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Winter Refuge

mtntopper

mtntopper

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Elk hunting season is over and winter has hit full force in Northern WY. Our nighttime temps have been running 0F to -20F the past week and daytime temps often not much more than about OF. The elk have grouped in to large herds within a mile of our home. With no one bothering them they are out much of the day grazing on what grass is left in the mountain meadows prior to deep snow driving them to lower elevations. We went out early this am and here are some pics that we took today with the temp at -14F.

Elk Crossing State Highway
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Elk Across The Hill Crest Very Near Home
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Beautiful pics.
I sure don't envy the low temp you guys have to put up with, but the scenery sure is outstanding!!!!!! :thumb:
Completely off topic, but what do you guys heat with?
Guessing you are off the grid and probably stock enough propane & wood to get you through the entire winter ....
 
Nice pics. How much lower than you do they go? That is quite a herd.
 
Doc said:
Beautiful pics.
I sure don't envy the low temp you guys have to put up with, but the scenery sure is outstanding!!!!!! :thumb:
Completely off topic, but what do you guys heat with?
Guessing you are off the grid and probably stock enough propane & wood to get you through the entire winter ....
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Off topic answer......... -25F this am with a high probably about -5 today. We are the last one on the grid going west so we do have REA grid power with a back up gen. We use about 200 gallons of propane a year and mostly wood when we are home. Our acreage is timbered and the wood supply is unlimited. And the elk love the cold weather this time of year.
 
muleman said:
Nice pics. How much lower than you do they go? That is quite a herd.
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We live at 8,500 foot elevation. If you put the pics side by side that is how they were taken. The herd stretched for much further than we could take the pics. They will migrate up and down on the mountain to find feed according to snow depth. Some will actual stay all winter within about 3 miles of us in an area that the wind blows the snow off the meadows and they can feed. Winter pasture for most will be at about 4,500 to 6,500 foot elevation. As the snow leaves in the late spring they will follow the plant growth and greening of the grass back up to the high elevations to calve in June.
 
The wife and I went out for a short cruise in the tracked Rhino around the neighborhood after our midday meal today. The elk were about a 2 minute walk to the west from our house in the FS meadow that we call our backyard. We were in the Rhino when we first seen them and got out to take the pics. They basically are not disturbed by people this time of the year and will stay very close to where we live if left alone. We have very little snow in the large meadows as the wind has moved it into drifts and areas where it is sheltered. Our temp this morning was a nice crisp -8F but the elk are at home in the cold weather and it does not bother them. We do not feed any of the larger wild game as they become to use to people and lose their ability to fend for themselves.

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Great pictures.

I will always remember driving by the Elk Refuge during one of the winters I worked in Wyoming and seeing literally hundreds and hundreds of elk. It was one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.
 
A few more winter elk pics from Wyoming. In their winter range in a large herd to protect against predators.......
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Hey, topper why is that one walking with a limp, and a blood trail!:yum:
very nice pictures....... not much snow though.
 
nice pics land scape looks a lot like mine except i'm atsea level thanks oh yes our temps are about the same now and have been for the last 2 weeks and expect he same for the next week or so.
 
boggie said:
very nice pictures....... not much snow though.
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These pics were taken at about 4500 foot elevation in the foothills of the Big Horn mountains. Elk will migrate down to the lower elevations where there is less snow for the winter and return to the high country as the grass greens going back up the mountain in the spring time. A few will stay up high and try to survive on the wind blown areas of large open meadows but the big herds retreat to lower elevations to survive the winter where there is less snow and range grass is easier to find.

The only large animal that will stay near my home elevation of 8500 foot for the complete winter is the moose although we did have a stray antelope stay one year. The moose eventually will be eating the bark off the Aspen trees and the tops of the willows when nothing else is available..... They are a tough animal. We usually have a few around the house each week all year long. Last Friday two were standing in our snow trail at daylight as we headed out on snow machines to the highway. Of course I yielded the "right of way" to them as they were using our snow trail but eventually went off up the hill the other direction.
 
mtntopper said:
These pics were taken at about 4500 foot elevation in the foothills of the Big Horn mountains. Elk will migrate down to the lower elevations where there is less snow for the winter and return to the high country as the grass greens going back up the mountain in the spring time. A few will stay up high and try to survive on the wind blown areas of large open meadows but the big herds retreat to lower elevations to survive the winter where there is less snow and range grass is easier to find.

The only large animal that will stay near my home elevation of 8500 foot for the complete winter is the moose although we did have a stray antelope stay one year. The moose eventually will be eating the bark off the Aspen trees and the tops of the willows when nothing else is available..... They are a tough animal. We usually have a few around the house each week all year long. Last Friday two were standing in our snow trail at daylight as we headed out on snow machines to the highway. Of course I yielded the "right of way" to them as they were using our snow trail but eventually went off up the hill the other direction.
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moose are big animals and look that way just standing there but you dont learn to respect their size until you are standing next to a 60 incher getting ready to dress it out and by the time you have packed the last bit of meat back to your car you are saying what the balnk did i shoot that one for on the plus side when the work is done its food for the family for a year.
 
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