Bob and I were driving in to the first Farmer’s Market (where Peg sell worms and asparagus, Suzie has daffodils, seeds and greenhouse starts and Holly has eggs and chicken) when we saw this herd of elk right close to the road. As long as we stay in the car, the elk aren’t very interested in us.
But there are all these shrubs in the way.
Bob backs up so I can get a clearer shot, and suddenly they were paying close attention. I haven’t been so close to the elk before, since they always run away. I had been wondering if they actually bump up against each other in their tight herds, or if they always keep a few inches space.
I think there are thirteen elk in this photo, squished like sardines. They’re definitely bumping together. I get out of the car,
and the gang of elk is gone, lickety split. The adjacent farm has an elk fence, so the elk have to run down to the end of the fence
and jump the irrigation ditch to get away from me. There’s a horse fence parallel to the ditch, and the elk jump it like steeplechase champs.
Adios! Sorry for making you run away.
The elk’s coats look a little rough after winter, but they seem to be in good shape otherwise.
I was interested in the height of the “elk fence,” something new to me. As a person who fights deer, who often denude my hosta garden, the idea of building such a formitable fence to keep out wildlife is amazing to me. My garden of hostas and iris hugs the woods behind my townhome. And since our homeowners’ association prohibits fencing, I’m trying the Irish Spring method of deer repellant … wish me luck!