Bull Elk - A king in his wooded palace
I never tire of photographing elk. It doesn't matter what time of year it is or the conditions, although I do find the antlered males, or bulls, to be more fascinating to the eye. This particular bull I believe is the same bull I photographed in Yellowstone National Park's Hayden Valley last September. It was nice to see that he made it through the winter and looks to be doing well. This photo was photographed just across the Yellowstone River from the area I photographed him in last year. He was busy feeding on the lush, green grass preparing for the annual rut, or mating season, which happens the first couple of weeks of September in the park.
The Rocky Mountain elk is a subspecies of elk found in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges of Western North America. The winter ranges are most common in open forests and floodplain marshes in the lower elevations. In the summer it migrates to the subalpine forests and alpine basins. The total wild population is about one million individuals.
The Rocky Mountain elk was re-introduced in 1913 to Colorado from Wyoming after the near extinction of the regional herds. While overhunting.. more
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