Safety When Photographing Solo in the Wild

[PhotoHobbyist]

I'm no adventurer, but I watch them on TV. More specifically, Youtube thru hikers that hike 2,000 miles at a stretch. Many make videos of breakdown of their pack. I'd take plenty of food and a Sawyer water filter. You can last as long as your food. And a warm sleeping bag and a tarp for shelter.

 

[4rum]

I almost exclusively solo photograph wildlife in wild places.
I enjoy the freedom and solitude of going solo.
These are 6 things I do to minimize my risks and maximize the likelihood of locating me if I did have a problem.
1) I always email my wife a google map showing where I will park and my anticipated hiking route.
2) I do not deviate my plans from the email I sent to my wife.
3) I carry an InReach device which allows my to text in areas with no cell service, and has an emergency response SOS button.
4) I always carry bear spray on my belt. Bears (especially grizzlies) can be amazingly fast when they charge.
5) I use trekking poles. Trekking poles can help prevent a slip.
They allow the arms to help the legs on steep climbs and take stress off the knees on steep descents.
6) I text my wife that I arrived at the trailhead and when heading home.
My guess is I'm a rare individual that spends most of my photography time solo in the wilderness,
but I hope these are considerations for others that enjoy solo wild adventures.

Excellent advice. One thing I would add. If in a new location, take the time to look behind you often. This is what you will see coming out of the woods (unless it's a loop trail). Landmarks will be familiar only if you see them from the angle as they will appear on the return trip to the truck. I hike a lot of unmarked, untrodden trails. Remote. Tough, broken terrain.

 

[Don Fischer]

I almost exclusively solo photograph wildlife in wild places.
I enjoy the freedom and solitude of going solo.
These are 6 things I do to minimize my risks and maximize the likelihood of locating me if I did have a problem.
1) I always email my wife a google map showing where I will park and my anticipated hiking route.
2) I do not deviate my plans from the email I sent to my wife.
3) I carry an InReach device which allows my to text in areas with no cell service, and has an emergency response SOS button.
4) I always carry bear spray on my belt. Bears (especially grizzlies) can be amazingly fast when they charge.
5) I use trekking poles. Trekking poles can help prevent a slip.
They allow the arms to help the legs on steep climbs and take stress off the knees on steep descents.
6) I text my wife that I arrived at the trailhead and when heading home.
My guess is I'm a rare individual that spends most of my photography time solo in the wilderness,
but I hope these are considerations for others that enjoy solo wild adventures.

I always wanted to do wild life but just haven't got going. Problem for me is sitting in a blind waiting! Drives me nuts!!! Have got some deer photo's around town late fall and winter though.

Have a book called "Alaska Bear Tails" tells about bear problems up there. Somewhere in the book it mentioned one great problem with the bear's is photographer's. Seem's the problem comes from them trying to get to close to often. Be careful out there. Coming back from Alaska one time on the Kasiar Hwy I came across a Canadian wolf. Went across the road in front of me and stopped out of sight behind a small hill. Saw it standing as I went by and I stopped. Got out and it just stood there so got some closer. Time I got the shot I wanted I was off a ways from the truck. Had that wolf protested I would have been soup! I noticed going up the Alcan that I didn't pay enough attention to bears either but never had trouble with them, all I've seen going up or coming back were black bears. But don't be fooled they will attack also! Stopped on the Alcan one time for a Bison shot. Got out and went to the pasenger side of the truck and shot a couple shots then took a good look at that guy and he was huge! Went back around to the driver side and got a few more shots. Never got one I really liked though!

Whole point of my post is be careful out there. Those are wild animals and provoked well even the smallest will attack and do considerable damage. I see on TV a lot of times people over doing it with wild animals, done it myself! They are wild, don't ever forget that!

 

[MontanaDave]

I always wanted to do wild life but just haven't got going. Problem for me is sitting in a blind waiting! Drives me nuts!!! Have got some deer photo's around town late fall and winter though.

Have a book called "Alaska Bear Tails" tells about bear problems up there. Somewhere in the book it mentioned one great problem with the bear's is photographer's. Seem's the problem comes from them trying to get to close to often. Be careful out there. Coming back from Alaska one time on the Kasiar Hwy I came across a Canadian wolf. Went across the road in front of me and stopped out of sight behind a small hill. Saw it standing as I went by and I stopped. Got out and it just stood there so got some closer. Time I got the shot I wanted I was off a ways from the truck. Had that wolf protested I would have been soup! I noticed going up the Alcan that I didn't pay enough attention to bears either but never had trouble with them, all I've seen going up or coming back were black bears. But don't be fooled they will attack also! Stopped on the Alcan one time for a Bison shot. Got out and went to the pasenger side of the truck and shot a couple shots then took a good look at that guy and he was huge! Went back around to the driver side and got a few more shots. Never got one I really liked though!

Whole point of my post is be careful out there. Those are wild animals and provoked well even the smallest will attack and do considerable damage. I see on TV a lot of times people over doing it with wild animals, done it myself! They are wild, don't ever forget that!

Great advice. I lived in rural Alaska for 30 years and had 5 bear encounters that could have gone bad if I was a newbie.

In Alaska, cow moose are more common and everyone I know that has lived in rural Alaska for more than 20 years has
been charged by a cow moose, typically during calving season. A man was killed last spring in Homer, AK trying
to photograph a cow with calf.
I remember watching from our bedroom window the neighbors dog barking at a cow moose in our yard.
The cow's ears pinned back and she charged the dog and chased it at least 200 meters and out of sight!
Winter can be dangerous also as wolves prey on moose in deep snow. So a moose will stand in a trail or driveway
where the snow is not waist deep and charge rather than flee into deep snow.
I took this cell phone photo from inside our kitchen window and she was a small cow.

 

[Don Fischer]

I worked a couple years building house's outside of Wasilla and we'd have cows come in to the site quite often. But the only one's that bothered us were cows with calf's and bulls in rut. Bulls in rut can get really nasty. Really liked it up there but still my first choice where to live is Montana.