Arkansas Wildlife Blog and Gallery
Buffalo National River and NW Arkansas
Clearly Closing In On The 2008 Rut
This morning was abysmal most ways. One of those days that pros wonder if they are in the right business. Boxley lived up to its reputation for morning fog, and it was just about as bad as it can be. That is pretty bad. Lots of animals, no light. There are 4 herds in the valley now.
On the positive side I did see a significant bull herd for the first time this year. This has to signal the pre-rut pattern where the bachelor bull herds pull in close to the cow herds in preparation of the next stage, the contest for domination.
The picture on the right is the one I got today of 3 bulls. There were 14 in the herd located about halfway up the valley past the Villines Store. This is a dangerous stretch of 43 with almost no shoulder. I drove well past these guys to get to a place where I could barely park off the traffic lane. To make matters worse, the section closest to the elk was just after a rise and a blind curve.
The biggest bull of this group is head up in this picture. He is a 6x5, and pretty close to the size to be in the hunt for cows this year. The others with him are still a year away, as he may be. Only time will tell. The really big guys are just not in the valley yet as far as I can see. I could see the velvet loosening on the big guy, they will be rubbing momentarily.
In other business I went down to the river trying to grind out at least one useful image. I did a monochrome landscape. I think it is OK, but I really haven't hammered it with PS. I can't decide if I like it. It is really horrible in color.
Along the river I found some elk poop. In the interest of education, I took a picture to post so interested persons could understand another aspect of the elk. Oddly some of the poo was neatly organized on a white rock and it kind of looks like the elk was trying to fashion a smiley face to me. This may provide insight into how my perceptions are organized. I promise you this is nothing I made. The obvious question is have elk now ventured into symbolic expression?
And, why snowmen?
At the low water bridge in Ponca I got another picture of a blue heron that hangs out around there. He was perched atop the bridge peering into the local swimming hole that is just above the bridge. I was hoping for some white-winged crow shots, but they were not cooperative. The Ponca low water bridge is a good place to see the white-winged crows. I am pretty sure they are a sub-species of water crows. I don't see them ever except around water.
I met a couple of guys from Fayetteville from the camera club. We had a nice chat about photography and other things.
Remember to check the map if you don't know where these places are.
This morning was abysmal most ways. One of those days that pros wonder if they are in the right business. Boxley lived up to its reputation for morning fog, and it was just about as bad as it can be. That is pretty bad. Lots of animals, no light. There are 4 herds in the valley now.
On the positive side I did see a significant bull herd for the first time this year. This has to signal the pre-rut pattern where the bachelor bull herds pull in close to the cow herds in preparation of the next stage, the contest for domination.
The picture on the right is the one I got today of 3 bulls. There were 14 in the herd located about halfway up the valley past the Villines Store. This is a dangerous stretch of 43 with almost no shoulder. I drove well past these guys to get to a place where I could barely park off the traffic lane. To make matters worse, the section closest to the elk was just after a rise and a blind curve.
The biggest bull of this group is head up in this picture. He is a 6x5, and pretty close to the size to be in the hunt for cows this year. The others with him are still a year away, as he may be. Only time will tell. The really big guys are just not in the valley yet as far as I can see. I could see the velvet loosening on the big guy, they will be rubbing momentarily.
In other business I went down to the river trying to grind out at least one useful image. I did a monochrome landscape. I think it is OK, but I really haven't hammered it with PS. I can't decide if I like it. It is really horrible in color.
Along the river I found some elk poop. In the interest of education, I took a picture to post so interested persons could understand another aspect of the elk. Oddly some of the poo was neatly organized on a white rock and it kind of looks like the elk was trying to fashion a smiley face to me. This may provide insight into how my perceptions are organized. I promise you this is nothing I made. The obvious question is have elk now ventured into symbolic expression?
And, why snowmen?
At the low water bridge in Ponca I got another picture of a blue heron that hangs out around there. He was perched atop the bridge peering into the local swimming hole that is just above the bridge. I was hoping for some white-winged crow shots, but they were not cooperative. The Ponca low water bridge is a good place to see the white-winged crows. I am pretty sure they are a sub-species of water crows. I don't see them ever except around water.
I met a couple of guys from Fayetteville from the camera club. We had a nice chat about photography and other things.
Remember to check the map if you don't know where these places are.
Shameless Self-Promotion Department
My framed wildlife prints are on display and for sale at a number of locations:
Jasper
Boardwalk Cafe/Arkansas House
Cliff House Inn
Point of View Restaurant
Jasper Chamber Gift Shop
Ponca
Lost Valley Canoe Store
Villines Store (Boxley Valley)
Low Gap
Low Gap Store
Compton
Compton One Stop
Harrison
Uncommon Grounds Coffee Shop
My framed wildlife prints are on display and for sale at a number of locations:
Jasper
Boardwalk Cafe/Arkansas House
Cliff House Inn
Point of View Restaurant
Jasper Chamber Gift Shop
Ponca
Lost Valley Canoe Store
Villines Store (Boxley Valley)
Low Gap
Low Gap Store
Compton
Compton One Stop
Harrison
Uncommon Grounds Coffee Shop
Boxley Valley Report -- 08/17/08
