Yesterday, October 15^th, 2022 was a crisp Autumn day in Western North Carolina. I live in a house on a hillside at 2200 feet so it gets cool up here at night and warm when the sun hits my valley. I woke early this morning to an outside temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit but by noon it was 70. I took this opportunity to put the last coat of polyurethane on my living room floor. I laid on one coat, went down into town for four hours so it could dry, leaving the house open so the fumes could be evacuated.

I have not personally witnessed the change of colors since I was a teenager. This Summer I relocated permanently to this house on the hill and have been sitting on my porch having tea between renovation tasks and marveling at the beauty of the road I live on the the rapid onset of Fall. The change was gradual and yet, not. One afternoon I sat on the front porch and I could swear that I could see the leaves changing colors as I watched. I actually stared at one spot for a while, like a child who had never seen such a thing, just to see if I could detect the transformation in progress. I could not, but that didn’t relieve the sensation.

Like most renovation days this one was tiresome. I was elated when I finished laying to final coat of sticky stuff and could leave the house and remove my respirator. The smell, even from the front porch, was offensive and the fumes are harmful. I sat down to relax and looked at my watch. I realized that it was exactly the time that the heard of elk would come out of the woods and into the viewing field in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The elk don’t like to come out into full sunshine. They will wait until the sun passes behind the mountainside then emerge like aliens into the world that we have taken over.

The national parks do not exist for us, they exist for the wildlife. Fortunately for us there is this place in which they love to graze amnd we can go and watch them. When you venture out to see this magnificent display, please read the signs, heed the warnings, and listen always to the park rangers and volunteers.

I was correct about the timing. It was about an hour before the sun went behind the trees on the western hillside. When I arrived there were no cars parked along the side of the road and no elk in the viewing field. The parking lot at the park visitors center was filling up rapidly. I parked and hit the paved trail with my camera and a 400 mm lens. I walked along the river on the paved trail along the Oconaluftee river. I noticed a group of camera junkies set up and staring across the river. There was a lone bull elk across the river. He was on his belly in some tall grass, eating and waiting. I struck up conversation and one bystander who said that there had been a couple bulls fighting in the field the other night and this might be the loser, nursing his injuries and respecting the new boundaries that were established. We stood talking for almost an hour hoping that he would cross the river. Patience, as in all things, is often rewarded. The majestic animal finally stood up, stretched, and gradually approached the river bank. He was, indeed, injured. He favored his left, front leg. He approached the river and gingerly crossed, pausing to drink his fill of mountain stream water

We watched quietly, respecting his space. I moved further away so that I could capture his entire bulk in one frame. Such a magnificent sight to behold. He casually waded through the river, drinking now and then and watching us with all-seeing eyes. When the big guy finally climbed the bank on our side of the river it became obvious that we were not his concern. Everyone rapidly backed up to give him a clear path. I captured this great shot in which he appeared to be talking to to me as if to say, “I’m walkin’ here!”

It’s important to remember that I have a long lens and I was not close to this animal. I had to retreat rapidly just to get far enough away to get the shots I wanted. For those that just can’t seem to get close enough with your phone, it’s important to remember always that these are wild animals. A full grown elk can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. If you were to impede this animal’s progress rest assured that he will most likely take you out. The rapidity with which this huge animal will go from peaceful to deathly violent will not only catch you completely by surprise, he will give you no time to react and can, without a doubt, kill you. Be respectful.

He grazed in the corral of the pioneer village for a while. It turns out that this creature was not concerned at all with our presence. The viewing field was full of elk which had crossed the river while the injured animal waited, respecting the rules that had been established a few days before by a larger, more experienced bull elk. He did enter the viewing field, but carefully. He never got very close to any of the others grazing in the field. He grazed alone at a distance, gazing longingly at the many healthy cows that were enjoying their evening. He would have to wait until his leg, and maybe his bruised ego, if elk have such a thing, to heal before he ventured closer.

It’s an exceptional Autumn up here. Make time to get out and see the colors as soon as you can. One windy night or a heavy rainstorm and the trees will all be naked. Enjoy The Great Smoky Mountains National park and always remember that these places are for nature to exist as closely as it was before we came along. Respect the rules, read the signs, and practice Leave No Trace principles. If that phrase is new to you, you can learn about Leave No Trace (LNT) and why it’s so important by following the link below.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm

-David Bokros