Wapiti ( Elk )

Dean_Gretsch · Oct 26, 2017

These are noisy but heavily cropped.

Bull

Herd

ZombiesniperJr · Oct 26, 2017

Nice set

tirediron · Oct 26, 2017

Nice rack!

enezdez · Oct 26, 2017

Nice Set!

crimbfighter · Oct 26, 2017

Impressive rack indeed!

baturn · Oct 27, 2017

Nice!

Dean_Gretsch · Oct 27, 2017

ZombiesniperJr said:
Nice set

tirediron said:
Nice rack!

enezdez said:
Nice Set!

crimbfighter said:
Impressive rack indeed!

baturn said:
Nice!

Thank you all. This was my first time seeing them in the wild. It is only a 2 1/2 hour drive for me. I will definitely be going back sometime now that I know a little more about the area and some of their habits.

jcdeboever · Oct 27, 2017

Nice. I'd be cropping the crap out of it to. What a rack. Good day for a 800mm with a tc.

smoke665 · Oct 27, 2017

That first one is an impressive shot. Looking at your location I'm curious as to where these are. The Cherokee's have been trying to reestablish Elk on their reservation in NC. We go over to Cherokee off and on, and usually see them. Tourist feeding them (despite the danger) have made them somewhat pests in certain locations. Still they are interesting to watch.

Dean_Gretsch · Oct 27, 2017

jcdeboever said:
Nice. I'd be cropping the crap out of it to. What a rack. Good day for a 800mm with a tc.

Thanks JC. A larger lens would have really been nice except the first had to be taken from the car.

smoke665 said:
That first one is an impressive shot. Looking at your location I'm curious as to where these are. The Cherokee's have been trying to reestablish Elk on their reservation in NC. We go over to Cherokee off and on, and usually see them. Tourist feeding them (despite the danger) have made them somewhat pests in certain locations. Still they are interesting to watch.

These were in the area of a small town named Benezette in northwestern Pa. The wildlife dept and sportsmen have been working to establish elk for a few years now and these roam freely in the area. It has become a huge tourist attraction and benefit for the community.
I only visited Cherokee once when I went to the Smokies but enjoyed the trip.

jcdeboever · Oct 27, 2017

smoke665 said:
That first one is an impressive shot. Looking at your location I'm curious as to where these are. The Cherokee's have been trying to reestablish Elk on their reservation in NC. We go over to Cherokee off and on, and usually see them. Tourist feeding them (despite the danger) have made them somewhat pests in certain locations. Still they are interesting to watch.

I ain't feeding them... Geez, that is not wise. People getting hurt?

Dean_Gretsch · Oct 27, 2017

People are nuts JC. I shot the bull when I went to the Visitor's Center. They have a very strict policy of not stopping vehicles along the road and only walking on designated paths and the entire grounds are policed by staff that are very adamant about the safety of people and the animals.

smoke665 · Oct 27, 2017

jcdeboever said:
I ain't feeding them... Geez, that is not wise. People getting hurt?

Yep, they have a large primitive farm/ welcome center with a large open meadow at the eastern edge of the park, where you can see them grazing. The park service has warning ups, and even pictures of what can happen when you get to close, so it isn't quite as much of a problem there. However on some of the side roads like one that goes out past the school, it isn't unusual to find them in the road. People stop, get out of their cars to intermingle with them up close and personal. Crazy!! Fortunately the males tend to stay off to the sides further away.