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[OM] (OT) Of Wilderness, OMs and Leicas (kinda long)

Subject: [OM] (OT) Of Wilderness, OMs and Leicas (kinda long)
From: Doggre@xxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 21 Oct 2001 22:23:02 EDT
Just returned from a beautiful weeklong getaway to NE WA with family.  We saw 
mule and white tail deer, nephew spotted a bobcat, I managed to photograph a 
snowshoe hare at sunrise, a small two point mule deer buck about an hour 
later, a bald eagle.  Missed the opportunity to capture a Kingfisher (right 
at the camp at lakeside) and a loon (too dark out -- maybe 800 ASA might have 
done it).

Heard an owl every night, and coyotes singing.  When it wasn't snowing (two 
nights), I left the door of my tent unzipped and marveled at the stars, much 
more prevalent in the more complete darkness there.  Three mule deer does 
slept above us on a knoll every night.  One morning I snuck up there to try 
to capture them.  They were way ahead of me, as usual, and I caught sight of 
them running around me and across the road to the hillside, where I saw 
another 4 or 5 feeding.  Hunters were trying to get at them (it's posted "No 
Hunting, No Tresspassing") -- I waved, my camera obvious on my chest. :-)

Saw fewer mule deer and heard fewer shots than any year before.  Apparently 
the mule deer herd has yet to recover fully from some tough winters.  I 
suspect more poaching than ever (there are some strange looking dudes living 
up there, waaay out of town, not wanting to be found by someone, I think), 
plus the Indians can and do take game all year 'round.  Nearby Colville 
Reservation is the largest in the state.

White tail herd just continues to flourish.  I managed to get off two shots 
of a white tail doe at about 25 yards before she flew into the bushes.  I was 
kinda wishing for a quiet rangefinder shutter at that point, rather than the 
double crash of the OM-2S shutter, which, out in the quiet of wilderness, 
sounds like a Chevy Impala hitting a light pole at 70 mph.  She stomped her 
hind leg after the first shot (nervous), so I knew my time was very limited.  
The second shutter crash was all she could take.  I crept over to where she 
disappeared, and after about half a minute, heard a LOUD snort (her 
boyfriend) and thumping, as they took off.  Exciting.

But the OM-2S did sterling duty in some drippy, drizzly, and even snowy 
forest conditions.  I cringed, I wiped, I prayed.  It did fine.  I wouldn't 
dream of hiking in those conditions with a more expensive camera like a 
Leica.  I consoled myself with, "This is what you bought it for.  If it dies, 
just get another one!"  Good Tom Scales advice, if I remember correctly.

Used mostly the 35-105/3.5-4.5, except for the eagle shot, which was too far 
for even the 300/4.5 on the monopod, as he lit in a big snag up on a ridge 
above a high lake.  Will be a miracle if any of those turn out sharp.  
Shoulda had the camera around my neck when he first flew right over us.  An 
eagle travels far, FAST.  A bald eagle in the wild is a beautiful thing, esp. 
with the world situation what it is right now.  Our hearts soured, to quote 
Chief Dan George.

My greatest hope is for the snowshoe hare pics, shot with Fuji Provia 400.  I 
was on the dark, shadowy west side of a ridge at sunrise.  He was sitting 
right in front of his little rock cave.  I managed to shoot, creep a little 
closer, shoot, creep, until I got within about 12 feet or so, which made for 
good composition with the 35-105.  That made my day!

Also saw several grouse (dumb as ever), steller's jay (very wary -- never lit 
long enough for me to focus & shoot), Clark Nutcrackers, many crows (the 
sound of the wind in their wings, and their sarcastic chatter, is part of the 
music of the wilderness -- easy to understand why they are special to the 
native Americans).  Squirrels, chipmunks, elk sign; a small, long pelvis of 
some sort, still red with blood in places, a fresh kill.

All in all, a good wilderness experience.  The reason I keep going back.  Got 
some big smiles from hunters because I was carrying a camera instead of a 
rifle.  The joke's on them.  I got more "shots" than they did!  And had a 
more rewarding time, IMHO.

Lessons for next year:  1) get a chest harness, to keep the camera from 
flopping into and away from the chest while hiking.  I had to keep it around 
my neck while hiking to be ready at a moment's notice.  If I had left it in 
the Lowepro Mini, I would have missed the whitetail doe for sure; 2) take 
more 400 ASA film, and some 800 ASA as well, for those sunrise and dusk 
shots; 3) keep the camera out and around the neck or at least on the picnic 
table AT ALL TIMES!  Don't EVER put it down on the truck seat or away in the 
bag/backpack.  Those fleeting glimpses of wildlife are sometimes the ONLY 
glimpses (the loon, the Kingfisher, the bobcat, the doe).

Planning a summer return trip for another wilderness fix.  Mt. Rainier has 
the grandeur of the mountains, the intoxicating spruce smell, the 
wildflowers, and much wildlife, but NE WA is where the TRUE wilderness 
survives, still.  Hope someday to catch a wolf on film up there.  Dunno if I 
want to actually see a grizzly.  Just seeing their tracks is enough 
excitement, thank you very much!  But knowing they're around, along with the 
occasional moose, is part of the experience.

Rich

P.S.  The OM-2S is still on batteries installed last Christmas.  I haven't 
shot all that many rolls of film since, but still, I'm convinced this camera 
is no battery-eater.


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