Elk in the Yard

I have included photos in the earlier blogs that I posted without pictures.

One morning in Jasper NP, John was heading out the door of the RV a little before 6, just as I woke up. He quickly said, "Get down here quick. You have to see this." I hurried down, looked out the back window, and immediately got the camera. Our yard had elk calves! Look at the adorable calf



When we checked in we were told to be careful around the elk. It is calving season and the mothers can be aggressive in protection of the babies. That morning, when John walked back toward the trailer, a cow had moved in front of our RV. He had to wait several minutes before he could come back home. Eight years ago when we were in the same campground, a cow elk gave birth to her calf right behind our trailer. This is one of the cow elk we saw this year. At one point that day we had five cows and three calves in sight.



We saw a mom grooming her calf. You can see a collar on this elk. We were told that means she has been aggressive toward humans in the past. We saw a car slowly driving down the road behind our RV, passing a calf, and the mother stopped in front of the car and looked very threatening. The driver put the car in reverse and backed up.



Here is one momma and two babies.



We hoped we would see this baby nurse, but mom walked away.



It was so much fun to watch the young elk scamper around, kick up their heels, and browse on the bushes. These two young ones were checking each other out.



What a privilege to be so close to these magnificent animals! We are so glad we got to see them.