While leading my annual Hokkaido wildlife photo workshop expedition, my exceptions and safety precautions are paramount, and I have a checklist with over a dozen rules for myself and the team, so our customers can enjoy their carefree and safe Hokkaido adventure photo workshop of a lifetime. One rule thumb I primarily abide by is when traveling in a convoy, never separate. Whether two SUVs or five SUVs, we stay together, but their occasions when we may separate our group but only from our lodgings. Such as our lodgings in Nakashibetsu Hokkaido, this region has many charms and endless photo opportunities, some of these photo ops are more adventurous than others, and photographing the largest herd of Hokkaido sika deer on the planet may be a little too bumpy of a ride for about half of my group. Which involves 4x4ing over pack-ice, and I need everyone to be calm as I navigate over the ice and rough terrain; I have to read the Pacific Ocean tides, weather charts as we travel to make sure we arrive and return safely. At the end of this pathway is the largest herd of sika deer on the planet. This adventure means waking up at 4:00 am, no breakfast, just a quick stop at the local convenience store en route, and returning before nightfall.
When I decide to split the Hokkaido photo tour into two parties, the conversation preceding such a decision begins with an announcement from me: “Tomorrow, there’s a high probability that the largest herd of Hokkaido sika deer on our planet are going to be gathered, so let’s go for it,” and then the experienced wildlife adventurer participant replies, “I’m looking forward to tomorrow!” Then I explain in about 15 minutes what this sika deer experience will entail. At this point, I can feel apprehension from half of the group, and this is when I introduce an optional itinerary which they can enjoy breakfast birding with the Shima Enaga, Ezo red fox, Ezo, red squirrel, and dozens of other wildlife species, plus Hokkaido legendary minimalist landscapes. Plus, they get to enjoy a warm lunch at my long-time friend's noodle ramen shop in Teshikaga Hokkaido, and they get to enjoy the best ice cream and gelato in Japan.
On the road committed to pursuing the sika deer, the rough off-roading drive is five kilometers in low gear on trails that don’t qualify as anything close to a ‘road.’ If you are unfamiliar with navigating frozen boggy terrain, you are better off warming your feet at your lodgings. Still, I have never been stuck in a bog on one of my Hokkaido photography workshop tours because my team and I often get out of our vehicles double and triple-checking the terrain such as ruts with stainless avalanche poles or monopods for depth because we don’t want to drive our vehicle into a Hokkaido Wildlife Waterhole. Once I have started down the path to the Hokkaido Ezo sika deer, I recheck participants to make sure everyone is ready to join the adventure with no cold feet, as I have to be 100% sure there are no question marks in my head about anyone, so there are no omens on the path to hinder our adventurous spirit. At the end of this trail is an encounter with the largest herd of Hokkaido Ezo sika deer on our planet that you will never forget.