Hunt

The soft sound of heavy snowflakes is all that can be heard amidst the snow packed forest floor.

There is a tense serenity to the whitened backdrop.

A twig snaps.

Golden eyes move and ears twitch but a hidden by the snowfall.

The movement is subtle.

White hairs stand on edge and with a slight shudder a blur appears in a small shape on blank canvas.

An explosion of snow pushed through by black fur and teeth and, thirteen heartbeats, a snap and a muffled squeal later, a dark crimson spatters the forest floor.

A dark splash of red amidst a sea of ivory.

I let out a breath slowly as I watch from my cover 20 feet away and cover my exhale as best I can so my frosted breath isn't noticed.

I've been waiting for this shot for 3 weeks, or year and half depending on how your look at it.

It took over a year to scout the location in Northern B.C., plan transportation and find a guide.

Then it took over 4 months of tracking and hiking and camera work and remote camera placement to finally figure out where to get the right shot.

Then waiting for the right day and the right conditions.

I've been waiting for this moment, to capture this master hunter at work, for what seems like a lifetime.

A tense buildup to one fatal moment.

The final shot of red on white is picture perfect.