Photographic Shooting Locations and Ideas

[Dbl]

Please post here to add locations you are willing to share with others looking for some interesting photographic locations. Go ahead and provide the following information if possible.

1. City or Landmark name and location (GPS coordinates if you want)

2. Name of location.

3. Directions if possible.

4. Type of subject.

5. Best time of day or year.

6. Any tips to help enhance the experience at that site.

Feel free to add a link to any non-commercial site, another words no sites that would charge a fee to photograph. This would not include state parks, national parks, etc. Doesn't mean you can't mention it, please don't link to it. Hope that is clear for all.

The success of this will be directly determined by everyones participation. The more that participate the better information that will be available. If this gets large we can split to make it easier to navigate. If there are suggestions on how to improve the list please start a new thread so we can keep this one focused on locations. Thanks all and enjoy!

[Steve Foss]

Good work, Dan.

We'll get the locales flowing.

[finnbay]

There is a spot northeast of Ely called Walton's Mountain. It is located in an area that includes a deer wintering area. Years ago, a guy by the name of Tom Walton used to have a deer feeding station there and it wasn't unusual to see 30 to 40 deer yarded on the hillside at a time. It was reported that as many as 90 would be there at a time. I remember seeing two twelve point bucks standing side by side. A number of years ago he stopped feeding, but it is still a good area to see and photograph deer. The wintering area starts about half way between Ely and Winton on HWY 169 and continues to past Winton about a mile. The story is that this wintering area primarily holds deer that migrate from up the Lake One Chain down the end of the Fernberg Road. Because of that, the best time to see deer there starts about now, and lasts until the end of February. Most people who photograph can do it right from the roadside. There is plenty of room to park a car. The spike I got pictures of a couple of weeks ago came from this area. It's not what you would consider a "wilderness" setting, but there is a chance that you could get a photo of a decently racked deer with a natural looking background.

[Steve Foss]

Good location, Ken.

I believe the name came about because of Walton's Mountain in the '70s TV series "The Waltons."

Tom still lives where he always has and, from what I've heard, still feeds deer. Or at least has winter bird feeding stations, which is the same thing as feeding deer.

That couple-mile corridor from east of Ely along 169 to just past Winton is a great deer shooting spot, as Ken said, and VERY convenient. I shot a pic of a very sweet 10-point buck in a back yard in Winton several years ago. It was eating sunflower seeds out of a feeder.

This is the same area where a mountain lion attacked a horse in a pasture next to Winton a few years ago. The horse died of the massive infection common to mountain lion clawings. That same year, a Winton resident reported seeing a mountail lion and kittens at night right in town in the wash of the pickup headlights. Since mountain lions feed primarily on deer, it makes sense.

[mcary]

Here goes,

Crex Meadows, Grantsburg, WI

Take I-35 (North or South depending upon your starting point) to the exit for Rock Creek and Grantsburg (Hwy 70). Head east until you reach the city of Grantsburg and turn north on 87. From there you will follow the Golden Goose (they literally have gold colored geese/swans painted on the road to lead the way). Take a right on Cty Rd D and a left on the Phantom Lake Rd. There are maps available online through various websites. I have had the best luck during peak migration periods (mostly spring), but I hear fall is excellent as well. There are a large number of waterfowl species, songbirds and birds of prey. The area is known for swans, sandhill cranes and if you time it right you can get plentiful shots of Blanding's turtles. The time of day is irrelevant as there are many locations to shoot from in both the morning and afternoon.

For a map, google maps will work just fine. You can type in Grantsburg, WI and scroll to the north and west and see the roads surrounding Phantom Flowage and Melvin Lake. There are smaller roads within the main refuge roads that are visible on the map.

[Moose]

Steve and Ken, I,ve been to that area I especailly like the 13 corners road. I am also a water fall freak. I know it isn't close but everyone should see Niagera Falls. If you take the tour under Angle Bright falls and stand on the Hurricane Deck you can get very wet and some awsome pictures. Here are a couple [image]

[finnbay]

The thirteen corners road does have a lot of deer, but it's narrow and twisty - always afraid I'm going to block the road for someone else to get by - and it's posted most of the way so you can't get off of the road. By the way, the year of the cougar killed horse, there was a cougar sighting along here (only a mile or so through the woods from the farm where the horses were).

[Paul]

I have thought long and hard about some good locals that I know of, I will offer up 3.

#1) Lagoon Park in Montevideo MN. Lagoon Park is located off of the beltline hiway across from city hall, the Chippeway river runs here and you can always find some great flowers, scenery, and wildlife here year round.

#2) International Peace Gardens in Dunseith, North Dakota and Manitoba Border. Home to hundreds of Thousands of flowers and landscapes as well as historic markers and a Sept 11 monument. This is a MACRO LENS USERs DREAM

#3) Lac Qui Parle State Park and Game Refugee in Lac QUi Parle county off of HWY 59 and 7 and south of HWY 40. Several Historic Sites, massive ammounts of landscape, wild life especially Giant Canadian Geese (fall-Sring) and of course natures grandest scavenger the Bald Eagle. Also home to MN's Oldest and tallest Cotten wood tree.

OK #4 also: Would be the Buffalo River Science Center, were MInnesota State University Moorhead in conjuction with others, does a catch and release banding of birds in the area for studies, they have a birding station there (I admit I have never been there but know people who have) and home to prarie chicken mating grounds.

Any way if you have any questions on these spots feel free to ask.

[Paul]

I forgot about one more Place of Scenic Beauty, That would be the Theodore Rosevelt National Park in Western North Dakota, home of the badlands, YOu will find, Mule Deer, Mountain Lion, Rattle Snakes, Prarie Dogs, Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, wolves, etc. I have spent time here in the summer and fall winter but never the spring. There is Horse Trail access to most areas, as well as roads with hiking junctions. Since it is open range in many areas, you could drive a lot of places in a SUV or Pickup, I am not sure you want to drive your Mazda MX-7 even on the prarie roads if you value your oil pan, but it is very accessible and many areas are handicap accessible as well. For more info on area do a search for the Medora Musical and you will find more than you imagined. Home to a very celebrated golf course as well. I dont golf so I dont know, but this is a good family destination as well as a photographic paradise.

[jonny_redhorse]

cold here this morning ...but thoughts are with Spring ....One area not mentioned yet would be the very scenic area, Voyageurs Nat'l Park....maybe because I've been going there off and on since since 71' ....the whole area holds countless oppportunities for everykind of nature photography including macros of unusual flowering plants ,insects, etc... scenic vistas of granite rock mixed with norway and white pine forests mixed with calm ,mirror smooth bays...splenid sunrises and sunsets, a chance at seeing different wildlife at times....deer ,otter eagles(lots of eagles)etc...an area where I could spend weeks camping ,canoeing ,fishing and all with a camera close at hand....absolutely my most favorite area for photography.....give me a canoe paddle,tent and my camera and I'll be the happiest man alive for a week in that area each spring..(oh yes.I have a week vacation planned for that area in early june)

[2u77matt]

EAGLE OPPORTUNITY

Subject: Bald Eagles, lots of them

Where: Along Wisconsin River in Sauk City/Prairie du Sac, WI

When: Mid-January to Early February, early mornings best

Tips: The colder the better for seeing large numbers of birds. They congregate below the dam north of town on Hwy 78. It is not uncommon to see 1 to 2 dozen eagles in a morning. Each year in late January, the town hosts "Eagle Days" with many eagle related events, guided tours, and seminars. It is a fun event but not the best time to get photos due to all the people. You are asked not to walk in the critical areas to avoid spooking the birds. http://www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org/viewing/images/FBECguidemap.pdf

Other attractions to fill out your trip: Devils Lake State Park (lots of climbing/photo ops), a visit to the Wollersheim Winery, Ho Chunk casino, Wisconsin Dells, dinner at the Dorf Haus in Roxbury (yummm, all you can eat fritter bread with honey followed by German cuisine), or a night at a B&B in nearby Lodi.

[borg0196]

1. Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Its in Eagan, MN. Hidden away off of Cliff Rd. The park has a couple of entrances, but the main one is the Schulze Lake Beach entrance (with a visitor center). The park is only 15 minutes from St. Paul, and offers a wide variety of photographic opportunities. There are also no fees for parking or parks passes.

2. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (bloomington, by the MOA). Endless opportunities for wildlife here.

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