Elk Herd - Uh, What Do We Do?
This herd of elk, comprised of mostly cows and calves with a few year-old bulls, has been coming down from the mountains on a daily basis to graze in this field. I drove out on this old muddy road to view them. They went into frantic panic mode once I stopped my truck, because most people just drive on past them and the elk are used to that. They aren't so used to a vehicle actually stopping on the road; it is out of the norm and therefor cause for alarm. I started moving again shortly after I snapped a few shots so they didn't feel like they had to run off for cover. Captured in the Kootenai River valley in north Idaho.
The elk or wapiti is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, in the world, and one of the largest land mammals in North America and Eastern Asia. This animal should not be confused with the still larger moose to which the name "elk" applies in British English and in reference to populations in Eurasia.
Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males also engage in.. more
