun a bear..."

The other guy says "True - but I only have to outrun you!"
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#7

Oh I see.... coolies.

What type of bears are those? And are they aggressive? It's so cool that you were able to get within photographing distance... Big Grin

In Oz we only have Koala bears (unless you go to the zoo) ... and they're pretty docile. They just sit in eucalypt trees and eat leaves and sleep all day.


lol @ Toad - the thought of posting that joke did cross my mind Big Grin
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#8

It's an American Black Bear, they aren't usually aggressive but it's very wise not to get too cloce to them when they have young near by.

There are also Borwn bears or Grizzly bears in the parks, but are very hard to find and can be aggressive.
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#9

What a great experience, I bet you were wishing you had a 500mm loaded (so you could have been further away!).

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein
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#10

EnglishBob Wrote:It's an American Black Bear, they aren't usually aggressive

Ha ha ... just don't try to cuddle with one.

Cool pics Craig.

_______________________________________
Everybody got to elevate from the norm!
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