Elk Mating Calls and Big Boob Mountains…Only In Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Every year we go on an annual family vacation with Gordon’s extended family to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. One of the main reasons they go is not to spend time together (although that is another main reason they go) but to hear the elk bugle (aka the elk’s mating call). We do not go there to watch them mate, but to hear their mating call…very different. A co-worker of mine looked at me awfully funny when I told her that we go to Jackson to hear the elks mating call…she quickly replied “So you watch the elk mate?” No. Again, very different. We see no action. Wait, I take that back. We see some action…when two male elk battle it out for a female. But no mating action. This year we didn’t even see a battle. A little disappointing, but seeing four bears (we saw the same set of bears twice), two moose, lots of elk (one very close up), a deer, and a couple of bald eagles made up for that.

The weather was superb. The fall colors in full bloom. It was absolutely beautiful up there.

We did the usual activities: wake up at 6:00am to hear the elk bugle, then have a big family breakfast, split off into individual families to do our day activities which this year consisted of a fall harvest market in town and hike at Jenny Lake (special side note: Matt proposed to Jenny on this hike…she said yes!), then meet back with the extended family for dinner and family time, then on Sunday we go to church (which is still new to me…church while on vacation…I don’t know).

We had a very nice trip. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Hardcastle for putting this together for us and fronting the condo bill. And thanks Kim and LeeAnn for supplying us with food and great company. We’re so grateful to be apart of such a wonderful family.