SHI BLOGS TOO

The Elk

Today we were able to see the elk in Hurn Field along Highway 20. It was a sunny day and we were on our way home from town. They were grazing toward the middle of the long field this time. So Ron decided to go home and get the camera and binoculars. When we got back to the field the elk were still there.

It's a big field and even after zooming way in on them with the camera you can't get a close up shot of them. These are the best of the lot.

These elk originated in Yellowstone National Park and Eastern Washington. They are North Cascade Elk (Nooksake Elk). They have been coming to Hurn field to eat and rest for many years. In 1999 The property was bought by The Skagit Land Trust and turned into a maintained habitat for wildlife in the area.

You can see the elk in the field all through the winter months. After they breed the antlers fall off of the bulls. With our binoculars we could see some of them growing new velvety antlers. During the summer they will move to higher ground.

We saw what we think was the big bull elk at the edge of the woods above the herd. The young were laying on the ground throughout the field.

We counted 59 elk in this herd.

Here are a couple of photo's that we took today.

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