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Elk CAMP

Tarryall Elk Camp is located in the South Park area of Colorado. In most hunting seasons the camp is located in the Rock Creek drainage area at about an elevation of 8,000 to 11,000 feet. The Camp consists of the third and fourth generation of a group that is loosely related that have been hunting the area for over 70 years. The Spielman's, Brough's and Sutter's worked cattle ranches in the Tarryall's, worked with the Forest Service, CCC Camps, owned and operated sawmills, prospected and mined in the area from the early 1900s to the 1940s. In the 1930s Roy Vorrhees grandparents had a home and raised potatoes near the current town of Tarryall. It's possible Correl Creek near Goose Creek and the Platte River is named after that family. Glen Brady worked for the Pike National Forest from about the 1940s to the 1960s. Some of the other old timers names that come to mind are Walter Zanzig, Ray Dunaway, John Crouch, Norm Steinbruck, Larry Fishinger,Bernie, Curtis and Ryan.

Rreceived word that Darrel Clemet passed away this past spring(2007)

This is not an outfitter sponsored group but a group that has enjoyed Colorado's God given breathtaking beauty and camaraderie only experienced by devoted hunters, and those that have a love affair with "Colorado's Winter Wonderland" and a nice warm tent. Well, most, nowadays that is, have their Motor Homes and Campers and all the creature comforts and gadgets that come with them. I sure don't hear much yearning for the good old days from that bunch. They prefer their GPS's and ATV's over the old compass and pack horses. If that's what it takes to enjoy this great outdoors so be it. The most important thing is just being there and enjoying the hunt with your good friends and relatives.

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Elk in the Summer

Many elk spend the summer where they find green grasses, cool breezes and shady resting areas. Elk do not like too much heat, and they will often soak in rivers and streams to cool down and keep the insects away.

All summer long, the bull elk’s antlers grow larger, still covered in fuzzy velvet. They like to wander the hills by themselves, while the cows and calves spend the summer together in herds. The calves usually all stay close to one cow who is their “babysitter,” and if danger comes near, the calves follow their babysitter to safety. Their mothers will look for them after the danger goes away.

Calves spend the summer months eating and growing, because when winter comes, they will need to be very strong to withsland the cold and snow. The adult elk also need to gain weight for the coming winter. They must have lots of fat for energy and insulation to keep them warm.

Elk in the Spring

Spring is a wonderful time of year for wildlife because the snow melts, the grass grows and the air warms up.

Most bull elk shed their antlers between January and March, and as soon as their old antlers fall off, their new antlers begin to grow. These growing antlers have a fuzzy covering on them called velvet, which is like skin because it has nerves and blood vessels running through it. Those vessels carry the calcium and other minerals that form the antler bone.

As spring temperatures rise, elk start to shed their heavy winter coats and grow thinner summer coats. Their winter coats have two layers -- the short, fuzzy fur next to their bodies keeps the heat in, while long, outer fur keeps them nearly waterproof.

In late May or early June, elk give birth to their calves. The mother elk, or cow, looks for a nice quiet place to have her calf. Soon after it is born, the calf can stand and walk, but it can’t run very fast right away. Newborn calves are covered with white spots that help them blend in with their surroundings. The calf must stay hidden in the bushes until it gets strong enough to escape from predators, like coyotes, wolves, bears and mountain lions. The mother elk nurses the calf with her nutritious milk to help it gain strength. In a couple weeks, the calf will be running and playing with the other calves.

Elk in the Fall

By late August, the bull elk’s antlers stop growing. The blood vessels inside the velvet dry up, causing the velvet to fall off, and the bulls rub the velvet off on trees and brush. In the fall, elk also begin to shed their thin summer fur and grow warm winter coats. This is when the calves lose their spots.

Beginning in September, elk group together to mate during a four- to six-week period called the “rut.” During that time, bulls begin to bugle and form “harems,” or groups of about 15 to 20 cow elk. Bulls bugle to let the cows know they are there and to scare other bulls away. Each bull tries to convince the cows that he’s the healthiest and mightiest elk around because the cows want to mate with the biggest and smartest bull so that their calves will be big and smart too. When two large bulls cross paths, they wage violent battles for control of the harem. Most of the time one bull will know he is outmatched and will simply run away -- but sometimes they fight to the death. During the rut, the elk are so busy that they can’t eat much, and the bulls use up lots of energy chasing cows and fighting. So in the weeks after the rut, the elk must eat constantly to build up fat in order to survive the oncoming winter.

Elk in the Winter

Harems break up when the rut ends. Bulls of all ages may gather in "bachelor herds" or go off on their own to feed and gain strength for the winter. Feeling weak from the rut and knowing their antlers make them stand out, the bulls stand a better chance against predators by hiding out in their own or in small groups, cows and calves regroup in herds led by older, experienced cows.

The mature, "lead cow" usually barks alarms and leads the rest of the group away from dangers like hungry bears,mountain lions and coyotes. In the western United States lead cows also guide the herd from their summer range, such as the Kenosha Mountains to winter range, like the Ranching area of South Park, and back on established migration routes.

Not all elk have to migrate like they do in the Tarryalls and Rocky Mountains. If they have enough food , water, shelter and space, elk will stay in the same area year around.

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