12/28/13 Elk Herd Location Map

Very good elk viewing this morning. The biggest herd was down by Smith Creek in the south end, numbering roughly 50 animals and still showing a rutting pattern with a herd bull.

North of the mill pond about a half mile was a pretty good sized bull herd. To see them I recommend getting to the valley early, they seem to leave before 9 am.

A handful of young bulls were up by the Ponca Access.

Herd Bull "Chaos" Rutting by Smith Creek

It's pretty late but the herd bull "Chaos" was rutting this morning. You can see the sod tossed to the right, and grass on his antlers. His herd was down by Smith Creek this morning and had roughly doubled to about 50 animals overnight.

Late Rutting Bull by Smith Creek

12/26/13 Herd Locations -- Elk Viewing Very Good

2 elk herds today, one in the first Ponca Field, a second down by Beech Creek. Yesterdays all-bull herds took this morning off, but they could not be too far away. The 2013 elk rut continues at the absolute bitter end. There seems to be at least one bull that hangs on this late. Any calves bred now will be born August or even September. If you pay attention, you will see very tiny calves during the rut now and then.

Bald eagle this morning at the mill pond.

Herd Bull "Chaos" by Beech Creek

This morning a new herd popped out from the outback. This second tier bull is one I call "Chaos". He is atypical x 3, absolutely the oddest rack I have ever seen. In this picture he is "nose up" preparing to turn the cow in the foreground to the right. This is an absolutely standard rut move -- herd compaction. I doubt there is more than one cow in his harem that is estrous, if that. Note the mud on his rack --  another marker of his rutting behavior.

So what is going on now? We are at the very end of the rut. The big bulls are gone, and the second tier bulls have taken over. This is in keeping with the very end of the rut. There will be some breeding that goes on, but this is the very end of it all. Calves sired in this period arrive in August.

What Lies Ahead
Great elk viewing and photography is far from over. Bull elk retain their antlers until the end of March. All-bull and all-cow elk herds will be very visible in the winter and often all day, although I prefer morning and evening photography.

Many of my very best pictures are from this period. The very first elk crossing I ever shot standing on the Ponca low water bridge was shot on December 28 and it made the cover of the state elk brochure. What I am saying is don't dismiss the period from now until the end of March, it can be amazing.

Herd Bull "Chaos" at Sunrise by Beech Creek

12/18/13 Elk Viewing Good, Bulls Close to 43

After a 2 week break due to snowy road conditions, this map reports December herd locations resuming on the 18th.  My guess is that these locations have been pretty good for the last week.

This morning some pretty nice bulls were close to the road at the 43/21 intersection. Got some pics, will post them today or tomorrow.

12/02/13 Elk Herd Map & Report

Not much going on this morning.  There was an all-cow herd down by Beech Creek and some scattered bulls elsewhere. The herd in the Ponca Access field moved into cover again. Perhaps it will return tonight or tomorrow.

The next couple of days the weather will be very good for outside activities. This morning was very foggy.

12/1/13 Ponca Rutting Bull Elk

Bugling herd bull still in rut near Ponca Access. This morning he bugled like it was October.

Bugling Bull 12/1 at Ponca Access

12/01/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

December is getting off to a good start with an elk herd returning to the Ponca Access field. There was a pretty good crowd this morning, maybe 20 cars that got a good look at this herd for the couple of hours I was down there. Lots of bugling for this late in the season. This herd is still in the rut pattern.

Elsewhere in the valley there were some stray bulls.

11/30/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

The Ponca field was empty this morning, but elk showed up in the lower valley area, and the all bull herd moved a bit north.  They left pretty early.

Conditions remain pretty dynamic. Gun season ends this weekend and hunters are making one more push. Next week things will be more settled, colder and perhaps more typical of this time of year.

11/29/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

Elk viewing was good this morning in the north end of Boxley Valley.  Many cars observed the herd near the Ponca Access.  Down the valley there were stray bulls but nothing much else to report.

Absolutely great hiking weather. The trailheads are loaded with the cars of hikers and some deer hunters at the end of modern gun season.  Orange up if you hike.

Late Rut / Post Rut Photography Good This Morning

Great conditions today for relatively close viewing and photography. Viewing should be good tonight as well. 

This Morning in Boxley Valley

11/28/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

This thanksgiving morning most of the elk were back under cover. I am confident the herd locations noted yesterday remain valid, it is really a matter of when herd movements are into the grazing fields.

The one herd visible this morning was the medium sized bulls just north of the mill pond. There are stray elk other places, usually bulls.

Have a great thanksgiving.

11/27/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report -- Elk Viewing Very Good

After a few day break due to pretty lousy weather, the elk were out today in force. I saw 4 herds this morning, 2 herds still in a rutting pattern, an all cow herd, and an all bull herd.  The elk are concentrated in the south end from just north of the mill pond to the Smith Creek field.

I expect this pattern to hold for a few days.

11/24/13 Elk Locations & Report

The bitter cold of this morning is only now abating. This morning, while there were no elk herds to be seen, there were quite a few bulls scattered around.

These conditions will flip pretty soon, they always do. I am visiting the valley less now, but still 3 or 4 times a week.

No need for a map today.  If you visit just check the whole valley. A herd could pop out -- they are not very far away.

11/22/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

There were quite a few bulls scattered around this morning, but I did not see one elk herd. Elk are very reliable weather forecasters. My guess is that after tonight's miserable weather clears out, conditions are excellent well past Thanksgiving, though much cooler.

Only the elk know for sure.

11/21/13 Elk Update

Nothing to report on today. I saw one bull and a small herd way back on a private field.

We are now in a frontal change with rain and much colder weather begining tomorrow. This is a great setup for the weekend. Elk love the cold. Maybe they will show up.

Lost Valley will be closed for the next 2 weekends for trail repairs.

11/20/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

Nothing to report this morning. No elk herds, and I only saw one elk the length of Boxley Valley. Gun season is still on and things are dynamic. Possible rain tonight and tomorrow could change things. This weekend's weather is predicted to be quite cold and sunny. This could change the viewing significantly.

Godzilla Steering His Herd

Bull elk steer their harems away from danger. This was taken a bit later when Godzilla had had enough of me and it was time to move his herd.

Compositions usually have negative space in front of a moving subject, in this case it is behind. This is because in these steering movements, the bull pivots toward the last cow as he walks back and forth moving them toward the tree line in this case.

Herd Bull Turning His Harem

All Bull Herds Forming

We are in the crossover period where late rut becomes post rut. These bull elk are functioning both as satellite bulls and seem to be an all bull herd. These transitions are never clean, they do overlap, and sometimes the animals will reverse for a few days. 

This group are second tier bulls, not big enough to be in the game. They do trail herds during the rut, but eventually group up roughly by size. They were quite near Godzilla's herd. 

Part of the joy of wildlife watching is to look past what the books say and observe what really goes on. 

Note the back bull's steamy breath. With 5 elk in a single frame it is useful to mix up movement, the line of heads, and eye contact. I have about 6 frames of these 5 bulls and this one is the most visually interesting for those reasons. 

All Bull Herds Are Forming

Godzilla and Harem 11/19/13

The big bull elk was in a front field this morning. I crept up on him at some distance, but he saw me anyway. He walked toward me on an upslope and picked his head up some.  This big bull is visible now just south of the 43/21 intersection, at least he was today.

Generally I will not center a subject, but in this case I think it works because it shows a "day in the life of elk". Godzilla is locked on to me as a threat, some cows are walking away, a couple are looking on. Crossing morning light makes this appealing to me.  Even though it is mid-November, Godzilla is still bugling and showing rutting bull behavior.

Herd Bull Godzilla Protecting His Harem