I agree with keeping non-natural attractants out of the photo. I an going on a bird shoot in south Texas next week on a ranch where I know baits are reasonable and used but the last thing I want is a photo of a Crested Caracara next to a limb with a piece of raw meat tied to it. South Texas is a birder's paradise with species rarely seen elsewhere and some, including the Green Jay and a couple of orioles, seen nowhere else in the United States.

Mc Caig's Tower, Oban Scotland.

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Remember Tri X nd Ektachrome 160 push processed to ASA 800 and 320 respectively. Now that was grain. Okay for magazine reproduction but not large prints. Enclosed photo of a bobcat taken with Ektachrome at ASA320.

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Trips to the Tetons and Scotland with one lens, Nikon 18-300mm. From a random 38 shots, 27 below 70mm, 6 at 18mm, six above 100mm and only 3 at 300mm. Average 68mm. If you take a 70-200 you will definitely need something like a 17-55mm but why carry two lenses.

Indeed, in a couple of the shots he turned his head and it's nothing but a blur.

Thanks, it's one of my favorites also.

I can't take all the credit or the framing for that shot. Two years previously, in 2017, professional Daryl Hunter who does photo tours there showed me that spot and also how the roof mimics the mountains behind it.

The time of the year was late September and with the exception of the elk photo all the photos were taken with a Nikkor 18-300 zoom. The elk was taken with a Nikkor 200-500 zoom at 370mm f5.6, 1/4 second exposure at ISO 125 The time was just before sunrise and I didn't have the where with all to even think about changing the ISO, afraid he would be gone. Hand held braced as much as possible against the car window frame.
Mountain in the clouds, 40mm, 1/200 sec. f14 ISO 125.
Oxbow Bend, 60mm, 1/500 sec. f5.6 ISO 200.
B&W 18mm, 1/80 sec f13 ISO 200.
Moulton Barn, 28mm, 1/60 sec. f13 ISO 125 On tripod.
The grandeur of the Teton is something everyone should see at least once. No foothills, just bam, they explode out of the prairie. They are indeed a w0w moment.

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Although my first camera that I actually owned was the Leica 111f as previously posted, the first camera that I used was my mother's Foth Derby, pictured. It used 127 film, 30x40mm negatives. I have also included my first underwater camera, a Brownie Holiday Flash in a Mako case.

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My first camera was a Leica 111f, a gift from my mother. Although not the original the one pictured is exactly the same. Included is a photo taken in 1953 of three cowboys, back when they were real cowboys. on the ranch in central Texas where my family had a hunting lease. Kodachrome ASA 10. I had the pleasure of meeting the man on the right a few years ago when he was in his 80's.

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Two commercial ranches that I know of that are specifically geared to bird photography are the Laguna Seca Ranch, a bird photography ranch, 700 acres near Edinburg and the 300 acre Santa Clara Ranch in Starr County. Both ranches have in ground and above ground blinds. You might also try to contact Wyman Meinzer, "The Official Photographer of Texas" for advice. South Texas has birds you won't see most anywhere else, the green jay, perhaps the chachalaca. and of course the crested caracara which has now moved much farther north. I know the ranches only by reputation but you have put a bee in my bonnet. Maybe after my second Covid vaccination and before it gets too hot I'll check them out.

If the camera on the Black rapid is free to move it might be a little faster but if the bumper on the strap is holding the camera down or back to prevent it swinging the Cotton Carrier would be faster. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Clothes changing, definite advantage to the strap. Another potential consideration concerning the Cotton Carrier chest harness is that of tripping and falling which is going to happen to everyone at some time or another. I certainly would not want to fall forward on that rig.

Perhaps a little too late but if the Black Rapid proves unsuitable I just received notice from Cotton Carrier that their new favorite lens is the Nikon 200-500mm with their harness system. It holds the camera close to the body in the center of the chest and since the lens hangs straight down the stress on the Tripod socket is minimized.

I have always considered shoulder or neck straps to be useful only to masochists who enjoyed having their chest or abdomen pounded by a camera. That is until I set about solving the very same problem you have. I settled on a combination of a Cotton carrier belt harness and a Peak Design adjustable strap The Cotton Carrier keeps the camera stabilized and the load can be shared by it and the strap. I mounted the Cotton Carrier lug on the lens foot to keep the load off of the camera body tripod attachment and keep the lens away from my leg. The camera is secure and both hands are free. At 84 I need the ability to use a monopod, walking stick or trekking poles for the extra stability when moving across uneven ground.

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Nikon AF-s DX Nikkor 18-300mm f3.5-6.3 ED VR is my go to lens that rarely comes off the camera. It works for landscape and a much of the wildlife. Also recommended would be one of the Cotton Carrier systems to stabilize the camera, take the weight off the neck and leave both hands free when walking.