Big, Bold, & Beautiful

*Critters we’ve seen on our 2014 trip so far:  pronghorn, horse, llama, elk, bison, grizzly, bighorn sheep, mule deer, Uinta ground squirrel, wolf, black bear, moose, coyote, fox, bullsnake, bat, white-tailed jackrabbit, mountain goat, yellow-bellied marmot, river otter

*Birds we’ve seen on our 2014 trip so far: bald eagle, grouse, osprey, magpie, red-tailed hawk, Canada goose, great horned owl, American kestrel, sandhill crane, cliff swallow, mountain bluebird, Ferruginous hawk, cinnamon teal, Clark’s nutcracker, northern flicker, Brewer’s blackbird, red-winged blackbird, Lazuli bunting, common merganser, American white pelican

 

 [Click on any photo to enlarge.]

 

Perhaps beautiful isn't exactly the correct word.  Handsome or majestic is probably more accurate but that would have messed up the alliteration or flow.  J  As we’ve mentioned before, the elk rut can be an amazing but dangerous time.  The mature bulls can stand 5 ft. high at the shoulders and weigh

   about 700 lbs. with antlers that can curve up 5 ft. with a possible 6 ft. spread at the top.  They are unpredictable and can turn at any moment, charging at anyone or anything they perceive as a threat even their reflection in a car.  (And

      they really don’t like diesel engines or motorcycles!)  Your safest recourse is to take cover next to or inside a building or behind a vehicle.  Rangers and trained volunteers work at keeping visitors safe and informed, and though we

   are technically not trained, we still assist in the campground trying to keep folks far enough away but still able to enjoy the elk.

 

Though the bulls are not officially named, they are given nicknames by some folks which can help
   identify the location of the various bulls when needed.  The most aggressive the last couple of years is referred to as Touchdown, and he’s well known for charging and damaging quite a few cars.  At one point this fall the report was that there were not only 5 bulls in the
    campground (one of which was Touchdown) but also 5 bulls up the hill in town plus plenty of cows and calves!  Everyone was on their toes!

 

However, without a chart, Russ and I can’t tell one from the other except for one big guy affect-
tionately known as Broke Nose.  A few years ago, he got his antlers caught in a set of construction cones that were roped together and tied to a post.  Before anyone from the Park Service could get to him, a visitor decided to help and cut the rope.  However, the cones were still attached to his antlers, and he frantically ran off,
running head-on into a Suburban and that’s how he got a broke nose.  Eventually staff was able to tranquilize him and remove the cones, and the damage doesn’t seem to really impact his luck with the ladies as he is one of the dominant bulls in the area.

 

  When the cows come into heat, the mating begins (not that the bulls won’t try sooner!)  A bull has to be ready because the cow is receptive for mating for less than 24 hours and won’t be willing to mate again until her next cycle in about 20 days.  They can have up to 4 of
   these cycles in a season but usually become pregnant fairly quickly.  However, sometimes the gals will get into a little sparring match…trying to impress the guys?!
 

 

       The older, more mature bulls will sometimes allow spikes (year old bulls) to hang around but anything much older will be chased away.  We’ve witnessed this many times over the last few years and usually doesn’t amount to much.  There’s
   always a lot of posturing, staring down, thrashing of nearby landscape, bugling, a big chase, and on occasion head butting, though we’ve only seen that occur once.


   The rut is very tiring and draining for the bulls, using up much of their energy.  They rarely eat during this time and may lose up to 20% of their body weight so even a drink of rainwater can be greatly needed.

 

As you probably know from previous posts, elk aren’t the only big critters that like to visit the campground.  We’ve been known to have 50-60 bison at a time occasionally visit, usually simply meandering through the sites, grazing as they go, and sometimes
     simply taking their siestas for a few hours.  Of course with their size, somebody needs to let this guy know he really can’t hide behind that tree…we see you!

 

Yellowstone Tidbits:

• Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
• Elk are plant eaters and have four-chambered stomachs.
• All visitors are required to stay 100 yards (length of a football field) away from wolves and bears, and 25 yards (length of a school bus) from all other animals.
• A bull elk sheds his antlers in March and they begin growing again around May, up to as much as 1 inch per day.