Autumn in the Rocky Mountain Trench

[Will Henry]

There is no question in my mind; this is our best season. Oh, I like them all, but fall, especially late September and early October is the best. Today, I ended up getting up earlier than I normally would because the bull elk was bugling right outside our bedroom window, so I got up to look. I have to be kind of careful. If I startle the elk, they might panic and go through the fence, rather than going over it. They ignore the motion sensor lights, but a human voice puts them into flight mode.
Thirty years ago, there were a lot more of them and the fall season brought the bulls out in force. One night, when the bulls were particularly vocal, I took one of our horses and just walked down into the field, with my arm over her back. I was surrounded by elk. There were five bulls around me, bugling and displaying their antlers, to impress and intimidate the six-legged creature in their midst.
When the bulls are seriously rutting, they will bugle at anything and everything. I have been out sighting in a rifle and had a bull bugle after every shot. I had one bull which answered when I whistled for the dog. They can also be quite aggressive. I had one very large bull which charged up to within about ten yards of me, bugled, then beat up a small tree. It was a couple days after the season had closed, so I couldn't shoot him. He escorted me out of the area and away from his harem. Bugling all the while and tearing up shrubbery in between bugles.
About fifteen years ago, Fish and Wildlife acquiesced to lobbying efforts by the Cattlemen's Association and decided to reduce the elk herds in the region. So it is that we have but a fraction of the elk we had and I appreciate them even more. The bugling of the elk, the howling of the coyotes, the calling of the flocks of geese, these are all things that help make fall in the Trench so special. WH

 

[hdskip]

Living out in the boonies is a great thing. No elk here but black bears and whitetail in the petunias is pretty neat!

 

[spencerhenry]

I lived in Colorado for 32 years, never heard of the "trench".

No offense intended, but why does this post sound like its written by AI? In Colorado it was Division of Wildlife for decades or more, but a few years ago changed to Parks and Wildlife, but has never been Fish and Wildlife.

Where is the "trench"?

 

[M-61]

Never have run across the ‘Rocky Mountain Trench.’
Where exactly is this or is it a local term?

 

[moondog]

Been here 50 years and never heard of it

 

[mmcu]

I lived in Colorado for 32 years, never heard of the "trench".

No offense intended, but why does this post sound like its written by AI? In Colorado it was Division of Wildlife for decades or more, but a few years ago changed to Parks and Wildlife, but has never been Fish and Wildlife.

Where is the "trench"?

I don't see anywhere in Will Henry's post about this being in Colorado.

A quick internet search shows the Trench runs from Montana through BC up to the Yukon border.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Sure sounded like Colorado by the description but apparently: The Rocky Mountain Trench, also known as the Valley of a Thousand Peaks or simply the Trench, is a large valley on the western side of the northern part of North America's Rocky Mountains. The Trench is both visually and cartographically a striking physiographic feature extending approximately 1,600 km (1,000 mi) from Flathead Lake, Montana, to the Liard River, just south of the British Columbia–Yukon border near Watson Lake, Yukon. The trench bottom is 3–16 km (1.9–9.9 mi) wide and is 600–900 m (2,000–3,000 ft) above sea level. The general orientation of the Trench is an almost straight 150/330° geographic north vector and has become convenient as a visual guide for aviators heading north or south.

 

[Will Henry]

Not in Colorado, though I pass through there often. The Rocky Mountain Trench is indeed a visible feature, primarily of the Canadian Rockies, but also Montana. I have hunted, hiked, and camped from the south end to the north and numerous points between.
My reference to Fish and Wildlife comes from my own lifetime experience. Having grown up with that term, I continue to use it even though the reference may be obsolete.
As for anything I post being written by AI, any observant reader will soon recognize, not only do I not employ artificial intelligence, I may often display no intelligence whatsoever!
For the weeks between mid-September to mid-October, usually after the first frost, we enjoy the best the area has to offer. The mosquitoes are gone, the weather is pleasant, and the elk are active and vocal. I love elk. I like the sounds they make, the way they look, and I even like the smell of them. My wife is less fond of them because they are a little hard on her flower gardens. WH

 

[nmkid]

Fish and Wildlife acquiesced to lobbying efforts by the Cattlemen's Association and decided to reduce the elk herds in the region.

Funny thing. Years ago, almost the same thing happened in the area of Wyoming where I lived. But it was with deer. The cattlemen complained that there were too many deer. So, this happened...year one, you could kill 5 does and one buck...year two, you could kill 4 does and one buck...year three, you could kill 3 does and one buck...after year three, we had a terrible, cold, hard winter...year four, hunted all season and saw just ONE doe. The Game and Fish contended that we still had many deer in our area. Many hunters strongly refuted that. I even wrote a letter that appeared in the Casper Star-Tribune (newspaper) mocking their counts.

 

[spencerhenry]

I don't see anywhere in Will Henry's post about this being in Colorado.

A quick internet search shows the Trench runs from Montana through BC up to the Yukon border.

I apologize, for some reason, in my head I thought he was talking about Colorado. I know where the Trench is, I flew up and down it to and from Alaska.

 

[Steve Donlon]

I agree, this time of the year is magic. 30 years ago every where in the west was a lot different. 35 years ago when we built our house we were one of 3 houses with no water or power in the area. I had no idea about elk and what they could do. So I planted about 40 aspen trees and cottonwoods and other trees. Within about a month or two, all my trees had been eaten to the ground by the elk. They were everywhere. Only the Pinyon pine and Ponderosa pine where left. We still have elk around, but not big herds. I did not think it would happen up in BC. I always thought that would be the last place. It's just population growth in the southwest changing the landscape Seems Alaska will be next. If it hasn't already happened.

 

[Will Henry]

Over the past thirty years, we have watched Kalispell, Montana at least quadruple, in size and population. That doesn't happen without having an impact on everything.
Over the years, we have enjoyed watching the interactions between the elk and other animals wild and domestic.
The horse in the story where I walked down among the elk was an irascible Morgan mare who considered herself to be the queen of the pasture. She was very protective of her hay and the other horses knew better than to expect her to share. One day, I had just dumped some hay and Jenny immediately moved in to stake her claim. Pretty soon, a big six-point bull elk came in, hoping to feed. Jenny blocked him off. He turned away, then moved back in, wagging his head back and forth to display his impressive head gear. Certain that he had asserted his dominance, he moved in toward the hay. At this, Jenny laid her ears back, spun around, and bit him on the butt! I don't know that I've ever seen an animal look so surprised as that bull as he ran across the field with the angry mare right on his tail. WH

 

[Old Navy]

Funny thing. Years ago, almost the same thing happened in the area of Wyoming where I lived. But it was with deer. The cattlemen complained that there were too many deer. So, this happened...year one, you could kill 5 does and one buck...year two, you could kill 4 does and one buck...year three, you could kill 3 does and one buck...after year three, we had a terrible, cold, hard winter...year four, hunted all season and saw just ONE doe. The Game and Fish contended that we still had many deer in our area. Many hunters strongly refuted that. I even wrote a letter that appeared in the Casper Star-Tribune (newspaper) mocking their counts.

Same happen in Utah many years ago.

 

[DumpHollow]

Ya gotta love a mare. They are in charge.

 

[Steve Donlon]

Over the past thirty years, we have watched Kalispell, Montana at least quadruple, in size and population. That doesn't happen without having an impact on everything.
Over the years, we have enjoyed watching the interactions between the elk and other animals wild and domestic.
The horse in the story where I walked down among the elk was an irascible Morgan mare who considered herself to be the queen of the pasture. She was very protective of her hay and the other horses knew better than to expect her to share. One day, I had just dumped some hay and Jenny immediately moved in to stake her claim. Pretty soon, a big six-point bull elk came in, hoping to feed. Jenny blocked him off. He turned away, then moved back in, wagging his head back and forth to display his impressive head gear. Certain that he had asserted his dominance, he moved in toward the hay. At this, Jenny laid her ears back, spun around, and bit him on the butt! I don't know that I've ever seen an animal look so surprised as that bull as he ran across the field with the angry mare right on his tail. WH

When we ride with the elk nearby, the baby elk have come up to us and try to join in with our group. The horses did not want anything to with them even though they were just yearlings. It's been awhile since the has happened.