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October 28, 2007
Elk Current Events
In the latest days, the bull elk have completely disappeared from Mammoth Hot Springs. They have headed for the hills, where they will spend the last days of fall furiously consuming grass, trying to recover from the great caloric expenditure that is the elk rut. When the snow finally covers their food sources, the bulls will congregate in small groups for the winter. It is remarkable that bull elk live amicably together for 9 months out of the year when, during the rut, they endlessly fight over cows (As you know, I've previously documented their rutting behaviors in this blog. Their fighting has been so furious that one bull elk mortally wounded another in a Discovery Channel-worthy fight in a neighboring yard several weeks ago.). However, during the winter, bull elk protect themselves by living in small groups as they are at risk of predation by wolves.
The cow and calf elk remain in the neighborhood. These local cow and calf elk typically live in separate herds of 20-30 individuals. During the rut season, bull elk create and manage these herds (Sometimes right outside my window!). When the cows aren't in heat, and the bulls aren't running around crazy-like and testosterone-infused, I'm not quite sure how the cow and calf elk arrange themselves. Are the herds a completely random assortment of cows and their calves? Do cows and calves of similar lineages congregate?
I don't really know for sure, but it seems like the local cow and calf elk herds are more relaxed now that the bulls have left town. In the last several days, the cows and calves have been lazing peacefully about my yard, sitting, grazing, and even napping.
This cow elk was hanging out so close to my house that I didn't need to use my camera's zoom feature to capture this photo. You can tell that this elk had been laying in this same spot for quite some time, as a leaf has fallen on its back!
Here's the same cow elk, caught in the middle of an afternoon nap. This is just one of the many elk that were laying in my yard that afternoon.
Several nights ago, while driving around Mammoth, I encountered maybe all of Mammoth's cow and calf elk congregated together in a mass of perhaps 300 individuals. They were standing and sitting everywhere, all over the grass, in the roads, in the parking lot, and right next to buildings. I was amazed and astounded, and I couldn't help wonder how many pounds of elk poo they were going to leave overnight in this particular place. And, I couldn't help but notice that the herd atmosphere seemed somewhat uneasy. The cows and calves darted aimlessly around, casting suspicious glances at what seemed like nothing.
A few minutes later, I remarked with a a night shift work colleague, "Why on earth would so many different herds join together?" Her answer was simple, "The wolves are in town. There is safety in numbers." With that, I threw open the door to our office and listened. Sure enough, just minutes later, under a huge full moon in a midnight sky, two wolves howled back and forth with each other. In those same moments, a calf elk squeaked an endearing request for either milk or protection from its mother. Chills spilled down my spine as I listened to the food chain pecking order call out their ranks in the night.
I don't know what happened under the cover of darkness, but normalcy was restored by the next day, and the cows and calves returned for more lounging in my yard.
Added 10/29, 10 am: Young bull elk live within the cow and calf herds for the first several years of their life. At this point in their development, they are too small to survive without the protection of a herd. During the rut, these young bulls skulk around trying to remain unnoticed by the big bulls. Once the rut is over and the big bulls leave town, they safely spend time within the cow and calf herds.
Just a few hours after I published this blog entry yesterday evening, I woke up to some strange noises just outside my bedroom window. I peered out into the night, which was lit brightly by a waning moon, to see two young bull elk dueling with each other. These bulls were probably between 3 and 6 years of age, and they were "play fighting," or practicing the adult rutting behaviors. One young bull was actually squeaking as he sparred, mixing both adult and juvenile actions into the same moments. It was 1 am, but I watched the "play fight" go on for quite some time before going back to sleep.
Then, at about 8 am, I woke up to hear the bugling of an adult bull elk as he walked past my house. It has been all quiet here in the bugling department for days, but I imagine this bull was attracted back into town because of last night's "play fighting" between the two young bulls. I watched and drank coffee as the big bull successfully sought out each of the 2 young bulls and pushed them around with his antlers, as if to say, "Easy kids, this is my town."
A short time later, 3 more young bulls, seemingly oblivious to the big bull's local presence, began a series of "play fights." They went at it happily as the big bull sauntered over. As soon as the young bulls discovered the big bull's presence, they dispersed.
Here are the 3 young bulls, with 2 of them "play fighting," just before the big bull broke up the party. You might notice that one of the bulls has an orange ear tag. This elk was involved in an earlier "incident" with a fence. This elk got its antlers stuck in a fence and it had to be tranquilized in order to be removed.
Posted by Meghan at October 28, 2007 10:03 PM
Comments
Meghan,
I don't know if you are interested in stuff like this, but there is a book called "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv. It is all about our lost connection with nature, particularly for the current generation of children. It is a fascinating book (at least to those of us whose lives revolve around children!) When I come to your blog and read your stories, I'm reminded of the book, and how close nature really is, if only we could see it. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: backofpack at October 29, 2007 9:17 AM
Michelle,
Funny that you ask because I'm reading it right now! I love the book and I'm thrilled to see the "Last Child" movement catching on around the country.
To everyone out else out there: think of reading "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv. Louv's general theory is that many of children's current mental and physical problems and ailments can be aided (and sometimes cured) by good, unstructured time in the natural world (The natural world can be anything from a backyard, to an urban park, to a nature preserve, and beyond.).
Have a happy day all!
Posted by: Meghan at October 29, 2007 9:54 AM
I think Louv's theory works with adults too! That may be why we run ultras out in the wilderness.
Posted by: Eric at October 29, 2007 2:40 PM
Well, we did nothing but play in the woods growing up. No T.V. And how did I turn out? Well, it might be better to look at my sisters, a doctor and a lawyer. But one thing for sure is I know how easily I'm made happy: just go outside. Hey, I loved the latest edition of Elks of Our Lives. That cow is so cute, scrunching up her face. And how eerie to hear the wolves, by moonlight no less! I feel so sorry for the lowest in the pecking order. Have I said that already? Never a moment's rest. Isn't that an approved method of torture? Yikes, back to the nature topic. Yay. We love it. Hole of the donut. Bigger picture. Thanks, M.
Posted by: Kendra Borgowlscary at October 29, 2007 8:10 PM