Elk Log Jam
The elk are on the move – finally. March and April are normally the months when elk (upwards of 5,000 head) graze their way from the Madison Valley to summer pasture in Yellowstone National Park. Here it is mid-May and their seasonal migration is overdue.
The crux of their journey is to cross the Madison Mountains. Mother Nature grants passage when warm spring temperatures cause the Big Melt in the high country. This year, cold temperatures and a snow pack 170% of normal have created a log jam of elk waiting to make a summit attempt.
The ranch I work on is located in the elks’ migratory path. It’s funny to think that last March, a car from Bozeman stopped by the ranch to ask: “Where does the elk migration start?” They had heard about the spectacle of thousands of elk migrating through the Madison Valley (within sight of Route 287) traveling between winter and summer ranges. Somehow, those folks imagined an enormous herd lined up as if at a starting gate. If only Mother Nature were so predictable.
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Check out what others are saying...[...] Madison Valley is a primo elk migration corridor. An estimated 7,000 wapiti winter here, and then head into the mountains for the summer. 15% [...]