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There are many reasons to visit Baxter State Park. Most visitors make the trip to hike and camp in the seemingly endless acres of unspoiled wilderness. For some, this includes a climb to the peak of Mount Katahdin and across the Knife Edge. As for me, I go to spend a few days of solitude where I can shake off the stress of the real world, and to photograph the wildlife that roam its woods. I first
traveled to the park in the early 1990s in search of my first encounter
with a Maine Moose. I have returned many times over the years, and have
spent countless hours quietly observing the local inhabitants, and
occasionally they reward my patience with an image that captures the
tranquility and beauty of the moment so I may share it with others. Anyone familiar with the park will probably recognize that many of my photographs are taken in one location. Sandy Stream Pond is a quiet kidney-shaped pond at the base of Mount Katahdin that has become my favorite place in New England to photograph moose. The combination of pristine water surrounded by undeveloped forest and the backdrop of Mount Katahdin, all contribute to the chance for potentially dramatic compositions. There are two excellent viewing areas at the pond, both facing Katahdin. (The opposite shore is off limits to hikers, which makes it all the more inviting to the animals who visit there.) My favorite spot is Big Rock Viewpoint. A large flat boulder, roughly 15 feet in diameter, juts out into the pond, and makes an excellent vantage point for viewing the activity on the pond. As with any wildlife photography, the key is patience. You may occasionally stumble upon an animal while hiking through the forest, but while those interactions can be stimulating, they generally don’t yield the best photographic compositions due to the obstructions of the trees and other objects. Your best opportunity to photograph moose or white-tailed deer is to find an open space where the animals are likely to visit, and just stay put. When I travel to Baxter State Park, I generally spend a minimum of three full days in the park, hiking to Sandy Stream Pond each morning at dawn from my camp site at Roaring Brook Campground, an easy hike of less of than a mile. I will sometimes remain in that spot from dawn to dusk, watching the moose and deer come and go. By learning their patterns (where and when they tend to enter and exit the shoreline), you will develop your instincts as to where to set up for not only the best chance of a close encounter with a moose, but also the best possible composition. Fortunately, this is an easy decision as there are only two viewpoints and both are excellent.
Last year, I was finally able to fulfill one of my long-time goals-- to capture intimate images of a cow with her calf. I had photographed them from a distance before, but never up close. It should be noted that there are two types of encounters with moose that can be extremely dangerous. One is a close encounter with a bull moose during the autumn rut. The other is wandering too close to an anxious cow protecting her calf. As a rule, the "fight-or-flight" distance, within which a cow will decide to either charge or flee to protect her calf, is about 150 feet. Approaching a cow with her calf is potentially dangerous and should be avoided. In June of
2005, I spotted two cows with calves at Sandy Stream Pond, and I
lingered there hoping for a close
encounter. I would never approach a
mother with her calf (no one should), but I settled in at Big Rock and
waited. After a few hours, one cow and her calf finally approached and
grazed within 15 feet of my tripod. I took several photographs of the
calf, carefully watching the cow for any signs of anxiety. She appeared
remarkably calm, so I did not withdraw until she suddenly took a greater
interest in me. I removed my camera from the tripod mount, and climbed
up onto the rock, retreating to relative safety only a few feet away.
The cow checked on her calf, and then approached my tripod, lapping at
the water at its base, and then nuzzling and sniffing it while
I
photographed her. Had she shown any sign of anxiety at any point during
the encounter, I would have retreated further, not only for my own
safety, but for that of the
animals.
(A frightened animal could
potentially injure itself while fleeing for safety.
Concern for the
animals is always more important than getting the photograph.) On another
encounter that day, a cow and her calf
(it may have been
the same pair)
grazed nearby, roughly 40 feet away. I framed them
against the backdrop
of Mount Katahdin,
their reflections sharp in the water at their
feet,
when the calf circled her mother and began to nurse.
It was an image I
never thought I would capture. I had witnessed this from across the
pond through binoculars on a previous visit, but this time, it was
happening right in front of me. Once she was finished, the cow and her
calf gently nuzzled each other. I was shooting with my 80-200 zoom,
At a recent exhibition of my photographs, several visitors made the same comment when viewing these images: “You must have had to wait a long time to get these.” “Twelve years,” I told them. As I said, patience is the key.
Tips: § Camp at Roaring Brook Campground. This is a great camping spot, about twenty minutes from the south entrance to the park, and an easy hike to Sandy Stream Pond. There are lean-tos along the brook, drive-in and walk-in tent sites and a cabin. There is no food or potable water in the park, so bring plenty of both. § Hike to Big Rock Viewpoint early. Plan to get there for prime feeding time (by 6AM). Many of your fellow campers and hikers will still be sleeping leaving you to mingle with the moose and deer in near silence. You will probably encounter something at the pond. I have found that in the early morning hours most of the activity is at the far side of the pond, which is off limits to hikers. A close encounter is a matter of luck and patience. But even if you see no moose, it is an incredibly tranquil place to spend a morning. § Settle in and be quiet and patient: I don't believe it is possible to spend a day at Sandy Stream Pond without encountering a moose. You may not always come away with a frame-worthy photograph, but you will surely see something. Bring a good book, pack a lunch and some water and make a day of it. § Camera gear: A 75-300 zoom lens is excellent. Longer zooms are better, but not always necessary. I have had such close encounters that I had to quickly switch to a wide angle zoom to get the shot, so come prepared with one of those as well. I shoot everything from a tripod (except when I am chased from it by a curious cow). § Composition: When confronted with a moose or deer, there are two tendencies for most visitors. The first is to shoot anything that moves, even if it is clear across the pond. As a rule, if I cannot fill the frame with the subject, I don't bother taking the shot. Like many photographers, I have several early photographs of moose that are little more than a speck in the distance. Be patient. The second impulse is to zoom in tight on the animals to the exclusion of the background. The closely-cropped images are frequently breath-taking, but remember to be aware of your surroundings. Including a bit of the landscape can make for a much better composition. So be sure to shoot both.
§
Respect the animals: More than once I
have seen hikers approach moose as if they were domesticated animals eager
to be rubbed behind the ears. These are wild creatures, and they For more information about Baxter State Park, visit their official website at: http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/general.html
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are
strong and much faster than you might think. Should they become startled
or feel cornered, or if they are protecting a calf, they could decide to
charge, a very dangerous thing for you and the animal. (A ranger
once explained to me that a moose protecting her calf is more dangerous
than a bear.) Do not approach
or pursue an animal. Stay put, and if you are patient and still they
may eventually ignore you and accept you as part of the scenery. When
that happens, your close encounter with a calm animal could be
breath-taking.