Diary 6/30/14

Yesterday morning, "Uncle Jerry" called to say he was watching seven elk out his window; two mothers, three spotted calves, and two yearlings. He said to keep our eyes peeled to the elderberry area because he thought they might drift there. I thanked him for the info and went to look out my laundry room window to see if I saw any blond figures. Seeing none, I realized I should inform my 4 nieces about the elk that they would love to see, and asked if they wanted to pull a sneak on them and try to see them. They all put on their shoes excitedly and headed out the door behind me. Once we hit the driveway, I had to stop them because two or three were scuffing along. "That isn't going to work," I told them, and showed them the difference in sound from scuffing to placing their feet carefully, not on crunchy leaves or sticks. So off we went, skirting the forest so as to keep our profiles from showing. As we entered the woods that run between Uncle Jerry's and our place, I could see an elk's body eating some blackberry vines, just uphill. When we went a little further, I saw that they were all there and gave the hand signal to drop and sit quietly. Sure enough, the elk kept easing downhill, with the lead mother aware something was down there. She went off sidehill, but the other mother took a diagonal which marched the three calves right in front of us with a good view for the girls. The yearlings spooked and tore down behind them as well. It was exciting for me, and I think it clinched the country visit for the girls, half of whom departed yesterday and the rest tomorrow.