I used to live on a mountain next to a river in Tillamook, OR (it is near the coast) in a little cabin with wood heat. My neighbors across the road were living in there trailer while remodeling their cabin and in the middle of the night the elk would rub against their trailer and rock it violently side to side waking them. Something woke me one night, I looked out my window and looking in at me was a huge bull elk, his rack was huge, I am glad he didn't break my window.

The sad, sad thing was we would get poachers across the river where the only access to this private property was a fallen tree poachers would walk across to kill elk, pretty much they left the lot of the meat, cause they couldn't carry it out. We would see birds circling across the river and knew. I loath poaching.

It was very beautiful to drive a little ways up the road and the biggest herd of elk would come down the mountain to graze in the meadow. We were hiding behind a rock staying very still, some were not aware of us, it was so beautiful to see 100's all at once and I love their whistles. Then the elk we spooked would gracefully run up the mountain through the trees. We watched them for over an hour watching their interaction and hierarchy, they would come and go up and down the mountain through the trees.....It was one of the most beautiful times I have had in the middle of nature..

Interesting thing about elk, they were originally a plains grazer and followed the buffalo migrations because they preferred the fresh grass that came after the herds passed. When settlement came and buffalo ceased, they moved into foothills and forested regions and have thrived. They are very similar to European Red Deer.

very cool.  I live right near a town called Elk Grove, but I bet there hasn't been an elk there in 100 years.  The only time I've seen any was in Yellowstone National park.

Some of my neighbors go to Arizona to escape our winters but they still like to return here for the summer. It sounds like your weather is very accommodating for sitting outside and playing for a huge cactus and I can imagine that the cactus would be a great audience.

I am jealous! Have always wanted to see elk but none yet. Our biggest pests here are javelina (collared peccary) , bobcats and coyotes. And that excluded goodies like snakes. Most of the time these critters are not nearly as dangerous as heat and lack of water. But we love Tucson. Nice to sit outside and play for a huge cactus.

They aren't as much a problem in the garden as deer are but they do destroy a lot of crop in the Fall. They are certainly more cautious than deer, this is about 100 to 150 yards away and they started running when I opened the patio door. Despite being something of a farm pest, they are very majestic looking.

That's exciting Gordon. Do you have to protect your garden from Elk instead of Deer like us? Or are they more cautious than deer?