Smarter than your average… elk?

Driving through Oregon and California, we saw a ton of warning signs. Beware of Elk, Elk Crossings, etc. Not a single elk though. We kept telling the kids to keep an eye out, but after awhile, they started ignoring us… yea right, elk, uh-huh, heard that one before…

As we left the Avenue of the Giants, heading south to find a place to stay for the night, we saw more elk signs. Didn’t think much of it, until we saw a sign, an official highway department reflective metal sign, that said, “For Elk viewing, turn on Davidson road” (I think it was Davidson, I may have this remembered wrong.) Well, we thought that was oddly specific. I was tempted to blow it off and drive on by… not really believing in these elusive elk sightings, but there was Davidson Road, a little 2-lane side street, and so I had to turn in.

And there were the elk.

Hanging out in the grass on the side of Davidson Road.

No fences or boundaries.

So, how did they know they were supposed to hang out there so people could view them? Can they read the sign? I was also struck by the thought that perhaps there was another sign out in the woods somewhere that says, “For People Viewing, Turn on Davidson Road”.

btw, elk are big critters. They looked peaceful enough, but compared to the average deer, these guys are monsters.

I would say ‘duh’, because you should never approach wild animals, but apparently some people need to be told.

We kept our distance, but enjoyed watching the animals graze. There were groups of elk on both sides of the road.

It was so much fun to take the kids out to see ‘wild’ America…. trees, and animals!