Our trip to Benezette, PA last week was really wonderful! We had a good time with John's sister and her husband, and we were lucky and got to see some magnificent elk.
First, we headed to the Elk Country Visitor's Center where we got maps, brochures, and plenty of useful information from two helpful employees. There are several elk viewing sites set back in the trees where you can set up with your binoculars and wait for elk. They are crepuscular, meaning that they are active at dawn and dusk, feeding on grass and a herbivorous diet. After feeding at dawn, they retreat to the cooler woods to rest and digest their food; elk are ruminants.
We were lucky to see two mature bulls with massive antlers meet each other in the field in front of us. No actual confrontation took place, but it seemed as if they were each taking stock of the other and sizing up the competition. There were several cows and calves that the larger one tried to keep confined to the wood's edge.
Breeding season is just beginning, so this activity will continue through September and October into early winter. The elk prefer wooded areas and sheltered valleys during the winter, and then the calves are born in the spring, and the cycle repeats.
I just laughed out loud at the bit about the males losing weight because they're so focused on mating!
ReplyDeleteThey are really magnificent animals! (and thank you for sharing all these elk facts.. I did not know many of them!) What a great trip! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a grand adventure, Bonny! Elk are just amazing animals. I have seen a few in the wild . . . back in my Wyoming and Colorado days. What a treat to be able to see them in such close proximity! Like Kat said . . . magnificent! XO
ReplyDeleteI saw elk in Colorado years ago but I didn't know any of these facts. Thanks for teaching us about elks. And boy, ALL males really ARE stupid. LOL
ReplyDeleteThat "bugling" sounds like distress & screaming most of the time! One or two were loon-like -- for a second. I don't know what I'd think if I heard that not knowing what it was!! They sure are big and those racks are incredible (must be so heavy!).
ReplyDeleteI need to plan a visit there! Those are some big elk and you captured some amazing photos!!
ReplyDeleteThose elk are magnificent. You captured them well in your photos. I'm glad you had a nice visit. Getting away and spending some time outdoors is a winning combination. It helps put my world to rights.
ReplyDeleteWow those elk are massive! How wonderful to be able to see them!
ReplyDeleteIt's cool that you saw and heard elk here! We were there in late June during the afternoon and didn't see a single one (understandable). You might enjoy the Elk State Forest episode of the Hemlocks to Hellbenders podcast! https://www.hemlockstohellbenders.com/episodes.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this "one new thing" which is actually so many new things ... I lost track of how many times I thought "whoa, I had no idea" ... beginning with that HUGE area in northern PA that's "Elk Country"!
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