Near Woodland Park in Teller County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Elk Country

A Majestic Head Dress

Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, July 1, 2011

1. Elk Country Marker

Inscription. When snow falls and cold winds blow, elk lose their antlers. Elk drop and re-grow antlers each year while bighorn sheep wear their horns for life. The antler cycle begins when the previous season’s antlers, now useless, break off. Soon skull bumps covered by velvet push upward, growing more than half an inch per day!

When the velvet’s work is done, its blood supply ceases. The dying tissue begins to peel away from the antlers. In October, bull elk are back where they began-carrying another 20 pound rack. They’ll use their antlers in shoving matches with the victor winning the right to mate with the females.

Cow Elk & Calf
A Day in the Life:
Feeding-Early morning and late afternoon are mealtimes for elk. During the middle of the day they rest and chew their cud.

Socialites-Elk remain in herds throughout the year and can be seen bedding in high meadows. Bulls spend the summers off by themselves in groups of three or four.

Leader of the Pack-In autumn, the bulls begin thrashing bushes and bugling to broadcast their presence. In the peak of rut, bull elk will fight to the right to dominate the herd and mate. Calving-Calves are 30 to 40 pounds at birth in late May or early June. They walk after only a few hours and will return with mother to the herd within a week.

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Location. 38° 54.11′ N, 105° 3.886′ W. Marker is near Woodland Park, Colorado, in Teller County. Marker can be reached from Pike's Peak Toll Road. Located at Halfway Picnic Grounds. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Woodland Park CO 80863, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Black (and sometimes brown) Bear (here, next to this marker); Tricky Affairs (here, next to this marker); Race to the Clouds (approx. 1.9 miles away); From Carriages to Corvettes (approx. 1.9 miles away); Amazing Pikes Peak Feats (approx. 1.9 miles away); Don’t kill them with kindness (approx. 1.9 miles away); Well-traveled Water (approx. 2½ miles away); Test Your Bird I.Q. (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Woodland Park.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 7, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 667 times since then and 11 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on August 7, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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