Josh Lichter of Fox + Fir takes us into a blizzard with his Scout Kenai truck camper to capture stunning 4K images of moose and Bighorn rams. The mesmerizing cinematography is worth the watch, but Josh’s dream-come-true lifestyle is the real win.
What’s owning a truck camper rig all about?
From years of reader surveys, we know truck camper ownership is primarily about the ability to go anywhere, camp anywhere, and tow anything. That’s what a truck camper can do, but why do truck camper owners want these capabilities in the first place?
When you dig deeper, humans buy truck campers instead of motorhomes or towable RVs because they have a burning passion. There’s something they’re driven to do and truck and camper rig is the right tool and solution to make that happen.
Above: Josh filming this video; all images are screen captures from the video posted below
Josh Lichter had a dream. As a third-shift Deputy Sheriff in Wisconsin, he yearned to be out in nature and photographing wild animals. This unshakable vision compelled Josh to make plans and take the kind of life-changing risks necessary to bring his dream to life.
The wildlife Josh wants to capture don’t exactly hang out in the easiest places to access, make themselves available in the best weather, or in the most convenient times of the day. To put Josh in the right places at the right times, he needed a vehicle with four-wheel drive and a living space with four-season capability.
Above: Josh’s Ford truck and Scout Kenai camper
Put another way, Josh needed a truck and camper. In the fall of 2022, Josh ordered a Scout Kenai. Ten months later, he took delivery of his camper and assembled his rig.
What’s fun about this timeline is that you can literally see the transformation in Josh’s photography and video. With his Scout and Ford F-Series, he cannot only get to the right places during the right seasons, but he can camp closer to where he needs to be.
At least as important, having his own personal living space with him gives Josh the comfort and support to be at his best. Taken together, these qualities can make the difference between a stunning photograph of a moose or Bighorn ram, and nothing.
Speaking of moose and Bighorn ram, take a moment and watch the above video. I started watching it because of the Scout camper, and then found myself entranced by Josh’s wildlife cinematography. There’s something about watching these magnificent animals in their natural habitat with snow falling all around them. Josh heightens the beauty and drama with his superb composition and instincts, and by using a Canon R3 shooting high speed (slow motion) 4K with a superb telephoto lens.
What makes this particular video Camper Beast worthy happens about four minutes in. Josh pauses the action and goes on a rant about a fellow wildlife photographer who was too close to the animals and left their camera in a field. Josh captures the moment when the moose investigates, engages, and topples what I’m guessing is a $20,000 Nikon camera and lens set up.
We have seen similar reckless behavior many times in National Parks. In fact, this past summer we saw several people and families in Yellowstone risk their lives trying to get smartphone selfies with bison. Perhaps the worst part of this is how the Park Rangers are then forced to risk their own lives to get these individuals to wake up and get out of harm’s way.
Good rant, Josh. And an important reminder for all of us.
Josh’s next goal is to step further into his dream and become a professional full-time wildlife photographer. This would allow him more time and freedom to travel to where the wildlife is in Colorado, Oregon, and Wyoming and capture more of the marketable images he’s sharing on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok today.
If you like his video, Josh has about thirty more including additional wildlife and nature videos in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks. They all have the same relaxed vibe with more jaw-dropping images. Highly recommended.
