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Contemplating Humans

Gallery: Weekly ChallengePosted July 30, 20182,363 views5 comments

I took a week of vacation a couple weeks ago and didn't leave town. I just spent part of the week out and about with the camera, which I don't normally get to do when I'm working. I was at the Salmon hatchery shooting photos of Sea Lions when this Brown Bear stopped by and caught a few salmon. There were lots of locals and tourists there and some of us with more experience had to shepherd them to prevent them from crowding the bear. He ate his fill and then left the area but when he went under the bridge and started up the mountain he changed his mind and came back to the guardrail. Then he just sat down, rested his chin on the top rail and calmly studied that strange herd of humans, all with funny gadgets stuck to their eyeballs! He watched us watching him for about 10 minutes then calmly turned around and disappeared up the mountain.

This would normally be in the Man and Fauna Gallery.

Sony a6500, FE100400GSM @ 318 mm, ISO-100, f/5.6, 1/160.

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 30, 2018 at 8:35 AM

Garry, this is a shot and story worthy of an "add your own caption" contest. The combination of contemplative look and resting his chin on the fence are great. The lighting is good and the details in his fur show very well in the larger version.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Kathy Snead on July 30, 2018 at 5:58 PM

Fascinating capture Gary. Great detail. Thank you for the explanation. What must be going through his head?

Registered on April 6, 2017, 104 Posts, 397 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 1, 2018 at 8:28 PM

Nice catch - fine detail in the fur, great expression, and interesting story. Wish we could know what animals are thinking!
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on August 4, 2018 at 10:54 AM

Very unique capture here, Gary. This guy looks like he is chilling out and well fed too. Glad you were able to take a break although you remained there near home.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on August 5, 2018 at 12:16 AM

I think you picked at GREAT place to spend your vacation! You got a really cool shot of the brown bear, and even got to perform a public service by helping to avoid a "human problem." This shot has interest, humor and a nice story to go with it. Well done.

By the way, last week we had a close encounter with a bear at my house too. It was also created by humans providing bear food in the midst of human activity. Even though I stop feeding birds between Thanksgiving and Saint Patrick's Day to avoid attracting bears into neighborhood yards (where they can get into trouble) some of my neighbors are not so careful. Just a week ago, my wife was reading in a chair in the front yard when a large adult male black bear strolled in front of her within arms reach. Living on the edge of the woods, we are used to close encounters with wildlife, but this one was a bit TOO close.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments