My first thought when I saw this elk sitting in the hot springs was that its antlers must be heavy, as its head kept drooping until its nose pressed into the white mineral powder. It reminded me of when it’s a cold winter day and you’re sitting in a warm church pew and despite your best efforts, your head keeps drooping forward during the sermon until you realize you’re falling asleep and suddenly your head snaps back upright. Well, not me, but some people. I am always paying rapt attention, I am.
Despite clearly being exhausted by the fall rut, when other males in the area started bugling, the bull shook off its weariness and slowly walked into the adjacent meadow to add its voice to the chorus. If you view the larger picture, you can see a light dusting of mineral powder on its nose.
