There's an Elk in Here Somewhere

It was early August when this bull elk showed up sans antler velvet at Lily Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

He was still rubbing and working the last little bits off, thrashing the hell out of the willows. I had never seen an elk in the process of shedding his velvet, especially this close (thank you, Canon 70-200mm zoom).

Kinda gross. Kinda bloody. I'll bet it itches something fierce.

Rockin' the bright green Colorado Parks and Wildlife ear piercings too. Girl elk dig that look.

Tom Bradley ©  2015