Roosevelt Elk, Prairie Creek SP

Roosevelt Elk (Cervus canadensis) Grazing Grass, Prairie Creek State Park, California

Weighing up to 2,000 pounds, Roosevelt Elk are the largest animals in the deer family. Needless to say, it is not in your best interests and against park rules to step outside of your car when viewing the wildlife at the elk meadow.

As is, the Roosevelt Elk were grazing pretty close to my car when I shot this. The sun was setting and since I don't have an image stabilizer lens, I had to wedge my tripod inbetween my car seat and driver's side window to keep my lens steady. It was not the most comfortable of shooting conditions but I did what I could. My main issue was debating whether or not to crank up the ISO in order to freeze the giant mammals in action.

After the elk wandered away, I drove back down Highway 101 and I tried to photograph another herd of Roosevelt Elk in front of the Stone Lagoon Little Red School House near Orick. By then it was too dark to get sharp images however.