Schiess: Elk bugling at Harriman

It was a chorus like no other. In the breaking dawn a mature bull elk bugled in the meadow just north of Harriman State Park’s historic Railroad Ranch. The other bulls did not answer his challenge but a pack of coyotes did. We could not see either group as we were readying our horses for a three-hour ride.

Before the coyotes ended their version of the song, a flock of sandhill cranes picked up; as well as a flock of Canada geese on the Henrys Fork. The music was more beautiful than the dawning of the smoke-filled sky from the area wild fires.

“This is just one reason I love to work here on the Ranch,” my guide, Katie Hjelm, said as she adjusted my stirrups. “These early morning and late evening rides are really enjoyable.”

Before we got to the meadow, humanoids had spooked the elk into the trees, but a chorus of different bulls marked where they had gone. Sometimes it was very comical as a low mature bull’s call ended with a grunt, as the squealing and/or the squawking of the young bulls just learning to bugle replaced it.

As we rode the narrow meadows along Thurman Creek and Golden lake, I could feel Hjelm’s frustration of the elk disappearance. Each time we thought we were going to get a glimpse of the monarchs of the timber we would hear a bugle off to one side or the other, or even behind us. When I thought my proper, young woman guide was about to swear I heard her mutter, “I’m determined,” and we bushwhacked into the thick forest.

After riding only 200 yards into the thicket, I saw a huge bull looking at us through the brush about 75 feet away. The herd had let us ride right into the middle of them. They were all around us. Hjelm turned in the saddle, smiled at me and we headed down a trail to Golden Lake following a large fresh grizzly bear track in the powdery dust trail.

Hjelm, from Idaho Falls, works for Russ Little who owns and operates Dry Ridge Outfitters at Harriman State Park. Labor Day is the beginning of their guided trips for observing and listening to the several thousand head of elk that spend the summer and fall in the yellowing meadows of the park.

“We will take from two to twenty people out to watch the elk,” Hjelm said. “By the second or third week of September the rutt is in full swing and the elk will notice you, but will let you observe and listen to them from a short distance.”

They have two rides each day. The morning ride starts around 6:30 and ends about 9:30 while the evening ride begins about 4:30 and goes until dark. Hjelm prefers the evening ride as the elk are observed moving from the timber and may walk right past a group of horsemen. Another bonus for the evening is that it is the time the owls to start hunting the meadows for rodents.

Dry Creek Outfitters are equipped to allow people of all ages and physical conditions to enjoy the elk. They have a horse-drawn wagon that can be taken along the tree-line where the elk can viewed and listened to.

“We encourage guests to come during the middle of the week,” Hjelm said. “The weekends get busy with other riders bringing their own horses and along with the mountain bikers and hikers that come on weekends, we often see more people than elk on the weekends.”

To guarantee a ride to view and listen to the elk, reservations are needed. You can call 208-356-0113 or 208-558-RIDE for information and reservations. They have several great guides and wranglers to show you things and listen to sounds you may not have ever experienced.