Dressing Up For The Ladies (Roosevelt Elk)
Went down island for some elk action this morning. There were a few nice bulls around. This guy was all dressed up for the rut.
Tree Snapper (Roosevelt Elk)
Watched from a distance as this big Roosevelt bull elk snapped off a four inch thick tree trunk to get at his morning meal. He used his antlers as a lever and with a quick jerk of his head snapped the tree off like a twig. Guess he likes those little yellow leaves at the top.
Rainy Day Elk (Roosevelt Elk)
Got some shots of a nice big bull elk today in a more natural setting.
Take a Bow (Roosevelt Elk)
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Female Elk in Morning Light (Roosevelt Elk)
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I Can See My Breath (Roosevelt Elk)
The steam from a bull elk's breath is caught in the early morning light.
Front Yard Guardian (Roosevelt Elk)
And now for something completely different. Found this young Roosevelt bull elk sitting in someone's front yard just off of the main road. Who knew?
Strange Cows (Roosevelt Elk)
At first we thought these guys were stumps or perhaps a small herd of cows grazing by the road. No bulls among them unfortunately but still interesting and unexpected as we drove along the edge of Cowichan Lake. We have been seeing elk more frequently in the past couple of years. Not sure if that is a good thing or not.
Wapiti means "White Rump" in Shawnee (Roosevelt Elk)
Saw a herd of 35 elk just off of the main highway a bit down island yesterday. So beautiful!
Sticking Together (Roosevelt Elk)
After the rut the big bulls go off to forage by themselves leaving the Juvenile bulls, cows, and calves alone over the winter. Although there were 35 animals in this herd none of the larger bulls were present.
Front Yard Guardian (Roosevelt Elk)
Went for another visit down island today. Found Bob guarding someone's front yard again. Who needs a big dog when you have Bob?
