Roosevelt Elk

I see Tule Elk regularly at Point Reyes, and I don’t stop photographing them unless the rut is on or conditions are excellent. On a recent trip to Humboldt County, I found their larger cousins, Roosevelt elk, during the rut, just as golden hour began. The low, fall light illuminated them with rim lighting and glistening on their antlers, and I couldn’t believe my luck.

For the next hour, until it got dark, we watched them spar and graze while the largest bulls kept the herd tight. Unfortunately, the clashing of heads happened below the grass line, and I couldn’t get any great photos, but it was an unplanned and spectacular hour for portraits.