Countdown to 2010 Arkansas Elk Rut

Terribly hot weather has impacted elk viewing lately, along with haying in the fields by the highways 43 and 21 intersection. These are only temporary setbacks, there are 50 elk in Boxley Valley, just on the back fields biding their time until the big dance, now just a month away.

This last week I saw the biggest bulls scraping off their velvet, too far away to photograph effectively. Nonetheless, this was right on time, so no weather factors have shifted the timetable for the rut.

From now on I will be blogging on the elk rut. Many of the monster bulls have already shown up in Boxley Valley. These big guys will be the stars of the show now less than a month away.

Last year, I heard the first bugle around September 1, but clearly that was an outlier. The big event will begin around September 15 and last for many weeks. The third week in September to the first week of October is generally consider the peak of the rut, but cow elk return to estrous in 30 day cycles until they are successfully bred. This means the end of the rut is at least a month after the peak, and rutting behavior often extends to the end of the year.

It is time to making your plans to visit for the 2010 rut. The single best source for cabins is http://upperbuffaloriver.com. This lodging is all located close to the Boxley Valley, the best place to view elk in the south.

I will be writing more on the elk rut in the coming weeks. Check my http://arkansaswildlifephotography.com site for more information. The advice there is valid across the years.

Thanks to all of you who have responded to the call to action on the elk hunt issue. Arkansas' Boxley Valley and Ponca area is the elk viewing capital of the South. We need to protect this national treasure.

If you haven't written, please do so. We need more elk viewing, not less. Our economy depends on it. Elk viewing is a gateway to educate our children about nature and the great outdoors. Elk tourism is one of the cornerstones of Arkansas tourism.

Stay tuned as the buildup to the rut continues. This once a year event is like Christmas to wildlife lovers and photographers from all over Arkanas and the neighboring states.