Originally posted by volley Thank you for your comment and for sharing the story!
I don't think I've ever seen a wolf in the wild, but since several years they are moving back into Germany after being extinct for nearly 200 years. At present approx. 130 packs are confirmed, mainly int eastern and northern part of Germany (some wolfs living just 20km from my place).
Germany is quite densely populated and the increasing number of wolfs start to create problems. Since they are strictly protected it is impossible to hunt them, even though they cause a lot of damages to livestock. Farmers can only try to invest in protection, supposedly "wolf-safe" fences and so on, but they can't shoot them. Let's see how this develops further.
I know that in some North American jurisdictions farmers and ranchers hire individuals who will drive animal predators away from their ranchlands, farms etc. Use of dogs, large hounds, etc. are used to track them and the people who are in the business employ different methods to scare them (predators) off properties, particularly during calving times, etc. The aim isn't to kill the predators, but to scare them, drive them off from properties and some properties are quite large. A lot of times, predators will return...so this can be a regular operation.
I have been fortunate in my life over the years to live where I live. I'm 90 minutes from the Canadian Shield, a couple of hours from parts of the Boreal forest, 100 odd miles from a desert, and live in the northern section of the Great Plains of North America....and two hours from an area designated as a migratory pathway for raptors. I've spent a lot of time in these different areas fly fishing, doing photography, camping, going for walks, etc. I have traveled these areas with my wife, my son, friends....but also a lot of times by myself. I find traveling by myself oft times to be the most successful and there is no talking, just enjoying the outdoors quietly . Noise can lessen your opportunities.
A couple of weeks ago my wife and I went for a drive....in a rural farming area, down frozen dirt, country roads. It is about 15 -20 minutes away from our abode. It was a snowy, windy day.
But we saw about three Snowshoe Hares in winter coat, a covey of Hungarian Partridges and best of all...not too far from one of the snowshoe hares...a snowy owl taking off from a hydro pole...then flying fast and low over the fields. We could see it quite a distance away, suddenly hit something (we think) on the ground. Assuming it was prey, but too far for our human eyes to get a clear look at what was possibly happening.
Did I have my camera ? Yes, but it had my 100 Macro F 2/8 WR lens attached.
My Sigma 150-500 was sitting in it's case at home. Still tooo heavy for me to lift, use...as I had a shoulder bone, etc. replacement a few months ago. But my shoulder is getting stronger and I'm sure I will get that 150-500 out of mothballs soon.
But even if I had my 'big game' lens
...good chance I wouldn't be able to get a good pix, and to me, if I get the occasional ok pic that is great, but in the end, just being out and about in the middle of nowhere in different areas of my province and every so often happening on something is good enough for me.