Morning Elk Bugles and Wildlife Wonders at Wichita Mountains

Bull elk standing near cow elk at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — A bull elk standing a short distance from a pair of cow elk during the early morning rut.

I woke up early on my second day (September 9th) at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge to the distant sound of Bull Elk bugling before sunrise. It came from the west of where I was camped, and the haunting calls of the elk echoed through the morning stillness. That was all the motivation I needed to start my day! At sunrise, I decided to explore the west side of the refuge, hoping I might spot some of these magnificent creatures.

Two cow elk feeding near a road at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — Two cow elk grazing near the road on the west side of Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

As luck would have it, I soon spotted a pair of Cow Elk near the road, just before the turn to French Lake. They were peacefully grazing their way toward the road. I managed to get a few shots of them as they fed. Then, as if the morning couldn’t get better, a Bull Elk emerged from the trees behind them! It felt like a perfect wildlife photography moment, I took several photos of the bull, completely thrilled to have such an incredible sighting on my first morning out.

Hearing Bull Elk bugling throughout the refuge as I continued to drive was mesmerizing. Bull Elk are especially vocal during the rut, which typically runs from September to October. Their bugles serve various purposes, from attracting mates to asserting dominance within the herd. Listening to those calls while surrounded by the refuge’s rugged beauty was a morning to remember.

A Curious Greater Roadrunner Encounter

Continuing my drive south, I came across a Greater Roadrunner near the road. I’ve had few opportunities to photograph these birds, so I was thrilled when this one didn’t seem skittish and allowed me to capture a lot of photos. What made this encounter even more interesting was the strange behavior I witnessed. The roadrunner hopped into a small tree and started removing bark, much like a woodpecker would. It would pull off a piece of bark, hold it in its beak for a few seconds, then drop it. I watched it do this four or five times, but it didn’t seem to be hunting for insects.

I later found out that birds often clean their beaks after eating by wiping them on branches, but this roadrunner’s actions seemed a bit different. Whatever the reason, it was fascinating to observe such unusual behavior.

Greater Roadrunner removing bark from a small tree — A Greater Roadrunner pulling bark from a small tree during an unusual behavior observation.

Greater Roadrunner holding bark in its beak — A Greater Roadrunner holding a piece of bark in its beak before dropping it.

More Elk and White-tailed Deer Sightings

After photographing the roadrunner, I kept exploring and spotted another Bull Elk, this time much closer to the road. This one was younger, and unlike the first bull, it still had its velvet-covered antlers. It’s always interesting to see elk at different stages of the antler growth process.

Young bull elk with velvet antlers at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — A young bull elk still carrying velvet-covered antlers during the rut season.

Later in the morning, I drove around the east side of the refuge, where I came across several White-tailed Bucks and a Doe with her twin fawns. One of the bucks still had its antlers covered in velvet, though I could see it was starting to split. It wouldn’t be long before he would rub it off entirely. Another buck had already shed his velvet, and the reddish color of his antlers suggested it had happened very recently. The velvet, rich with blood vessels, nourishes the growing antlers, and once it’s shed, remnants of blood can sometimes stain the antlers for a short time. I managed to capture some great shots of these bucks and even one of the fawns.

White-tailed Buck with velvet antlers near Doris Campground — A White-tailed Buck photographed near Doris Campground with velvet still on its antlers.

White-tailed Buck with blood on antlers after shedding velvet — A White-tailed Buck showing blood staining on its antlers shortly after shedding velvet.

White-tailed Fawn standing near adult deer — White-tailed Fawn photographed near adult deer during a morning wildlife encounter.

A Coyote and an Afternoon Stroll

Just as I was heading back to camp for lunch, I spotted a young Coyote near the same area where I had photographed the deer earlier. It was a fleeting moment, but I managed to grab a quick photo before it disappeared into the brush.

Young coyote near Doris Campground at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge — A young coyote spotted briefly near Doris Campground before disappearing into cover.

After lunch, I took a leisurely walk around the mostly empty Doris Campground, where I photographed a few more wildlife species. Among them were a vibrant Collared Lizard and a wild Turkey.

Collared lizard photographed at Doris Campground — A colorful Collared Lizard photographed during an afternoon walk through the campground.

Wild turkey walking through Doris Campground — A Wild Turkey moving through Doris Campground during the afternoon hours.

Wrapping Up a Great Day

From the early morning bugles of Bull Elk to the curious roadrunner and afternoon deer sightings, it was truly an unforgettable second day at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Each moment felt like a new adventure, and I can’t wait to share more from the days ahead!

If you want to see how the trip continued, I shared more roadrunner encounters and White-tailed Deer sightings in Day 3 at the Wichita Mountains.

If you missed Day 1 of my adventure at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, you can read about it here: Day 1 at the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

A Curious Greater Roadrunner Encounter

More Elk and White-tailed Deer Sightings

A Coyote and an Afternoon Stroll

Wrapping Up a Great Day

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