This weekend on our way home after an wonderful get-together with friends that included a pig cooked in the ground, we stopped by the elk viewing area on the Charles M. Russel National Wildlife Refuge near the old Slippery Ann field stations site (where I once worked many years ago). This site is located along the Missouri River just west of where Highway 191 crosses the river along the auto tour route (Click here for a detailed map of the west end of the refuge (PDF)).
We arrived just before sunset and joined a rather small contingent of elk watchers lining the road. Even before we opened the windows and side doors of the van we could hear a number of elk bugling near us and we could see even more about a half a mile away along the river.
This is what the fuss was all about.
This guy was the ruler of the piece of ground and associated cow elk near where we were parked.
This guy wasn't but wanted to be.
