We encountered this bull elk along the trail in the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, California, while heading back to the trailhead during a backpacking trip. In early August, the elk's antlers would still be growing with the furry-skinned velvet covering them as they're growing. Later, when the antlers are finished growing, the velvet will die and slough off. Sometimes, the elk will get an itchy feeling from the whithering velvet and feel the need to rub the antlers against a tree or shrub to get the velvet to come off faster.
This particular elk didn't seem to have any problem with our presence and was actually lying down when we first came across him. Another bull elk headed downslope off the trail at a leisurely pace and got his antlers caught in grape vines.
Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!
No comments:
Post a Comment