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Friday, December 10, 2021

Life within an elk herd

My friends have a pair of ponds on their land, and they kindly let me have trail cams there. In the fall, an elk herd comes down from the high mountains. Most years, the area of the ponds is one of the first that they visit.

They arrived around the third week in October when the rut was still in full swing. As you watch the herd, you can feel the electric energy of the herd. A big bull is near the center of the group, and a couple of smaller bulls are on the periphery. The cows and calves seem to fidget with excess energy.

Then, a little later in the fall, the pond began to freeze. The energy of the herd is much different - as if they are steeling themselves for a long winter.

Check out the short video!

 

12 comments:

  1. oh my... that's elk-citing.. so many.... wow..

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  2. Love the ones with the huge antler racks. They are such handsome animals!

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  3. this many in one place is just A-Mazing! the face and antlers at the beginning that looked right in the camera is just gorgeous. and the babies are so precious.. i felt sadness at the ice keeping them from the water.. i hope they will all be ok and find food for the long cold winter.

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  4. I agree with the Weimaraners...Elk-citing.
    I guess that is their last dunking before everything freezes
    Hugs Cecilia

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  5. It's interesting to see so many elk at the pond. How great that your friend lets you put a camera there. We were worried that one elk might slip and fall on the ice so we were glad to see she made it back off the pond.

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  6. Awesome footage. One wonders how they do survive through the winter.

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  7. Wow that is a lot of elk and so cool to watch. Betsy

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  8. They are, or will be, very busy fellows with that huge gathering of ladies, then came the ice and almost a skid, with bugling in the background. Stunning footage,and such a difference in a month.

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  9. Glad that yearling (?) made it off the ice safely. One of many winter hazards!

    Chris from Boise

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  10. They sure have it tough in the winter, but they're gorgeous to see.

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  11. Impressive herd! And one brave soul willing to walk out on the ice. Makes me wonder how they get enough water in their diets.

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