Thanks for the post Mark. These were my thoughts also.
As I was reading the OP my concern was for the bear and the consequences sh=
ould it wake.
It just doesn't seem worth the recording.
Danny
On Jan 13, 2012, at 3:37 PM, Mark Phinney wrote:
> Beware that black bears are not true hibernators. They can & will wake up
> very quickly. Aside from the potential danger to you & your equipment is
> the disturbance to the bear. Once disturbed & scared from the den, they
> generally will not go back to the same site. Then they are left to wander
> at a time of year they are not meant to be out. No good food (other than
> human-sourced, which won't end well) and nowhere to go. I strongly advise
> against rousting the bear from it's winter lair. Thus, no noisy or
> intrusive behaviour. a mic placed quietly on a pole and left for quite so=
me
> time MAY be ok, but beware it could be destroyed. flash photography is no=
t
> a good option. Despite the temptation it's probably best to leave them be=
.
> A sow with cubs may produce more interesting sounds and she would be less
> likely to abandon the site - but more likely to eat your mic...
>
> The bird nest thing is a possibility. The fewer visits to the nest the
> better, and maybe wait til the chicks have hatched. Don't draw predator
> attention to the nest and don't disturb the nest itself (setup should be
> cryptic), but beware that activity like this probably does increase the
> likelihood of nest depredation.
>
> just my two cents. I am a wildlife biologist, but not a professional natu=
re
> recordist, so others undoubtedly have more direct experience in these
> matters than I...
>
> Mark Phinney
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 1:47 PM, Eric Schmidt <> wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> Hello everyone.
>>
>> I've a quick question for the group.
>>
>> A friend told me that they've located a bear in hibernation on their
>> family farm in Western PA and invited me for a visit (nothing unusual
>> there). I live around Toledo, OH but there's plenty of time for a
>> roadtrip.
>>
>> Anyhow it sounds ideal for a sound recording.
>>
>> Here is my plan. There's an entrance hole about 15" in diameter
>> underneath a big downed tree - also know of a female holed up under a
>> collapsed barn too. I thought I could poke a shotgun (Senn 815) into
>> the hole to get close-up sound of the bear (a big male) and use a
>> cheaper Short Senn shotgun (used as an on-camera mic) for exterior
>> ambient sound. Not much choice of mics the rest are lavaliere type -
>> Senn., Tram, Sony B-6. I think I could borrow an omni from someone if
>> it would be worth the extra effort and truly needed - then I could also
>> use the wider shotgun inside.
>>
>> Recorder is a Sony (D-7?) DAT.
>>
>> Does this sound feasible? Anything else I should think of. I don't
>> think this will disturb his highness in sleepyland. Thoughts?
>>
>> I don't know if I should take photographs or video as it would either
>> need a flash or supplementary light. Thoughts on this? It would be
>> nice maybe, but if I don't I can live with it and not loose any sleep
>> or have I shoulda's.
>>
>> I guess I'm not that experienced with bears - the only bears I've seen
>> are the hind quarters as they are putting distance quickly between them
>> and me.
>>
>> While I'm thinking of it, too. I've got the B-6s this summer and
>> thought they would be really nice to use at a bird's nest (or other
>> critter magnet) for recording. Could affix it to a tree limb close to
>> the nest or even weave it into the nest. And let it stay there all
>> season. A good idea to try? Feasible or try something different? How
>> about the affect on the birds - figuring in-and out in under 5 min. Or
>> possible problems? Any other outdoor uses for it or lavs in general?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Eric
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> "While a picture is worth a thousand words, a
> sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
Danny McCarty
Monolith Media, Inc.
4183 Summit View
Hood River, Or 97031
415-331-7628
541-399-0089 Cell
http://www.monolithmedia.net/
http://www.danielmccarty.com/
http://about.me/yodmc
|