JACKSON, Wyo. — It’s time to get moving!
Local elk are making their annual trek to lower elevations amid this mild start to winter. Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer captured images of elk on the move in late December.
Large numbers of the quadrupeds are hoofing it as the cold settles in.
Every year, elk migrate out of the high country and travel down into their winter range. In Jackson, the National Elk Refuge is one of the important areas for wintering wildlife. This is where elk from Yellowstone migrate for the season.
The elk that summer within Grand Teton National Park migrate between the park and the refuge. These elk are managed as a part of the Jackson elk herd. It is the largest elk herd in North America.
European American settlers used the word “elk” to describe the animal, which is the word used in Europe for moose (causing great confusion for European visitors). The Shawnee word “wapiti,” which means “white deer” or “white-rumped deer,” is another name for elk.
