June 2002 News

June

June is a good time of year. The elk are giving birth to a new generation of young cows and bulls. In Colorado the pregnant cows will find a wet, marshy area to give birth. This is typically a meadow with lots of water in the form of creeks or lakes. Willows provide good cover for the cow. A yellow sack appears on the hind end of the cow elk when she is ready to give birth. She’ll lie down and give birth shortly thereafter. The cow will eat all the afterbirth that is produced. In fact she’ll eat all the grass down to the dirt around the area. If you are hiking in such an area and find an oval shaped dirt patch you’ve found where the calf was born. The cow will also lick the calf clean. She does this for two reasons. One, to remove any evidence of the birth so predators like coyotes won’t smell the calf and go hunting for it. Second, the afterbirth is nutritious to her and she needs to regain some energy after giving birth. A baby calf is completely odorless during this early stage in life. Predators are looking for an easy meal this time of year. Being odorless helps protect the calf while the mother is out grazing. A calf elk starts walking just hours after it was born. However, they don’t go far. The cow will graze in the general area while the calf sleeps in the sun. Calves will remain motionless to avoid detection. If you happen upon a calf don’t touch it. The cow maybe nearby and she’s extremely protective. She will attack if she finds you too close to her calf. Here’s proof http://www.9news.com/storyfull-search.asp?id=3528 A mature cow elk can weigh as much as 600 pounds and you are no match for her speed or size. The cow and calf will return to the herd after a short time alone. There is more protection for cows and new calves within a herd. There they learn the basics to survival drink milk from their mothers and play with other calves.

Like I said June is good time of year. Grasses and many other plants are abundant. Elk begin moving back up the mountain where temperatures are cooler. The bulls are already up high feeding and returning to their daily summertime patterns. Snow is melting up high. Depending on the snow pack that winter you will find elk from 8-10,000 feet this time of year. Of course in other states that offer quality habitat they will be at lower elevations. Basically as soon as the Sub alpine and Tundra regions start supplying green grasses and other plant life the elk will be there enjoy all they can eat.

June is truly a magical time of year for elk. Be on the lookout for baby calves when you are out hiking. Look for them especially in the wet meadow and creek valleys near the willows. If you are lucky enough to witness such an event observe quietly and watch nature take its course. It’s a rare sight you will remember for a lifetime.