Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
WYOMING — There's a herd of elk that lives on the mountain above my house. I'd heard about them for years because my neighbors, who work late at night or early in the morning, would sometimes encounter the elk while driving into the community.
But I had never seen the elk until this year. It seems the deep snow has pushed them down more permanently into our immediate range. The other day, I saw them crossing the street. Another time they were hanging out in the field behind the middle school.
It's stunning to see these majestic animals up close.
There are other seldom-seen animals in my area, as well, including badgers, mountain lions and porcupines. Perhaps I'll see one of them before this winter is over.
While most creatures avoid humans if possible, there are times when you actually feel enveloped by them. Take this video, for example.
"Driving through Wyoming," the caption states. "Six thousand sheep being driven to winter range."
Yeah, that's a lot of sheep. Almost looks like a flash flood coming down the wild and wooly highway. Fortunately for the driver, those sheep looked pretty adept at swerving to avoid vehicles.