Photo by: Jennifer Pendergast
Missed Opportunity
“There! Shoot it!” exclaimed Glover.
Award-winning wildlife photographer Burton Hinton brought his camera up. “Where?”
“Between the train cars!”
Burton’s reflexes had always served him well. He aimed his camera into the distance beyond the train cars. It made sense. Wildlife were always in the distance, trying hard not be seen. Burton always aimed there first. “I don’t see it!”
“It’s right there!”
“Where there?”
Merely five-feet away, the last living Jackalope sat waiting on the train car coupling. The train started moving again and took him out of sight from the photographer. He groaned. He’d never prove his existence at this rate!
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Author’s Notes:
The Jackalope is a popular myth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope
Each week, the Friday Fictioneers join for fearsome and fevered frolicking by writing flash fiction from favorite photos. Join us, if you dare! Look here for more stories based upon the photo above: https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2015/04/08/10-april-2015/
EagleAye
Momus News 
Last living Jackalope with no one to elope ? That’s too sad. Fun read.
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It is sad. I’ll bet that jackalope felt like a dope. 😉 Glad you had fun. Thanks! 🙂
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Nice. 🙂 There’s always camera problems in that crucial moment. He’ll be telling that story in bars for the rest of his life.
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Yep. Been there myself, but not with Jackalopes. Still, can you imagine it? “No seriously, it was right there. No they’re not a myth. I ‘almost’ got a pic of it. Really! Wait, don’t go away!” 😀
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That’s about right, especially in this “pics or it didn’t happen” Internet culture.
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Trying to photograph animals is always tricky.
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Oh yes. I’m out photographing birds often. They can be the most elusive subjects.
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Very nice. Is it a myth? The image seems so real. Your birds photographs are very nice. Why not post them here- http://www.viewbug.com/contests/850-birds-on-branches-photo-contest
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Yeah, it’s a myth. Folks in the southwest used to assemble those from stuffed animals and then sell them to tourists, claiming they really exist. One of the funniest scams ever. I’ll give that contest a try. Thanks Indira!
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We don’t have jackalopes in New Zealand. Or maybe we do… 🙂
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Haha! If you see one take a picture of it, quick! 🙂
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Oh, I’m sure the Jackalope is real, Eric. Here are some of his relatives… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Giant_rabbit Two of these and you’ve got yourself a nice pair of slippers for winter 😉
Feed them some extra vitamins and some good iron pellets and before long you’ll have a herd of Jackalopes.
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Two of those and I wouldn’t have slippers, I’d have a pair of trousers! If those guys ever develop antlers, they could get dangerous. Thanks much, Lyn! 🙂
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One day he’ll find a herd. Just when the battery of his camera will be dead. Here, instead of theJackalope, we have the Wolpertinger, a true Bavarian. Great story, great fun!
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Oh, that’s really cool! I like it. Of course there’s no pictures of one, because the battery always went dead. Thanks so much! 🙂
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Another good one WordMaster! One correction, if I may…”distance betond the train cars.” Beyond…. 🙂 Be well my friend! ^..^
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Yikers! Good catch. Apparently, I’m no TypistMaster. 😉 I’ll fix that. Thanks much, Barb! 🙂
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YW! 🙂 A good story even with the typo!
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Thanks so much, Barb. 🙂
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Love the jackalope pic; just framing this picture itself was hard enough for an amateur like me; catching a rare and mythical beast as well would be too much to hope for!
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Haha! Wouldn’t be awesome if you took the shot and later realized you’d accidentally captured a jackalope? I do love the framing in your pic. This is real art.
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Poor Jackalope . . . and just when he’s ready to come forward. Thanks for the chuckle, Eric.
All my best,
MG
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I know! All those years of hiding and now he can’t get his picture taken for nothing! 😉 My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks! 🙂
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Couples will be naming their boys Burton Hinton when he finally gets that shot.
I can sympathise: the best shot of my holiday was taken accidentally when changing the camera to video.
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Yes they will! Sometimes the coolest shots happen by accident. Photography can be frustrating and wondrous all in the space of a few hours. My wife and I love nature photography. It can be hours and hours of frustration followed by a moment of pure elation.
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Dear EA,
Loved the Jackalope reference. There used to be a lot of them out west until the railroad went through… Ahh…progress. Great story.
Aloha,
Doug
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Haha! Yep. destruction of their environment, you know. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks Doug! 🙂
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Poor Jackalope – so close to proving he’s not just a myth! Good story. 🙂
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Yep. It’s a Missed Opportunity for both sides of the camera. Poor guy. I hope the next photographer doesn’t have a dead battery! Thanks so much! 🙂
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Dear Eric,
I’m pretty sure I saw a Jackalope once as I was riding my unicorn across the prairie. Fun story as always. Love your sense of humor.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yeah, I saw one once with the family Griffon. Everybody told me to stop believing in fanciful things, and go out and feed the Pegasus. 😉 Thanks so much, Rochelle!
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“Home home on the range.
Where the deer and the jackalope play”
Along with Bigfoot and all those other great mythical creatures…
Randy
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Yep right out there where the Wendingo and Babe the Blue Ox like to go square dancing. 😉
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