Thank you!
A Majestic Beast Surveying His Domain
- Thread starter JAJohnson
- Start date
If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).
That first shot is fantastic!
Roybon
Active member
First shot show really the peaceful power of this splendid elk!
Is it in a protected area ?
Is it in a protected area ?
Both images are spectacular! My favorite is the first one though as it really captures the essence of these majestic creatures. I was just in Yellowstone this past week and had a hard time even finding any elk. :-(
Thanks, that would explain why I didn't see very many. I mainly drove and hiked in the two main loops, while staying in West Yellowstone.
Thank you. Elk are protected animals in the park, but when they’re feeding in grassy pasture or along a tree line, viewing them isn’t difficult. Bulls are protective of their cows and they don’t suffer fools, so keeping a respectful distance is required.
Thank you, Lance!
Beautiful photos! Congratulations! Love the first one.
Thank you very much.
Last edited:
I like both of these a LOT! Your images are really, really well done! A few years ago I went to Cataloochee to photograph elk, but was very discouraged by the large collars on most of the ones I saw.
Thank you, Karen! I sincerely appreciate your compliment. Out of the three herds I was able to find, about a third had collars, including some calves. I wish I had the presence of mind to ask about the collars when I spoke with park staff. Next visit I will do that.
Roybon
Active member
how lucky you are in the US to have so much space with protected area, you can't find that big in Europe.
Very nice! Where in the Smokies were you?
North of Cherokee, along US441. Thank you for your compliment.
Thanks.
Some of the national parks in the United States and Canada are very large. Wildlife management in the parks is very important. We are fortunate to have opportunities to see and photograph many species of animal and plant life in these areas. And the possibility of getting beautiful landscape photographs is exciting!
Last edited:
Roybon
Active member
A friend of mine asks me several times to come with him for a photo trip in Yellowstone ... I'll have to do this one of these days ...
Great shots !!! ... I have read about Wapiti being re-introduced there and seen images from the Great Smoky Mountains. Is there a hunting season on them there ... the one laying down in the open reminds me of some in places like Mammoth in Yellowstone National Park (no hunting in the park) They are warier in parts of the park where they migrate out in the falll/winter into areas where thy are hunted.
In places like this re-introduced animals are frequently collared to keep track of how the introduction is doing. Also on animals that are endangered, threatened or relocated ie. Grizzly Bears in Yellowstone National Park.
Thank for your compliment! This area of the park is also a reservation for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, in which hunting of elk is prohibited. This time of year in that area the park is usually crowded because of the elk rut and fall color. The elk accept people in their vicinity but it’s required not to be too close… 50 ft clearance minimum. The day I arrived an elk bull chased a naiive tourist who got too close. The guy was lucky to have escaped unharmed. Cows have been known to be aggressive with those who inadvertently get too close to calves when they occasionally stray from the herd. When photographing the elk I tried to stay low and non threatening.
Last edited:
Wise to be cautious around the bulls during the rut they can get aggressive. Even mule deer and white-tailed does can be aggressive protecting fawns. Wapiti (elk) are larger and a bit more aggressive, and over in the park Bison injure tourists every year. I have hiked, backpacked, fished and hunted in my native Idaho, Yellowstone Park, Montana and Alaska. The only critter that treed me was a cow moose when I was fishing and accidentally got between a cow and her calf. I was a teenager with a brand new rod and reel and dropped it as I scrambled up a cutbank of a small creek and climbed a tree. Yes the cow stomped the rod into pieces as she stomped around the base of the tree until the calf joined her and they left the area. I have been blessed to avoid any other serious incidents over all these years.
very nice shots.
Thank you.
Bikeman
Member
Fantastic shots. Just love everything about the first image. The lighting and pose are perfect. Well done!