July 2022 - 7

O OPENING SHOT
PENING SHOT
Spilling the tea
Photo: by Vic Schendel
Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Settings: 1/1250 sec, f/13, ISO 1250
E
lk, also known as wapiti, are one of
my favorite animals to photograph. I
often find these magnificent creatures
during the Rocky Mountain summer months,
where deep forests surrender to highflowered
alpine meadows above the treeline.
I spotted these large bulls sporting velvet
racks in northwest Wyoming in late July.
A recent thunderstorm just passed and a
light, cool breeze was blowing gently from
the west. The sun was starting to poke out
from behind the storm clouds and these
males seemed to enjoy the solitude. They
didn't seem to be the least bit nervous about
having their pictures taken while chewing on
a bit of cud.
The velvet you can see on these elk
antlers is actually a layer of skin filled with
blood vessels. The blood vessels provide
vitamins and minerals that help the
antlers grow. Usually elk can be spotted
in velvet in the spring and summer. Once
the antlers have finished growing, the elk
rub the velvet off their antlers, which take
on a more smooth appearance typically
associated with these animals. In late
winter or early spring, bull elk shed their
antlers and begin growing them again,
repeating the cycle.
Wyoming Wildlife | 7

July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2022

July 2022 - 1
July 2022 - 2
July 2022 - 3
July 2022 - 4
July 2022 - 5
July 2022 - 6
July 2022 - 7
July 2022 - 8
July 2022 - 9
July 2022 - 10
July 2022 - 11
July 2022 - 12
July 2022 - 13
July 2022 - 14
July 2022 - 15
July 2022 - 16
July 2022 - 17
July 2022 - 18
July 2022 - 19
July 2022 - 20
July 2022 - 21
July 2022 - 22
July 2022 - 23
July 2022 - 24
July 2022 - 25
July 2022 - 26
July 2022 - 27
July 2022 - 28
July 2022 - 29
July 2022 - 30
July 2022 - 31
July 2022 - 32
July 2022 - 33
July 2022 - 34
July 2022 - 35
July 2022 - 36
July 2022 - 37
July 2022 - 38
July 2022 - 39
July 2022 - 40
July 2022 - 41
July 2022 - 42
July 2022 - 43
July 2022 - 44
July 2022 - 45
July 2022 - 46
July 2022 - 47
July 2022 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com