Spent this past weekend chasing the elk around Bennezette, Pa. This was the first time up state past labor Day in years and, oh, was it worth it. The morning started foggy, very foggy, and sort of ended foggy, too. Although I wish this picture turned out clearer the fog adds something to it. We started the morning with the crowds but soon ditched them and turn it more personal. Bradley (of Bradley Myers Photo Blog) and I moved in on this big old boy and several cows and calves, along with two raghorn satellite bulls and a spike. The raghorns spent the early morning sparring but later turn it into a full out battle that unfolded no more than 25 yards from us and we ended the morning with this guy here headed into the thicket passing us at 10 feet. The sounds of elk during the rut are amazing hearing the bugles and the grunts and the mews (and sounds heard during the fight that I've never heard) takes you to a whole different place. The evening brings out the tourist and their need to be 'right there' but I managed to find a couple bulls and a cow willing to entertain us and three other guys with a camera. Sunday I found the same big bull and cow as the evening before. I spent the rest of Sunday morning chasing bugles and two miles from the truck when the rain started. Time to go. But a great time nonetheless. Thanks Brad. 
Continuing this week with more "Larger than Life" pictures, this time it's a big Paul Bunyan statue straight out of Bangor, Maine. According to roadsideamerica.com "Bangor claims to be both the birthplace of the lumber industry, and, naturally, the Birthplace of Paul Bunyan. A titan of a statue in the city reminds Bangorians of their connection to this mythic character." The statue is 31' tall (37' with the pedestal) and shows this American legend with a double headed ax in one hand and and a pike in the other "The statue was donated to Bangor in 1959, on Bangor's 125th anniversary..." Bangorinfo.com explains, "Legend says Bunyan and his giant blue ox, Babe, traveled throughout the United States, creating the Grand Canyon, Puget Sound and the Black Hills. Lumbermen created the mythical giant, but it was W.B. Laughead who introduced the giant to the general population. An advertising copy writer from Westwood, Calif., Laughead used Bunyan in pamphlets from 1914 to 1944 to sell products by Red River Lumber Co. of Minnesota."
It is time, once again, for my semi-annual header post. Yes, that means that this month marks two and a half years of this craziness. It doesn't get easier.
