Saturday, March 12, 2011

Tule elk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Female tule elk in Point Reyes National Seashore - Pat Ulrich Wildlife Photography

A tule elk cow standing on the hillsides of Tomales Point in Point Reyes National Seashore. She was part of a very large herd that surrounded my car after I pulled off the road in February. I liked the setting with that lone cypress tree in the background, and was hoping to include in a picture. I picked a spot and waited for an elk to approach for the shot I had in mind -- she didn't quite line up where I wanted, but since I was in the car, I made do with the angle I had.

3 comments:

  1. Nice shot Pat. I do like that background.

    I found the Tule Elk very skittish at Point Reyes compared to the Rocky Mountain Elk we see in Yellowstone. I guess they just aren't as used to having people around which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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  2. Thanks, Alan! I've had mixed encounters with the elk in the park. The herds that roam the areas around Drake's Beach and Limantour always appear pretty skittish, but the herds within the Elk Reserve can be fairly accepting of people. There are definitely groups that want nothing to do with people, but I have had the pleasure of standing right in the middle of a herd on a number of occasions. I think a healthy wariness of people isn't necessarily a bad thing though.

    Thanks, Kah-Wai!

    Thanks, Jim!

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