After an absence of over two years, the elk herd is finally returning to my mountain! The last time I saw them, it was autumn and they were feeding early in the morning on the summit of Big Grouse Mountain. I crept up to the edge of one of the mines to hide myself and went for a capture with my R7. I had just purchased it, and wasn’t quite used to it yet and was still using the mechanical shutter. Unfortunately the elk heard the loud clack of the shutter and started running toward Shelf Road. I hoped they would stop and look back, but in less than a minute they had crossed over three ridges, and disappeared behind a mountain. Since then I have heard reports of a mountain lion, and a bunch of elk carcasses behind the mountain, but I haven’t seen them since that day.
I first spotted the herd a long way off, near the summit of the mountain. I stopped and set up my monopod for some environmental captures, and watched them for a while. Eventually they noticed me and slowly disappeared into the dense forest near the summit.
This is nothing like the herd I used to see before, with dozens and dozens of them crossing the meadow. However, thankfully there were a few yearlings in the group. Perhaps that’s a sign the the herd is recovering from whatever hardship they have faced over the last couple of years.
I know the forest well, and thought I might have an opportunity for a closer look if I circled around the snow patch and got on the trail to the summit. The snow was deep in places, but I managed to stay on the packed snow hidden beneath the fresh drifts. Inside the forest the trail was packed and icy, so I stopped to put on my Ice Trekkers.
As I neared the summit, I slowed my walk and my breathing. I thought there might be a good chance that they would be feeding right at the edge of the trees. My instincts were correct and I spotted this youngster chewing on mountain grasses right at the edge of the forest. I stopped in my tracks and slowly raised my camera. The elk looked at me, but continued chewing their food for several minutes while I took a few pictures, this time using my silent electronic shutter!
Eventually I took a half step to my left to get a better view, and that was all it took to spook the herd. They took one last look and began making their way into the forest to the west. I didn’t pursue them over the hill. They didn’t seem too frightened of me, but I knew if I went stomping through the deep snow, they would take off running. I never want them to run, for fear of them stepping in a hole and breaking a leg.
So I turned around and hiked back down the hill the way I came. I saw a couple mountain bluebirds on my return trip, but they were too far away for a picture. However, I take the sightings of the bluebirds to be a good omen for the imminent arrival of spring!
The Sangre de Cristo Range was extra beautiful this morning, so once my wildlife photography was done, I stopped for this shot of a mine in Goldfield.
I will soon have many of these pictures for sale on my website. They will be available on glossy metal or acrylic sheets ready for hanging, stretched canvas and traditional matting and framing. Tons of cool household and tech items are also available with one of my images. Just click an image you like and all the options will become available!
If you would like to learn how I access the back country and capture pictures of the mountain wildlife for yourself, please consider a purchase of one of my books! My photo books, include dozens of pictures complete with tips and tricks for a successful capture!
If photography isn’t your thing, please consider my series of wildlife novels, including Spirit of the Wolf and Thundering Hooves, all available on my book page.
Steven W. Krull is a renowned photographer and author who has been photographing and writing of the beauty and wildlife of the Colorado Rocky Mountains for over two decades. Please visit his website at S.W. Krull Imaging to view his work, including thousands of prints for sale, stock images for commercial use, and his library of published books.
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Colorado Photographer / Author / Wildlife Advocate | Steven W. Krull 