Check out this dude – and notice the drop tine on the right antler. Kind of unusual and in such a nice setting.
Sadly, the surrounding scene around him wasn’t quite as pretty as this was taken within the burn area of the East Troublesome Fire. That blaze last October devastated 193,000 acres of forest and at its worst, threatened Estes Park.
We just returned from six days in one of our favorite spots in Arapaho National Forest, one we knew was well within the burn perimeter. It was very sobering, somewhat sad, but as you can see, recovery has already begun. The wildlife was as abundant as ever and the wildflowers, in this image, fireweed, covered the forest floor more than we have ever seen.
I have tons of pics to share in the coming days but this was by far my favorite. This handsome gentleman and four other bulls were regular visitors within a quarter mile of our campsite and, naturally, got their picture taken a lot. 😉
