Colorado Prairie Chickens Mating Rituals Photo Tour (April 9-12, 2026)

Register

PRICE: 

Early Registration: $1325 NANPA/ASMP Members, $1525 non-members by March 14, 2026

After March 14, 2026: $ 1425 NANPA/ASMP Members, $1625 non-members

If you are not currently a member, you may want to consider joining NANPA to take advantage of member pricing on all NANPA photo tours (1 year membership $100)

Maximum number of attendees: 7

Last date to register: March 31, 2026

DATES:

• Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 5:30 pm to Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 11:00 am
• (optional) TBD 7-8 pm (Eastern Time) Pre-event Preparatory Webinar for participants
• (optional) TBD 7-9 pm (Eastern Time) Post event Image Sharing and Feedback Webinar for participants

Registration and Meet & Greet
Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 5:30 pm at the hotel meeting room

EVENT OVERVIEW:

Join conservation photographer Sandy Zelasko on a private Colorado ranch for a unique opportunity to photograph prairie chickens during their mating ritual, known as “booming”. In this annual mating behavior, male prairie chickens stake out territory in an effort to attract hens. The behavior takes its name from how the males fill their brilliant orange air sac and make a low booming call. During the courtship display the males strut, hop, flutter and fight each other followed by beating their feet on the ground. It’s quite a spectacle!

We will be photographing on pristine prairie in the rolling sandhills of NE Colorado and have the chance to witness greater prairie chickens fighting and copulating along with many other behaviors. In addition, we may find burrowing owls using the lek, prairie birds, coyotes, hawks, pronghorn and even prairie dogs. However, since this is nature and not a controlled environment, there are no guarantees we will see all of those species.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

We will visit the same lek, a short grass patch in the prairie, each morning and evening, a total of five sessions, to photograph greater prairie chickens displaying mating rituals both in morning light and evening backlit situations. The lek is far off the main road, deep within a privately owned 140,000-acre ranch.

There will be four photo blinds set up that will accommodate two photographers per blind for a total of seven photographers. The tour leader, Sandy, will be the eighth photographer swapping blinds to help participants with camera settings, etc. as needed. Blinds are modified for low level photography. Tripod stools, ground cloth and foam pads are included for comfort. We are obligated to stay in our blinds until the birds leave for the morning/evening. That could be anywhere from 1-5 hours for each session.

This tour is open for 7 participants to give each plenty of time with the leader and to retain flexibility based on weather and the best opportunities.

LEADER:

Sandy Zelasko–

Sandy is an award winning and published nature photographer presently working in the field of conservation photography. She devotes her attention to wildlife conservation through land acquisition and unselfishly shares her wildlife photography to educate, her organizational skills to fundraise and her curiosity to study environmental issues where wildlife preservation is a key factor.

At her home office, Zelasko continues to build a portfolio of conservation endeavors. Dedicated research at the Salton Sea uncovered a new understanding of the complex restoration needs in the Imperial Valley of Southern California and led to her program, “The Salton Sea Story: History & Hope.”

A member and volunteer for NANPA (North American Nature Photographers Association) and an active member and volunteer for NCPS (North County Photographic Society) helps fill her spare time. In addition, she is a member of PSA (Photographic Society of America) and contributor to the PSA Journal.

NEAREST AIRPORT:

Denver International Airport (DEN)

Wray Colorado is in Northeast Colorado, approximately 160 miles from the Denver International Airport.  Estimated drive time from Denver is 2 ½ hours

EVENT TRANSPORTATION:

Transportation between the airport and the hotel is not included and is the attendees’ responsibility. Car rental is available at the airport.  

The ranch is roughly a 20-mile drive from the hotel. The last leg of the trip (approximately 5 miles one-way) is off-road driving and the road can be sandy with deep ruts. Only vehicles with 4WD with extra clearance are suitable for this part and there is parking for a maximum of 2 vehicles at the ranch itself. Since rental vehicles are not allowed off-road, participants will park their vehicles before the ranch and be shuttled from there to the ranch by the event leader who will have a 4WD Ford E250 truck that can transport 5 participants and their gear at a time.

Ride Sharing: We will depart daily from the hotel. Ride sharing to the parking place before the ranch is highly recommended since there is limited space for vehicle parking.

Note that NANPA, and Sandy Zelasko, do not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assume no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.

LODGING:
We will be based in Wray, Colorado during this photo tour.
NANPA is holding a block of hotel rooms for event participants at a hotel in Wray, Colorado at the rate of $119.99 per night plus tax/fees.
Check in time 3 pm, Check out time 11 am.

Hotel details and reservation procedure will be shared with registered participants.

The last day to register in the NANPA room block is April 1, 2026.

MEAL

All meals will be on your own except for one lunch on Friday or Saturday which is included.

PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS:

We will be photographing on pristine prairie in the rolling sandhills of NE Colorado. Each day the group will visit the same lek, a short grass patch in the prairie. The lek is far off the main road, deep within a privately owned 140,000-acre ranch. We will be photographing from 2-person photo blinds.

Preliminary Schedule

Please note schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, recent wildlife sightings and other variables.

Thursday, April 9, 2026

• 5:30 PM meet & greet followed by lek etiquette discussion and what to expect
• Dinner on your own

Friday and Saturday, April 10-11, 2026           

• Begin at approx. 4 AM with a drive to the lek and to get set up in the blinds for our morning photo shoot
• Drive back to Wray for lunch break. On one of these days we’ll have a group lunch (included in the tour fee), the other lunch will be on your own.
• Return to the lek for evening photo shoot.
• Dinner on your own

Sunday, April 12, 2026

• We will go out for the morning only. Participants should be back to the hotel by approximately 10 AM so they can check out by 11 AM.

HEALTH AND FITNESS:

Walking with all gear from vehicle to blinds is less than 100 feet.

There are NO restrooms and we are obligated to stay in our blinds until the birds leave for the morning/evening. That could be anywhere from 1-5 hours for each session.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING

Temperatures can be cold in the morning, but are usually moderate for April on a Colorado prairie. Participants will need to dress in layers, wear gloves and warm, sturdy boots to protect your feet. You could be walking among cactus. Be prepared for cold temps near freezing in the morning. Pack raingear and wind-stop outer layers if you have them. The blinds are not water proof but water resistant. In the previous four years, we have never had rain. Conditions could be windy.

CAMERA GEAR:

• Have all your camera gear packed in one bag, if possible, to save space in the blind.
• Camera – DSLR or mirrorless, full frame or cropped sensor.
  Also, bring the camera manual should you need to consult it. Cellphone cameras are helpful for group shots.
• Lenses – Bring your longest lens and a medium telephoto, teleconverter
• Lens Cleaning Cloth and Wipes.
• Tripod – Sunrise, sunset, twilight and nighttime light levels are too low to photograph properly without a sturdy tripod. A lightweight carbon fiber tripod with a ball head is recommended.
• Memory Cards for at least 1/2 day to full day of burst shooting in the field.
• Camera Battery Charger and Extra Batteries.
• Rain Cover – For camera and lens protection
• Laptop Computer – for downloading, processing and viewing your images.
• Image Processing Software – Good choices include Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop.
• Back-up device – Such as an external hard drive.
• Flash Drive – For sharing images.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

• Flashlight and/or Headlamp preferably with a red light, or cover with a red filter, to limit distracting the birds for morning sessions.
• Cell Phone
• Water bottle/snacks/medicine
• Energy bars or other snacks

GENERAL:

This event is designed for all levels of photographers – amateur, intermediate, advanced and professional – interested in improving their photography skills or looking for location guidance to capture images of greater prairie chickens and other wildlife.  If you are new to photography, the leader will be available to answer questions, show you some new techniques and help you improve your photographic skills.  If you already have plenty of photography experience, the leader will ensure that you’re in the best locations at the best times for great shots. Other participants are also great about sharing techniques, tips and ideas. Please know your camera before you arrive and bring your manual, just in case information needs to be looked up.

Please keep in mind this NANPA Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, you will not be receiving any handouts or the like. That being said, Sandy has extensive experience as a photography teacher and workshop leader and will be available to answer questions and give you guidance.

Attendance and participation at NANPA Photo Tours is limited to registered attendees only.  Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.

NANPA Photo Tour Cancellation and No Refund Policy:  

NANPA will not offer any refunds for registrations for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation. NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. NANPA will offer refunds if NANPA has to cancel the event. It also has the right to substitute presenters if those originally scheduled cannot attend. Registrants may purchase event insurance as part of the registration process through NANPA’s partner, Allianz. More information on this option will be shown during the checkout process for the event registration. NOTE:  If you do not purchase event insurance at the time that you pay for your registration, you will NOT be able to go back and purchase it with Allianz later.

If you choose to purchase travel insurance separately, you can do so with your own insurance carrier, or NANPA members can receive a special travel insurance rate through USI Affinity/Travel Insurance Services.