ATLANTA, MICH. -- Consider this addition to your fall bucket list this year: Seeing Michigan’s mighty wild elk.
Fall is breeding season for Michigan’s elk herd, making it the best time of year to see and hear these impressive animals.
Reintroduced to the Northern Lower Peninsula in 1918 after Michigan’s native elk population became extinct, roughly 1,000 wild elk now roam mostly in and around the 100,000-acre Pigeon River Country State Forest just north of Gaylord.
Despite weighing between 400 and 900 pounds and standing 5 feet tall at the shoulder, these massive animals can be quite elusive throughout much of the year, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. But since breeding season causes them to be more active, September and October are the perfect times for finding them congregating in open fields and bugling loudly — truly a sight (and sound) to behold.
To help folks catch a glimpse of the elk, the DNR has 13 elk viewing areas accessible by road throughout the Pigeon River Country State Forest. You can find a map of those 13 spots on the DNR’s website here.
The best times of day to see elk are at dawn and dusk, when the elk gather in forest clearings to feed and socialize. The DNR recommends arriving just before sunrise or sunset, and to listen carefully for the males’ bugling. Bring binoculars, a spotting scope or camera with an appropriate lens for better viewing while remaining a safe distance away.
Learn more about Michigan’s wild elk herd and find viewing tips here.
RELATED:
Thousands of these dinosaur-like birds will soon be migrating through Michigan
Fall color seaplane, chairlift and boat tours coming to U.P.’s Keweenaw this season
Why Michigan’s Brockway Mountain Drive should be on your fall travel bucket list
This roadside park is home to the ‘Grand Canyon’ of Michigan
How to see the U.P.’s amazing fall colors from 26 stories high atop a ski jumping hill
Ad Choices