If you stroll down Sherman Avenue these days, you might notice something new — large, bold images of wolves, grizzlies, elk and eagles leaping from the walls of a freshly opened gallery. 

That’s the work of Tony Mills, a North Idaho native who has turned decades of archery hunting into a passion for photography.

To get the crispness and detail he demands, Mills doesn’t hesitate to get uncomfortable. He’s crawled through mud, huddled in blizzards, crouched under dripping trees and lain flat in the muck — whatever it takes to get close to bears, wolves, elk and moose. 

“I love the intimacy, the closeness," he said.

Mills won The Press bald eagle photo contest for December, capturing a dazzling reflection of an eagle’s talons skimming Lake Coeur d’Alene. It took years — along with a kayak, predawn paddling and a battle with wind and waves — to get the shot he’d been chasing. 

“I think that’s the one,” he said to himself.

But for Mills, that’s part of the adventure.

He works in large formats and often weaves Bible verses, such as Jeremiah 29:11 and Psalm 46:10, into his pieces. It's more personal than business.

“I’m going to put Christ in everyone’s homes,” he says with a grin.

Many of his favorite images come from the Tetons, Jackson Hole and Yellowstone, spending countless hours waiting for the right moment. 

He’s been witness to wolves locking their gaze on possible prey. Moose have stared him down. Elk have stood majestic in the first light of sunrise. September in the Tetons, with bugling elk and shifting colors, is his ultimate sweet spot.

He once watched a grizzly moving through trees near a river and waited for it to reach a clearing. When it did, the bear crossed the river and pushed down on a log, as if saying, "This is my river.”

Then, it placed its paws on a large rock and stood even taller, striking a pose to display its strength and power.

Mills got the hint. He got the shot and retreated.

“Animals are funny," Mills said. "They're very territorial. He made himself real big right up on that rock."

His wife, Alicia, often joins him on his wilderness quests, which can stretch for weeks. 

Mills laughs, recalling how photography “kind of screwed up” his hunting; once you’ve stared into an animal’s soul, he says, the idea of harming it loses all appeal. 

Last year, a big buck came within 15 feet of Mills, who simply admired its beauty.

“I’m like buddy, ‘Today is your lucky day because you got me. You better not do this again because you won’t be as lucky,'" he said.

Mills remembers being surrounded by about 20 bull elk — no trees — no cover — just him and those massive animals looking back at him. It was a mesmerizing moment.

“It’s a respect factor,” he says.

Even when he’s back home working as a real estate agent, Mills is thinking about the next trek. Nature is his peace. 

“It’s my sanity,” he says.

His new Sherman Avenue gallery showcases the result of all those early mornings, muddy knees and frozen fingers — brilliant, breathtaking portraits of grizzlies, wolves, moose, mountain goats and more. 

“They’re amazing creatures," he said.

The camera connects Mills and his subjects. Each picture is more than a photograph.

“It’s a creative artistry,” he says. 

Through the camera lens, Mills hopes to give others a glimpse of what he has experienced in the great outdoors — and share what he considers a gift from above.

“I decided to show people what I get to see out there,” he said. “Not everybody gets blessed to be able to do this.”