I was SO close....

[My2Girls66]

No photo to share but a story of something I'd love to photograph got close enough to but missed out on. DH and I went hiking today. Planned on hiking the Sawyer River Trail off the Kancamagus Highway. I had my p&s since we weren't going anywhere photogenic. I stuck it in my backpack after the river crossing because it has a wrist strap rather than a neck strap and with hiking poles it just bangs against the poles as I walk. About a mile in, my DH stops and looks into the woods. I look where he's looking. About 30ft or so off the trail a smallish black animal was climbing a tree and we heard some grunting. My 1st thought was oh get the camera out! a fisher(I've had fisher on the brain due to a post in another thread)- DH says we better get out of here! Its a baby bear! We didn't see mom but didn't want to hang around until she showed up. We heard grunting and thats supposedly what mom does to warn her baby to go up a tree for safety. Luckily Hershey(our lab) was so confused at our reaction that she didn't take much notice of the baby. DH had to yell at her to follow us, she hestitated but came along. We jogged a ways then when we figured we were safe we walked the rest of the way out. We get back to the car and Hershey was like 'thats it?' what was that? drove 2 hrs for that little walk?' We drove back to Rt93 and went north a little ways and hiked out to Georgiana Falls. This time I hooked the camera strap onto the chest strap of my pack- just in case...

 

[My2Girls66]

Brook crossing at the beginning of 1st hike. Swift River.

lower Georgiana

Upper Georgiana/Harvard from the side

and head on

view from upper Georgiana

 

[Wishes2you]

I had my p&s since we weren't going anywhere photogenic. I stuck it in my backpack after the river crossing because it has a wrist strap rather than a neck strap and with hiking poles it just bangs against the poles as I walk. ...

It just Goes to show us that you never know. I have done things
like this in the past. Put my camera away for one reason or another
to protect it and that's when the perfect photo opportunity rises and then
passes before you have time to get it back out. Although as cute as that little bear was Hanging around wasn't an option. Thank god your Hershey didn't get on the scent of that bear and go running. I have a lab (Sabrina) and we have been walking near our home and she has smelled and then spotted deer and starts to take off running. Only to be called off by us. She comes back with the look like, "Oh you guys are no fun!" I like the photos you did take. I love nature photos the best.