As technology advances, so too are the different ways we may capture images of elusive wildlife.  Here in the Wind River Canyon, I have wild animals that are either crazy fast, or are just too shy or frightened to be photographed in the traditional methods.  So why not try something new?

     The one thing that I haven't tried is the "frame-grab" method of obtaining an image worthy of uploading to my wildlife website, HogbatsPhotography.com.  This technological image-making method has evolved where now it can fairly easily be done by software alone.  First, you shoot video of your intended subjects, which in my case are the young, fast and shy baby Wild Turkeys; which is a lot more difficult than you may at first think.

     I like my turkey with stuffing and sweet potatoes.  And that's the real problem here, everyone just loves a Wild Turkey; a little melted cheese on wheat.....Around here they must contend with coyotes, bobcats, cougars and domestic pets!  Wild Turkeys are generally elusive in nature.

     For those of you that don't keep up with my blog from here in the magical Wind River Canyon, I've finally had Wild Turkeys hatched in the canyon for the very first time!  A mom and her baby turkeys have been fattening up on my sunflower seeds; three times a day for several weeks now.  While they usually have 8 to 15 buff-colored eggs (according to Audubon), our Wild Turkey was seen with three babies, then one morning was observed with only two.  Seems a lot of things love turkey in the canyon!

     My videos were shot with the Canon EOS M6 Mark 2 camera and my favorite Canon 70-200mm F/4L lens.  The capture software is the "free" (you must own a Canon) software; Canon Digital Photo Professional 4.  From there you merely choose a frame that looks good to you and save it; a Tiff file is lossless and the best choice here.  I then ran the image through Topaz Labs AI Sharpen software, THEN Adobe Lightroom for post-production; to make it prettier for the eye of the viewer..... and me! 

     As I am now writing this Wind River Canyon Blog, the Wild Turkeys are here in my yard eating sunflowers seeds, yet again.  They still do not trust me completely; hey, I'm the guy with the seeds!  I really did have a turkey sandwich for lunch today.....

     The photograph below is of the two remaining young Wild Turkeys that were the first to ever be hatched (born?) in the Wind River Canyon; they cannot spend the winter in the canyon, however; it can get wicked out here. Young Wild TurkeysA frame-grab of young Wild Turkeys imaged in the magical Wind River Canyon in the state of Wyoming.      Always suspicious, always cautious, and they run like the wind----just look at those feet; one of them slipped and fell on his butt while standing on my picnic table when I went out with seeds just yesterday, pretty funny stunt.....and yes, they can fly short distances.  I have a rare species of small squirrel (just one), that is scared silly of them, and yet the Wild Turkeys especially dislike the Magpies; competitors?

     The two little ones have a habit of sleeping on my back welcome mat, and pooping there!  In fact, there is now turkey turds virtually everywhere; and it's big.  "You know that you live in a wilderness area when you find Wild Turkey poop on your slippers".....funny stuff.

     Thank you for reading my stuff.  All content is produced by Michael John Balog, resident of the Wind River Canyon and all rights are reserved; unless you really want it.

*Be smart, be safe, live long and prosper.

MjB