Elk and Ticks

Winter is difficult enough to survive as an elk in Colorado. Insects are a problem for elk nearly all year. Ticks attach themselves when they are most abundant in the spring. I can imagine the drought of 2002 forced elk to live at lower elevations where better forage grew. Ticks slowly drain blood from elk leaving them at risk for sickness and open sores. Ticks embed themselves in the elk’s thick hide during the spring/summer and some remain attached through the winter. You would think the cold weather would cause them to fall off but they keep warm thanks to the elk’s winter coat. Ticks normally attach to the dark, thick area of an elk’s neck. However they can also be found around the elk’s shoulder area. When elk bed down in the hard crusty snow they can actually pop the tick. A circular blood splattering in the snow is evidence.

The bull in this picture had a tick on his left shoulder area. I found the bull bedded on a step, snowy slope in March. He must have leaned up against the hill at the right angle to pop the tick. I could only imagine the tick was round and full of the bull’s blood when he exploded. Though this bull was very thin he should make it through the spring. March and April are critical months for elk. These are two of the snowiest months in Colorado. Snow falls heavy and wet. Deep snow hinders larger hoofed animals. The smaller, younger animals don’t have to haul all that weight around.

Cows and calves are found in larger numbers than the bulls during the winter. Ticks find it easier to spread from one host to the other because cows often bed close together. This young calf has sings of ticks under her fur. Notice the dark circles near her shoulder and front leg? It’s hard to say how long the ticks will remain. The jaybirds or magpies will groom elk with their beaks. These birds sit on the elk’s back and search through its hair for ticks to eat. Elk start losing their winter hair in March. Each year elk will lose every hair on their bodies when they shed their winter coat for a cooler summer one. In the fall their summer hair is replaced with thicker winter hair. Probably due to hormone changes triggered by the length of light and when the first frost of autumn comes along. Elk are well adapted for life in the outdoors.

Here is a picture of healthy, young calves. Elk that emerge in the spring with well rounded bellies and smooth coats of hair are signs of how healthy they are. These elk nibble on new grasses growing in a field. These elk will search virtually every open area in this field as they graze. You can almost see the change in their behavior. They sense spring is here and warmer days with new browse will be available every new day. Soon they will find more food than they can eat.

Spring means tick season. Ticks fall from trees onto elk bedded below. Other insects like flies and mosquitoes harass elk. Most elk will retreat to areas above tree line where winds and cooler temperature prevail. However, food isn’t as lush and abundant up high. The drought of 2002 taught us a lot of things about elk. First, they seemed to stay lower where food was more abundant despite the annoying insects, even as low as 7-8,000 feet in elevation. It was strange seeing mature bulls this low in August. While other elk headed for the remote wilderness where neither man nor insect would bother them. Elk will continually weigh the pros and cons of food and comfort. Often giving food a higher priority.