Is wildlife photgraphy easier in the US compared to the rest of the world?

[gbodave]

I’m currently photographing King fishers & foxes in the uk, I go out most late afternoons, if I’m in just sat there in normal casual clothes the king fisher won’t even stop on the perch I have put in! But if I’m in full cammo he will nearly always stop and do a bit of fishing and keep coming back to that perch throughout the evening!
I wear a 3D cammo outfit including face coverage I think it’s more to do with breaking up of your body shape more than anything!
same with the foxes they are more than likely to approach you if I’m sat still in cammo!View attachment 6561

Just shows how we all experience vastly different things. There's a wildlife centre about 20 minutes from me so I tend to be there pretty often. The star attraction was a Kingfisher. It visited so frequently that if I ever heard anyone say they'd never seen a Kingfisher I'd tell them to go to this place and if they failed to see it they must be the unluckiest person in the world.

The bird became so well known that people were coming from 30 miles away to see it. The best place to see it was from a platform with two feeding sticks about 20 yards in front and at a lower level than the platform. There were times when the platform was full with people waiting. The bird wasn't bothered about people and cameras clicking. It knew food was plentiful at this spot. Never seen anyone in camo gear there.

Guess what. The bird disappeared about 18 months ago. Not because of people but because the wildlife centre staff couldn't be bothered to keep the whole site from becoming overgrown. At the Kingfisher spot things became so overgrown that neither people nor the Kingfisher could see the water let alone the two sticks. There's now just a very rare occasional sighting of a Kingfisher in flight.

On the other hand, rural foxes are extremely skittish. If one sees you from hundreds of yards away it will go in the opposite direction. If it smells you even if you can't see it and it can't see you, then you won't see it. The opposite of urban fox behaviour.

 

[Woody Meristem]

I was wondering about that. .
I'm told that animals are pretty well aware of what's happening around them and use other senses as well.
Sight is just one of them.
So, while camo IS something, how important can it really be?
Just curious

I'm primarily photographing wild wildlife, not animals in refuges or parks. Ever since I began wearing camo clothing in the field I've been able to get closer to many species than when I just wore neutral-colored clothing. Birds depend primarily on visual clues and camo breaks up and disguises both shape and, to some degree, slow movement. Mammals are much more attuned to scent than sight, but if you're downwind or there's no breeze and they can't pick up your scent camo is as effective with mammals as it is with birds. If for some reason you can't/won't wear camo clothing, don't use blue since it apparently stands out quite clearly to most species, even those that have poor color vision.

 

[pochito]

I’ll take my urban legend you can go out there with pots and pans tied to your feet for all I care

I didn't mean it personally. I've heard of those devices before and just wanted to share my humble experience.
Sorry if it irritated you.
I expected to discuss the point in a non-emotional way.
:(

 

[Deleted member 115]

I didn't mean it personally. I've heard of those devices before and just wanted to share my humble experience.
Sorry if it irritated you.
I expected to discuss the point in a non-emotional way.
:(

Yeah ok, when you added urban legend I take it as,
“With all due respect your experiences are meaningless and stupid”

 

[Ken Miracle]

The only places in the USA that I have found to be easy for wildlife photography overall is Wyoming and Florida and it helps when there are large mammals and less need for super telephoto lenses. I do wish that there was more use of hides as one can rent in Europe. In the western U.S. most of the blinds/hides are put in place for the hunters and prime locations to photograph waterfowl are open only to people with a hunting license. I have thought about our buying a hunting licenses to be able to photograph the waterfowl in these areas.

I no longer hunt with a gun but still buy licenses and sage grouse permits etc.. A big part of the hunting license and permit cost in most states goes to conservation. I also buy a duck stamp since most of that goes to habitat conservation. I have photographed in Africa, Turkey, Israel, Greece, Alaska, Alberta but I photograph most wildlife in Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Mostly birds but some other critters, and mostly within 150 miles of Boise.

 

[pochito]

Yeah ok, when you added urban legend I take it as,
“With all due respect your experiences are meaningless and stupid”

Never crossed my mind.
Why would I want to insult you? I don't know you at all.
Sailors, hunters and (why not?) photographers have their own myths.
Discussing them is not disrespectful IMHO.

 

[agrumpybirdphotographer]

Really interesting thread, can't comment on North America only UK and Europe. Where I currently live it can be difficult as it's a very populated part of the country and getting away from people, dogs and numpties is difficult! Fieldcraft plays a big part in getting close to wildlife here in the UK as the wildlife definitely seems more wary than in other parts of Europe. It is possible and with patience, timing and that bit of luck we all need when everything comes together it makes it all the more memorable and rewarding for me. On a small island with nearly 70 million or so people it's never going to be easy, but wouldn't be fun if it was I guess. All that said there are still many wildlife spectacles to be seen here in the UK. One positive thing that has came out of the whole lockdown situation for me is it has forced me to look nearer to home (e.g. back garden) and pay much more attention of the dramas that play out right on our doorstep.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

Not my best image as it was almost dark, heard some screaming of bird in distress, quick grab of camera and hope for best. This male Sparrowhawk wasn't moving for anybody and after a few shots I was able to sit real close and watch him with this unfortunate Starling. All right outside the backdoor, you just never know.

 

[ShaneB]

Hi Stefan

I'm in no position to comment as I've not seriously photographed animals outside Australia. (Tourist shots of red squirrels in Berlin hardly count! )

I would make two observations about the ease of photographing birds. Firstly, to a degree it's up to the birds. I spent the first 40 years of my life in Western Australia and the next 25 in Canberra - which is on the other side of Australia. I can say that in my experience, birds in Canberra - even of the same species - seem more confident around people than they are in WA. I have no idea why, but that's my experience.

The other comment is that wildlife photography practices differ in various parts of the world. For example, it seems commonplace to feed birds in the UK in order to photograph them. On the other hand, Birdlife Australia actively discourages feeding on animal welfare grounds.

I guess what I'm saying is that maybe, the nature of the birds and animals in a particular location and/or local practices, make photography easier.

Or maybe I'm talking a lot of rubbish!

Good shooting

Shane

 

[ProperFrame]

I can only relate what other shooters have told me of their home countries in relation to the US. In general they indicate the game is not as skittish and will allow for a closer approach. The most adamant of that position was Peter from Frankfurt whom I met in AK last July. He was quite surprised and pleased he could get closer than 100 meters from the mammals. He said at home they are hunted hard and very wary of humans. I notice a change in my own local deer population in fall as hunting season nears. The deer that constantly forage around my home disappear.

 

[StefanSC]

Thank you all for the great replies and insight gathered here.
Interesting info about camouflage, about feeding rules in different countries, about where the money goes from hunting permits and so on .

As I read through your posts, I see now that how hard it is to get close to a subject depends on a lot of factors and there is no country where everything is on "easy mode" , and I think there is plenty to discuss about tips and tricks on finding your subject and approaching it, no matter where you live.

 

[Deleted member 115]

Thank you all for the great replies and insight gathered here.
Interesting info about camouflage, about feeding rules in different countries, about where the money goes from hunting permits and so on .

As I read through your posts, I see now that how hard it is to get close to a subject depends on a lot of factors and there is no country where everything is on "easy mode" , and I think there is plenty to discuss about tips and tricks on finding your subject and approaching it, no matter where you live.

I guess that’s why some guys are famous, they are able to make it look easy to the rest of us.