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Elk cow with two calves at Uljaste, on a cut through forest renewal

 

 After the matings, or for almost one and a half month the elk cow has been accompanied by her calves. They will be together until spring, when the cow gives birth. The claves from this year, a little more than half a year old, weigh about a hundred kilos. In the winter coat of elks the lighter legs stand out, which shows clearly in the video.

 

They find their late autumn bellyful in the herb or thicket zone, but happily from the bark of medium old spruces – where elks are numerous damage on spruces are noticeable. The food requirement of a fully grown elk in autumn may be up to 30 kilos from which in turn up to 5 kilos of droppings per day are produced.

 

Old elk bulls move little after the matings. Some have already dropped their antlers, others will do so in December. Those who know a forest well even go to certain places to search for the antlers. For a forest rambler such a find of course is a happy surprise.

 

On December 15 the elk hunting period ends.