The Big Guy
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
The Big Guy
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
They say everything is bigger in Texas. Sure looks like it…
Elk or wapiti are one of the largest species within the deer family in the world roaming through vast areas, from very high elevations to the lowlands. During winter when snow drifts deep in the mountains, these grazing animals have no choice but to migrate downward to where they can get food. When this happens, the animals begin gathering together in large herds, remaining in those groups throughout the winter.
An elk's antlers are usually shed in late winter and throughout the spring. New antlers begin to grow again when their scars have healed. Some elks' antlers can weigh over 30-40 pounds! Elk are both grazers and browsers. In the summer throughout their range in the West, their diet consists of shrubs, trees, and grasses such as willow, maple, and rye grass. In Texas, they eat desert plants like agaves, as well as various species of grasses. Bugling marks the beginning of the breeding season. It usually starts in late summer and lasts through November. At the beginning of the breeding season, adult bulls are very fat, but by the end, they are emaciated due to their almost non-stop efforts to keep younger bulls away from their females. Baby elk are born in May and June, usually with just one per female. Calves are reddish-brown and spotted with white. At first, calves are helpless and must remain hidden. But by the time they are about two weeks old, they are able to follow their mothers and rejoin the main herd. They can exist solely on plants by the time they are two or three months old.
Some digital effects were applied to the original image after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition. Your finished photograph will not contain the Fine Art America watermark.
Image copyright 2022 Jon Burch Photography.
Uploaded
November 9th, 2022
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