October is kicking off with great elk viewing this year. There are 2 rutting herds in Boxley Valley, one on each end of the valley. Both herds have extra bulls hanging around so there is a lot of bugling. In both locations, there is the possibility of a bull fight. See the map below for the locations as noted by the dates. Tonight and tomorrow the weather is predicted to turn colder. The low Friday night will be 39 degrees or less. This cold snap should really kick the rut into another gear. This weekend viewing should be very good. 

Insider Tip. Listen for Bull Elk Fights

Everyone imagines that bull elk fights are something you just run into. The truth is if you are paying attention, you can hear bulls getting ready to fight long before they lock up.

Here is the setup:

1. You hear lots of loud bugling. Usually all the noise is from the herd bull who is attempting to warn off the challenger bull who he knows is nearby. Bugling becomes more frequent, and if you listen closely you can hear the two animals trading bugles, I call this "Counter-Bugling"

2. Counter-Bugling will get pretty intense. You can hear the bugles getting raspy and growly and deeper, less melodic. Sometimes the bulls are right next to each other bugling in each other's face. The herd bull will now be in a rage, and you can tell easily. I have seen the herd bull froth at the mouth at this stage.  

If you hear this kind of bugling get to the location it is coming from. The stage is set for a bull fight. Usually you will find the bulls facing off when the noise starts toning down. Then there is a transition to the bull fight.  They may lock up right away, if they do you can hear them for quite a distance. In Boxley Valley this can be well over a half mile. 

I listen in 2 ways, generally when I drive the valley I have my radio turned off and the windows rolled down. I both look and listen intently in placed where I pull off. I am listening carefully to the bugling as above, and for the clatter of antlers. When I stop and shoot I continue to listen carefully. I always move to counter-bugling, especially if it is raspy.

This is the first engagement in a bull fight, I call it the "run along"
Note the herd bull is bugling angrily. From here they will face off
and lock up.  This is from 2008.  

When you are working elk use all your senses. A lot of conversation will result in missed opportunities. You are a hunter, not a visitor to a zoo. Stay alert. 

9/20/14 Elk Herd Positions in Boxley Valley

This morning the herd bull and his harem near Ponca was in the second field south of the Ponca Access.  A number of people were there wildlife watching and taking pictures. I did not hear any bugling. This field has traditionally a good one for bull elk fights. It, like the Smith Creek field, has many attack points from the river that set the stage for bull fights.  The current bull I call "Little Forks" is here for the second year. He was part of the last bull fight I photographed. It was in this same field. See photo below:

Past Bull Fight in Ponca Field  

If you happen to witness a bull fight you will never forget it. This is my favorite fight picture because it was near the end of the fight and the bull on the right was pinning down the bull on the left. Note the eye contact. 

If you come to see the elk remember The Ozark Mountain Artist Tour is underway. Visit their website for details. Most of the artists are east of Ponca along Highway 74 and along Highway 7 near Jasper. There is printable a map on the website above. Artists cover the range of visual arts.  It is a great family activity. The event complements elk viewing that is best early and late in the day. 

Christmas Morning Bull Elk

Christmas Morning 2013 in Boxley Valley

This morning there were more bulls than cow elk in Boxley Valley. This was shot down by the 43/21 intersection. There was another group of bulls just a half mile further north toward Ponca.

Bull Elk Herd by 43/21

Bull elk herd at 43/21 field. I chose this image because "Box" was looking at the other elk with the shag grazing. The eye contact between animals that happens now and then matters a lot. Viewers read human emotion into these moments. In the background you can see the mill pond lit up by blue light from the sky.

I had the place to myself. When I left about 9:30 the bulls were still in about this position. To get this compo, I stayed south of the herd so that my shooting angle took in the mill pond. I could have got a lot closer, but then the background would have been a farm field.

All-bull Post Rut Herd by 43/21

Winter Bull Elk Pictures -- Post Rut Bull "Box" at 43/21 Intersection

"Box" is not my favorite bull, he is a second tier bull with square looking antlers. This morning he and 2 buddies were real close to the fence just north of the 43/21 intersection. This picture took me 35 minutes and a tiny fraction of a second. 

I spent some time lining Box up in front of the tree in the background, then spent more time waiting for him to pick up his head. Patience is a big deal if you want to get the best poses. This is a "field shot", but it is at an angle to grab an interesting background. If you want to take better pictures, don't neglect to pose the background. It places the animal in context and is more interesting visually. 

35 Minutes and 1/500th of a Second

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.

12/01/13 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.

Morning Sparring By Mill Pond

Morning sparring just north of the Mill Pond. This is the medium sized all bull herd that has formed recently. This behavior will continue until the antler drop at the end of March 2014.

Morning Sparring Medium-Sized Bulls. 

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.

Making Photo Cropping Choices

There are actually people who think cropping photos is a sin against photography. Seriously? Isn't the point of photography visual expression? Cropping is a fundamental tool. There are a lot of rules created about photography, especially by those who can't figure out composition and visual expression.

The picture below is a crop of the one I posted previously. I don't think it is better or worse, just different. There is no reason to prefer one over the other. I did lighten up the the photo a bit and saturate it slightly. If I were printing this I would spend more time fussing over it.

Note that there is "negative space" in front of the lead deer to the left. That is very deliberate. It is a pretty standard composition strategy to leave space in front of the direction of movement.

This photo is also cropped vertically. I try to place a linear subject along the 3rd lines. Also there is the two tree trunks with roots on the right. I will generally place the vertex of the intersecting 3rd lines between 2 elements that are participating in the composition. These 2 trunks meet that criterion.  Note also, there is not only movement right to left, these trees and roots reinforce the right-to-left sensibility of the composition.

Are these cropping ideas rules? Nope, they are suggested starting points, ways of thinking. If you think differently that pleases me. My concern is that you think about what you do, not whether you agree with me.

The final crop came in at 288 dpi. That is good enough for a pretty good sized print, bigger than most people might want. Might be fun to hack this around in black and white.

Whitetails Crossing the Buffalo (Crop)

Whitetails Crossing the Buffalo at Ponca

I got to the valley late today, almost didn't go because it was so cold.  After a talk with myself, I went -- it was 17 degrees.  No elk to be seen except scattered bulls that offered no great photo opportunity. 

As is my habit, I kept grinding. I made a second visit to the Ponca Access and saw a group of 7 does and fawn north of the low water bridge. Experience has taught me to wait and see what might happen. As it turned out they piled into the river fairly close to my parked car and gave me a nice series of crossing shots. 

Don't underestimate the Ponca low water bridge as a setup spot for wildlife crossings. There are trails close to the bridge both upstream and downstream, and others further on both directions. I have shot deer, otter, white winged crows, bald eagles, green herons, blue herons, king fishers, and elk in the river from the bridge. It is worthwhile. I usually stop there twice on any visit to Boxley Valley, sometimes 4 times if I make a double survey of the valley. 

Whitetails Crossing the Buffalo at Ponca Low Water Bridge

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.

Calf Elk Feeding in Creek

Some days you get just one picture. I am sure there would have been more if I dug around and worked harder, but I had other things to do. I missed an opportunity to get a very big bull -- I spooked him off.

Calf Elk Feeding in Creek 

11/15/13 Elk Herd Locations & Report

As I mentioned yesterday, poor viewing conditions could turn on a dime in modern gun season. That is exactly what happened.

The big news is a large herd that showed up this morning. I would say it is the largest I have seen this year and it is being led by Godzilla, one of the huge bulls. They are in the 43/21 field. My guess is that they were moved in by deer hunters. Another small herd was in the field just south of the elk pullout this morning.

Expect herds to move around a lot during whitetail gun season. The best course is to check the whole valley during this time. We are also in a weather change and that impacts the movements.

Watch out for whitetail deer, they are running everywhere now.