so hungry I could eat a tree

I came across a mother bear and her three cubs, the cubs spent most of the time up a tree but they did come down to play for a while. I couldn't get a real good shot there was either trees or brush in my way. Taken with a Canon Elan7e using a 300mm with a 2x extender on Fuji Provia 100F.

Mike

HEY..where was this shot?

be VERY careful around YOUNG cubs.... CHOMPING TEETH, THROWING OF OBJECTS, GROWLING from MOMMA BEAR........ mean talk talk walk walk :)

NO RUNNING THOUGH!!!

I took this at Kittatinny Valley State Park in Andover, NJ. I came across them thursday and then again in almost the same location on saturday. I watched them for a few hours and never once did the mother ever show any signs of being mad. I watched from an old railroad bed that has a lot of traffic, bikers, hikers even mothers pushing their kids in strollers. The mother would look up once in a while but the people didn't seem to bother her. Something behind her did spook her and she ended up coming in my direction and she crossed the railbed a little ways down from me. She stopped looked at me and then continued on her way. I ran out of film in the camera and missed the shots of the cubs crossing

That's pretty impressive. If I was there, I'd have switched to large JPEG and shot all 300+ as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Dempsey

That's pretty impressive. If I was there, I'd have switched to large JPEG and shot all 300+ as well.

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ME TOO... THEN I'D PUT THE SECOND AND THIRD CARD IN :D

Mike,

Is that the "trail" that runs from 202 and ends up at a park w/ a pond about 3/4 mile in?

Your story sounds like you found "the right" bear for photography, yet that's disheartening that momma bear has no fear of humans to pass to her cubs

CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY TO FIND A TAG FREE FAMILY OF BEARS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. I may be slightly off, but last year I do believe they tagged 150+ bears along the delaware river in NJ :o

In a few weeks i will start my treks NORTH again :)

Hi Paul, Kittatinny State park is not far off of Route 206. If you're coming up 206 north towards Newton the park is about two miles outside of the town of Andover. It's a right hand turn onto Goodale Road. If you need more detailed directions let me know. I came across these bears on thursday and then took a walk by the same place saturday and they were there again.
Mike

The shot of mom was really pleasing to see! What was you using at what settings? A great shot!

Should have brought more film/cards for sure!

Oh Yeah.. 206 Not 202 :)

Hi Vince , I had another roll of film but when Mom came up out of the swamp and saw me she didn't hang around to long. After I snapped a second picture of her I heard the camera start to rewind . The camera and lens were the same I listed in the first shot, I think it was shot at 250 , F5.6.
Mike