On the slope

A White tailed Deer navigates the steep slope of the embankment above the Sturgeon River in Sturgeon County at dusk.

Golden Hind

After hanging out with a coyote this white tailed deer made my life difficult by moving between me and the setting sun. Changing my position was not an option so I made the best of the moment and shot straight into the blinding sun. Some rescue through post processing magic was needed to distinguish the deer from the golden backlight. Sturgeon County.

Distraction

A deer and a coyote pause together on the rim of the Sturgeon River valley, something has obviously caught their attention. This is the same Coyote that moments earlier challenged our dog but was defeated by the fence. Sturgeon County.

Realization

This captures the moment that I realized I was in trouble and this female Moose was charging me (hence the slightly blurred photo). I stepped behind a tree and she passed by on the other side to where I was standing, I could have reached out and touch her as she went by. She stopped and turned and charged me again, I stepped to the other side of the tree and she veered away to the side. I retreated back the way I came with my dignity sort of intact when she came roaring out of the bush behind me and veered to the side again as if to make sure I was on my way - I had no cover at that point. Thinking about what happened she was likely protecting her new born(s) and was quite within her rights. When she turned after the first charge she was between me and my escape route, and I was between her and what I presume was where her calf(s) was located, so she made the second charge then put herself in a position to let me retreat. Smart mom! In the bush near St Albert.

Face in the bush

I came across this female moose deep in the bush, what happened next got the adrenalin pumping. near St Albert.

Spring Freeze

Another cold morning in early spring as these two White-tailed Deer freeze in place for a few moments on the edge of the still frozen Sturgeon River in Sturgeon County.

Curiosity

A White-tailed Deer pauses while I shoot it's portrait though the brush on the edge of the Sturgeon River in Sturgeon County.

Disturbance

A White-tailed deer pauses to check out a movement in the deep bush of Sturgeon County (me).

On the trail

A young moose on the walking trail in Lois Hole Park

Tangled

A young moose stepping through the tangled undergrowth while browsing in Lois Hole Park.

Browsing Moose

A young moose browses in Lois Hole Park.

Standing his ground

I run into this bull moose while walking the fields behind our home, I spent about a minute getting my shots, trying different angles. Usually a moose will look at you and then continue with what they were doing (usually browsing) or move off, this guy did neither, he just stared me down. Eventually I noticed the snorts of breath from his nostrils, he stamped his rear hooves, and released a stream of urine, my time to leave with my dignity (and hide) still intact, keeping a close eye behind me. Sturgeon County. (Photo is a little soft, I think because of the heat haze caused by the bright sunshine reflecting off the snow)

Moose in the wetland

This female Moose was bedded down in the J Poole wetland when she popped up for a quick snack, she quickly disappeared when she lay down again onto the frozen surface.

Clear(ish) shot

This was my fourth encounter in five days with this big guy, quite brief this time as he moved through this "openish" area to continue to browse with his female "partner" in a more congested and obscured patch of the bush. I had to take the shot from a crouching position to avoid most of the obstacles, I left them to it soon after. Lois Hole Park.

Quality time

A feature of retirement is that there is lots of time to convene with nature, I spent about an hour with this guy as he browsed through the bush. I had to walk away a couple of times to give him comfort that I was no threat, but in the end we got along just fine and he permitted me to maneuver to a position with a relatively clear view of him. Lois Hole Park.

First cold day

This bull moose was browsing deep in the woods near Big Lake on the first really cold morning of the winter (-15 C). Lois Hole Park.

The clue

Looking for a bull moose on the advice of a fellow photographer, I had walked by this location 15 minutes earlier and had given up, but on my way back down the trail this caught my eye. Lois Hole Park.

Moose wth fall colours

This cow moose had not strayed far from where we met the day before, once more she gracefully consented for her portrait to be taken. Lois Hole Park.

Together

I came across the bull I had ran into earlier that morning, he had teamed up with a female and they were hanging out deep in the bush. Lois Hole Park.

Winter is looming

This cow moose was resplendent in her winter coat as she grazed in the bush in Lois Hole Park, she wasn't too bothered by my presence and she was in the same location when I passed by again some time later.

Catch and Release

Moose that make a nuisance of themselves in urban areas are tranquilized and moved by Fish and Wildlife officers. They also attach an ear tag to advise a hunter who later "harvests" the animal not to eat it until checking how long ago the event occurred to be sure the drug has cleared it's system. If too soon after, the meat is forfeited and a new hunting tag issued. Click on this link for this same moose in April 2019, what a difference 6 months make!!https://www.wildstalbert.com/WildStAlbert/New-Stuff/i-xj8hcS7/A It turns out there is a controversial back story to this guy, check out this link (thanks to TO); https://www.stalberttoday.ca/local-news/citizens-concerned-after-moose-shot-in-st-albert-1294864 Lois Hole Park.