Nature Walks – The Lone Elk

When we took Bob up to RMNP, I was so hoping we would see some elk to show him. We are pretty proud of our elk, as we should be too. Colorado has the most elk of any state in the U.S., boasting an estimated population of approximately 280,000 to 290,000 elk. This accounts for the largest elk herd, or gang, in North America, making the state a major hub for wildlife observation and hunting. We saw plenty of other critters, which I was very excited about, but no elks. That is no elks until at the very end, as we were driving through Estes Park, looking for a restaurant to eat dinner. Then I spotted her; a lone female at the parking center. They like to hang out there. Sometimes we see a lot all at once, just hanging out there, and sometimes, like this time, we only see the one. But, I will take it, anytime and every time. 🙂

Elks, also known as wapiti, are a mid-sized deer species, with males weighing between 600 and 1,100 pounds. The name wapiti derives from the Shawnee and Cree languages, and is roughly translated to mean “light-colored deer” or “white rump”. A mature bull can run as fast as 40 miles per hour – they’ve even been able to outrun horses in short races. Moose are the largest members of the deer family, with a big bull moose weighing in at up to 1600 lbs.

Look, she’s smiling at me. 🙂

Now she’s laughing at me.

And now she’s had enough of the paparazzi. She’s got better things to do and places to go.

Now she’s just mocking me and sticking her tongue out as she walks away. 🙂

One last nibble before she heads out on her way.

Even though she ended up mocking me, it was still fun to see her. I love our elks.

Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.