BOZEMAN — Picture this: you’re sitting in your kitchen having your morning cup of coffee and you look out the window and see something incredible. You get in your car, drive out there and you capture the most memorable video you’ve ever taken. That’s exactly what happened to one woman Wednesday morning.
“I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Michelle Dralle.
Michelle says she’ll never forget seeing a herd of elk cross Cottonwood Road. Just how many elk?
“I thought it was about 1,000. But other people have said it’s more than 1,000, maybe even 2,000,” says Michelle.
SEE VIDEO OF THE ELK CROSSING HERE:
Michelle has lived in the Hyalite Foothills area for about 35 years. She told me Wednesday morning started off like any other day—until?
“I looked out the window and I saw the line of elk going right across the field out there. And I thought, ‘They’re back!’”
It was a herd Michelle had seen last year around the same time, but when she saw these elk a year ago, the herd was about half the size. That's why Michelle hopped in her car and drove up the road to get a closer look and captured an incredible video.
“I was thrilled. I pulled up and they were just starting to cross the road. And I just couldn't believe my timing. It was perfect," she says.
Michelle took me to the exact spot she filmed the video. Tracks from the elk were still fresh in the snow.
But we were both curious where these elk came from and where they're going. So I met up with Morgan Jacobsen, information and education manager for Montana FWP Region 3, to find out.
“What we’re seeing is that there’s a lot more snow at higher elevations. And they have to be able to find food. So, they come down to lower elevations to do that,” Jacobsen explains.
Which is why for the next few months you may be seeing a lot more wildlife around the area.
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“This herd in particular here south of Bozeman is one of a few that we are putting collars on, to track their movements,” says Jacobsen.
The reason is to make sure the elk are steering clear of busy highways. And after tracking these elk for a year now, something they’ve also noticed?
“They’ve showed that they are using places with conservation easements, which is good. That's why those easements are there, to help protect habitat for wildlife,” Jacobsen explains.
In fact, the land you see them traveling through in Michelle's video is conservation easement land, owned by Michelle’s neighbor.
“Because of them we have this open space that gives the elk the opportunity to roam and migrate. I love it because I love seeing the wildlife,” says Michelle.
Michelle tells me next January she’ll be on the lookout for this herd again. And as for this once-in-a-lifetime video she took?
“I feel so lucky I got to see it. And I’m glad I got the video and can share it with people because it was amazing," she says.
