Sarah and Sam, Percheron draft horses, pull one of the sleighs at the National Elk Refuge
My friend Nancy and I really wanted good imagery of the National Elk Refuge, but neither of us had been there before in winter. We had a pretty fine excursion on the sleigh in the morning, but the light wasn't coming from the right direction. Even though it meant a late, late drive, we had lunch in town and went out again in the afternoon.
David drives Sarah and Sam at the National Elk Refuge
It's been a hard winter; there are about 8,000 elk on the refuge right now. Seven to 9 pounds of elk food per day, funded in part by the antler auction, which I photographed last May. And from the profits from the sleigh tours, the only way to visit the refuge when the elk are in residence. In fact, except for the sleighs, the day the Boy Scouts collect the shed antlers, and 70 days of summer fishing access, the refuge is closed to humans altogether.
Sarah and Sam pulled the first sleigh we rode. Even though it was a beautiful day, I got the feeling that Sarah and Sam had seen enough of the elk this winter, and would be happy being back at the barn. They work about every third day, and their owner told us that horses who pull as a team will often stand side by side when they are put loose in the pasture.
We went with a different sleigh driver in the afternoon, a man who guides elk hunters and knew all about elk, the subject, and elk, the individuals on the refuge. He told us that several people are planning come to the auction this year to buy antlers that will be shed by a specific male he pointed out. The males will start shedding their antlers soon, the heavier ones coming off almost simultaneously, which is how the Boy Scouts can sell the matched pairs.
I always think of the returning male ducks in their breeding plumage as the first sign of spring, but maybe in elk country, you can go by the thumping fall of antlers. I wonder what it sounds like when an antler falls off. By April, the refuge will be empty of elk, and alive with ducks in the slough. Until then, the feeding program and the sleigh rides will continue, so there's still a chance to see them this season, if you are heading up to Jackson.
Comments (1)
The National Elk Refuge's web page.
Posted by Harley Pebley | February 26, 2008 5:26 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 17:26