Sunday, February 20, 2011

Female tule elk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Tule elk in Point Reyes National Seashore - Pat Ulrich Wildlife Photography

Yesterday was one of the best trips to Point Reyes National Seashore I've had in a while. The park never ceases to surprise me, and even though the day started slow with a lot of rain for the first hour after sunrise, I left the park later that afternoon with a ton of images to sort through. One of the highlights of the trip was spending some time in the middle of a very large herd of tule elk up on Tomales Point. I've had great experiences with the elk before, but never in a group this large. Perhaps in the winter some of the smaller herds form together into a larger one. Anyway, this is one of my favorite shots from my first glance though the trip. There's just something about the way this beautiful female is glancing out of the frame that just pulls me in.

2 comments:

  1. Pretty portrait Pat. (Say that fast three times. :-)) Looks like she's smiling. In my earlier days I used to look for the biggest bull first. Now I give an equal look to all the elk and the most appealing photo opp is often a cow (or a calf, of course, if one is available).

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  2. Thanks, Jim! It's definitely an instinctive impulse to go for the largest male first. But you are right that in many situations the females might present the best opportunities, so it's important to make a conscious effort to give them their due.

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