A New Year

I know today was supposed to be whitetail deer from SNP, but I just felt it fitting to start off the new year back in Elk Country. Today's photos are of the 3 collared elk we saw last weekend. (I am sure you will recognize one of them!) One nice aspect about collaring is that it makes following an animal throughout their life very easy by issuing them an identifying number. Pictured above are Bull #36, Cow # 78, and Bull #20. I will tag photos of collared animals so that as I accumulate them over time we can click on their corresponding number to watch their progress.

I hope that some positive changes are made in 2010 regarding the elk herd for the benefit of the elk themselves as well as for all those that enjoy them.

As Promised... Fred & Friend!

After spending 2 days with Fred (Bull #36) and his new buddy, I am curious as to how long the two have been "hanging out" together. Has anybody else seen them in town like this? They were nearly inseparable except when Fred was napping, which he did much more of than the other bull. That's when the younger of the two would roam the town himself feeding, relaxing, and posing for us but he never strayed too far from his sleeping elder. I know Fred spent the summer with a spike nearby but I did not see tat one around this trip.

As I previously stated, Fred does seem to be experiencing some difficulty with mobility due to the cold temperatures. When he would first get up, walking looked painful, but once he got moving he seemed to loosen up a bit. He did travel all across town on both days and did not stay secluded to one small area which is what many animals will do when they are not faring well, so this is a good sign.

If anybody recognizes the other bull, please let me know! I am terrible with recognizing and remembering names since they often get other nicknames as well. Thank you!

You may recognize this friend!