Arkansas Wildlife News and Calendar -- Arkansas Wildlife Photography, Buffalo National River Region

2011 Arkansas Wildlife Fall Events Calendar - 9/17/11

Fall Color
Fall color is now about 4 weeks off based on past experience. About the 3rd week in October is what most project as the date for peak color. After the tough drought of this year it is a little tougher to predict than in past years. Many locals remember exceptional fall color following a dry summer. We shall see. At this time there is very early, very limited color beginning. Perhaps the season will start early and end late.

Wildflowers
Fall wildflowers are in bloom. Photographers who seek wildlife and landscapes in the mornings will enjoy digging around in the wildflowers after the "sweet light" is gone. Roadsides and the banks of the Buffalo and the Ozark creeks are outstanding.

Butterflies
Butterflies are still going strong. There are multiple generations of some species so one can still find a "fresh" butterfly when digging around the wildflowers. Many species are mating and some interesting pictures can be taken of that process. Butterflies are a challenging subject, but quite possible if you shoot high shutter speeds in with a small aperture.

Elk Rut is Underway -- Peak Activity is Just Beginning
Peak rut is from the 3rd week of September to mid-October. Early rutting began the first week of September this year, perhaps due to the cold snap we had. Lots of nice bulls in the valley now and more are arriving all the time, but traditionally the biggest bulls arrive around October 1. Yesterday the Boxley Beast arrived (this year an 8x6) and took over a big herd, currently down by Smith Creek on the south end. Lots of elk viewing ahead. Make your reservations now if you plan to stay in the upper Buffalo River area. There are still a few cabins available Lost Valley Campground is closed, but you can still camp at Steel Creek and at the private campground at Lost Valley Canoe in Ponca for $10 a night. LVC also has coin-op showers. Ponca and Steel Creek are very close to the best elk action. Kyles Landing is also a good choice if you have a 4WD vehicle or have good ground clearance. I would visit http://buffaloriverchamber.com for great planning information.

I will be starting my list of biggest bulls soon. The first will be "Godzilla", a new bull. I saw Hacksaw the other day. This will be his 4th year in front of my lens. Yesterday the Boxley Beast arrived and promptly asserted his dominance. He is clearly one of the big bulls like Hacksaw.

This is last year's list of the biggest bulls that showed up in Boxley Valley. Some are multiple year bulls:
Boxley Stud Bubba Stud Boxley Beast Freak Show
Four Points Hacksaw Pretty Boy

I am starting my annual elk rut galleries now. My coverage of the rut in the next few weeks should yield some pretty good images. I already have a river crossing by a rutting herd on 9/6 -- very early.

Check out what I call the "Bucket List". These are sample pictures of elk in circumstances you might see. They include some pretty rare pictures of elk, all of them taken from the road in Boxley Valley.

For reliable viewing, daybreak to 9AM is the best, the earlier the better, on cold days elk hang around until 10AM but I would not depend on it. On rainy days they could stay out longer. Elk don't like sunlight. The most reliable place to see elk is around the 43/21 intersection, but all points south in the valley all the way to the south treailhead should be checked. This year the best viewing action has been down by Smith Creek in the south end -- a first in recent history. Since there are no cattle in the north fields up by Ponca I would expect to see a herd show up there. It has been a traditionally strong viewing area in the past.

This year I started a map with dates where elk herds were located. This is served on this site as well as my blogger blog. For those of you with mobile phones this means that you can view the map on your phones. Blogger will automatically serve the content in mobile form.

Whitetail Deer
Deer are moving everywhere now. Whitetail bucks are in velvet. Expect to see them on hikes and in fields just about all day long. Near my home on Old Erbie Road, between two trail heads, we see whitetails nearly every day early and late, including many small bucks. Whitetails are a good bet after the elk have bedded down for the day. It is not uncommon to see them along the river and crossing the river. Fawns have lost their spots in most cases, but we have twins who are still spotted living near us -- we see them every day.

Trumpeter Swans
All four swans, generally organized in two groups of two, remaining from the back-migration experiment at the Boxley Mill pond. It is rare to see more than two in a group these days. It is difficult to figure out exactly what is going on with the "other" swans. Currently two are on the Boxley Valley mill pond or the big spring just south of the pon and may offer some decent morning shoots, especially along the south end of the pond where there are multiple old beaver dams and many deadheads. These swans will move occasionally to other ponds so pay attention when you drive the area.

Tip: If you see the trumpeters start bobbing their heads and honking occasionally, they are getting ready to fly. Focus and wait and you will see a takeoff, and wait longer and they will return after a loop in the valley. These are great pictures and challenging to take.

Bald Eagles and Other Birds
Each November bald eagles migrate from the north to our area. There are concentrations of them around the chicken houses in adjacent counties. Bald eagles hunt over a large area, 50 miles or more so Boxley Valley gets its share of visits. From November to early February expect to see more bald eagles around Boxley Valley. The best bet for watchers and photographers is the Boxley Mill Pond. Often they can be seen in the trees and snags around the pond.

I have had some success photographing small bird species at and around the Boxley Valley Mill pond. The mill pond offers an exceptional range of habitat compressed in a small area. It is home to many species of birds. I like to get pictures of birds in flight. I it is cool to catch them reflected in the water while in flight. Some of these qualify as trophy shots, quite difficult to get. The key is patience and gumption -- you will miss a lot of pictures. The banks of river and the tributary creeks are also hot spots. Hiking these areas in low water will really pay off with some great shots.

Ticks, Chiggers, and Snakes
Make sure you check for ticks after a hike, especially if you are bushwhacking. If you hike the rivers and creeks watch your feet. There are snakes. Remember that the best antidote for a snake bite is your car. If bit, go to the nearest hospital. Around here that will likely be Harrison. The hospital is just north of the downtown square on the main drag.

Chiggers are now making their last stand. Stay away from deep grass and wipe down after a hike. I would assume that they are around.

This seems like an exceptional year for tiny ticks, sometimes called "seed ticks". These little buggers take some focus to locate. ALWAYS check for ticks after being outside. Tick borne disease transmits after about 48 hours if a tick is not removed.

Hunting Season(s)
It is probably a good idea to "orange up" if you hike in November and December. We are in the multitude of deer seasons, the most concerning is modern rifle from a safety standpoint. Dress colorfully and you should be OK. Generally you can tell if there are hunters around by trucks and SUVs parked in unusual places. Most hunters will not hike deep into the parklands because they have to physically carry their prey out.

Arkansas Wildlife Calendar & Nature News Blog

2011 Arkansas Wildlife Fall Events Calendar - 9/17/11