A little over two years ago I caught the bug of photography as a friend tried to reconnect me with nature. I started with a visit to him in Florida, and we went to places that he knew would give good opportunities. We did the National Seashore on Merritt Island near Cape Canaveral. We went to public beaches near Daytona Beach. We even visited city parks near where he lived.
Photo captured by Mark Pashia
Once I got home, I needed to find public land as I was living in a high rise apartment building in Rolla, MO. So I started with state parks that I had visited before and went in blind just to see what was around. I also started visiting Missouri conservation areas that I had never had a call to go to before. These are primarily places that city folks go to for hunting with weapons. I figured that if I went between hunting seasons, I should still find wildlife, and boy did that come true.
When I found a location that was productive or should be productive and provided either a drive through to use the car for a blind or a good place to set up a camouflage blind on the ground, I paid attention to lighting at the best places. Is this spot going to have the sun behind me in the morning or in the evening? I shoot primarily with the sun at my back or at least quartering from rear left or rear right. Trying to get wildlife shots with back lighting is extremely difficult and should be avoided until you are more advanced.
I should point out that one visit is never enough to judge a location. Some of my best continue to surprise me as the seasons change and the wildlife migrate through. Over time I have found at least five locations that ALWAYS give me shots and a few others that are very seasonal. I often get asked, “How do you get so many shots of eagles?” This is where the scouting comes in. One of my “always” locations is a smaller river with a good population of trout. I am usually the only photographer around and just politely fit in with a dozen fisherman or more. I create good will by showing the ones who ask some of my better shots with the LCD on the back of the camera.
Photo captured by Mark Pashia
Last year about this time, my daughter and son-in-law moved to Clarksville, TN. So my first visit to see them I budgeted time for scouting locations. I got online and started looking for public lands that were within driving distance from their home. I found Cross Creeks National Wildlife Reserve. This convinced me that NWR’s are great places to shoot wildlife. Since then I have checked others that were side trips off of my travels and have had good success with those as well. Crab Orchard NWR near Marion, IL has given me many good shots with just a two or three hour visit as I pass through on my way to family and friends. I also found a National Battle Field near Cross Creeks NWR and drove through only to discover that a nesting pair of eagles lived on site. I got some great shots there as well. And when I returned in June of this year to house sit for my daughter, I got many shots of their juvenile that hatched this year and was only flying for about a month or less.
One other location I scouted on my first trip to Tennessee was Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area; it actually is between Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake. This is a huge area, as it is a little over 40 miles from the south gate in Tennessee to the north gate in Kentucky. I have been back many times since my first scouting trip and have only scratched the surface. However, I did plan a visit near the end of August of this year. I needed to help my daughter with a few things, so I timed my trip to let me drive through the night and arrive at the Elk and Bison Range at Land Between The Lakes just at sunrise. This is a “drive through” opportunity on 700+ acres of restored prairie (there is a $5 entry fee). On this occasion the bison were out of sight, but the elk were everywhere. The bulls had just rubbed the velvet off of their antlers and were dueling to win the right to the cows. I got great shots (and an awesome experience) watching the lesser bulls lock horns and push each other around in clearings. The rattle of their horns in the foggy early morning light was incredible.
I had just about resolved myself to an unfortunate fact that my best locations were all about two hours’ drive away (about 100 miles). But last winter I decided to try a conservation area that is only 45 minutes from my home and discovered that several migratory eagles had set up nests in the area and both mature and juvenile eagles could be found here from November to about March. This was great and the area also was home to many, many Red Tail Hawks. This is why you really need to try an area in all seasons before deciding it is not productive.
Photo captured by Mark Pashia
So scouting for sites is important and I have also found that talking with hunters (in person and online) can really help you find places to scout. Not every one has access to public lands, but in the United States we generally do; all it takes is some foot work. If nothing else, you got out in nature and away from the city! Good luck and great shooting!
About the Author:
Mark Pashia is an amateur photographer that focuses on Wildlife and Landscape photography. He also only uses open source software for editing his images. The GIMP is his primary tool for editing and he has given tips on how to edit with The Gimp on many online forums. He can be reached by email through ryder@fidnet.com for more details or sample images.
Like This Article?
Don't Miss The Next One!
Join over 100,000 photographers of all experience levels who receive our free photography tips and articles to stay current:
Nice article, Mark. I live in the heart of Minneapolis. And, I’ve only really gotten into wildlife photography in the past six months. I have a particular interest in birds of prey. And, I always thought that they live way out in the country and/or in remote areas. But, oh boy, was I wrong. I’ve gotten loads of eagle, hawk, and most recently owl photos…all within minutes of my home. Among others I found a bald eagle that roosts in the same tree every day near a lake by my home. “Road-tail” hawks on freeway lights and in parks. A great horned owl sitting on the electrical pole in my alley. And a snowy owl at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. Like you, I have a list of my hot spots I can go to for very high probability of finding specific raptors. And, I’ve come to really love ebird and local birding listservs (like MNBird and Minnesota Ornithologists Union) for staying up to speed on new hot spots. Who knew so many extraordinary birds of prey live right in our urban backyards? I do now! :)
@Kathy
I am not sure as I have never been there, but Alaska is a HUGE place with many different climates. I would suggest contacting National Parks near where you will be and asking. You might also ask at local visitor centers or state wildlife departments. A lot depends on local weather as right now the whole west coast of Alaska has really bad storms with high winds and flooding due to the wind pushing large waves ashore. Depending on how far north you are going, light may be a problem as well. Very short days and even no sunlight in the Arctic Circle in winter. Many of the birds that nest there in the summer are down south during December. I know we get a lot of eagles and hawks starting about now that will head back north in March or April unless they nest here and stay longer. Good luck.
Hey would you all know what wildlife is out in Alaska in early Dec?