Friends at Chaco Culture NHP have been telling me for several years that a herd of elk has moved into the park. I've believed them ... sorta. Never saw any, and anyway, what would a self-respecting elk be doing in Chaco?
Okay, gotta swallow my skepticism! We spent the last four days at Chaco and, as we were about to head up the trail onto South Mesa and Tsin Kletzin, a big bull elk bolted across the Bc sites in front of us (near Casa Rinconada), followed before long by two cow elk and a calf. We had heard Wednesday evening that there are about 60 in the Chaco herd now, and our dinner guest Thursday night showed us pictures he had taken. Other campers Friday morning said they heard an elk bugle ... but I still had trouble believing it.
Can't doubt it now, even though this is a crazy place for an elk to be! They apparently stay pretty much in the wash, which has water, shade and forage. Things are green enough this summer that they are up out of the wash, grazing on grasses on the canyon floor. There were probably a dozen of them dimly visible in Werito's Rincon as we drove by there last night. Still, what a crazy place to find elk! tv
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