Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
I finally made it out to Valentine National Wildlife Refuge over this last weekend. Two weeks ago I had reserved the sharp tailed grouse blind but had to cancel due to heavy spring snow. The trip this weekend was a spur of the moment decision on Saturday morning. I didn’t have a blind reservation this time so I went with the idea of concentrating on landscapes rather than grouse and prairie chickens (although I did hear their calls Sunday morning).
I got to Valentine National Wildlife Refuge about 5:00 PM on Saturday and drove the 4WD trails until sunset. I got a little worried about 7:30 PM as the the sun was getting low in the sky, I was miles from the highway, and the trail deteriorated into two muddy ruts through the prairie. I made it out alive and was rewarded for my trek with beautiful light and a very photogenic sky – Big Sky out there.
Everything I shot on Saturday was hand held, as the 50mph wind gusts kept blowing my tripod over. Here’s one of Little Hay Lake under a big evening sky; Canon 5D MK II with Canon 24-105mm at 24mm f/8.0 1/200s iso200. More to come from Valentine National Wildlife Refuge later this week. Thanks for looking.
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
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Date: April 30, 2011
Categories: Landscapes