Rare shot: Snowy owl perches atop Michigan hunter's blind

MENOMINEE, Mich. (WLUK) – A hunter in Michigan's Upper Peninsula says he got an unexpected shot Tuesday.

Ben Erickson shared a photo with WLUK through Chime In. He wrote:

"Snowy owl was in the field and disappeared. Something landed on top of my pop up blind and I thought what are the chances. Took my phone out and took the picture. Probably a once in a lifetime photo. Selfie of the Year."

Snowy owls have been frequent visitors to Wisconsin and Michigan in recent years. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as of Monday, there had been 14 sightings in the state so far this season. The DNR's website has tips for viewing snowy owls without disturbing them.

The Michigan DNR says snowy owls visit that state when the food supply in their native arctic tundra is short. In the past, the birds have been seen as far south as Lansing in lower Michigan.

"Because they rarely see humans on their northern homes, they are not timid and can be easily viewed for long periods of time," the Michigan DNR said.

This owl certainly wasn't shy about hanging around.