New wildlife cam features 800-pound elk in northern Michigan
When the harsh winds of winter blow and the snow falls, it can be difficult for some of us to muster the will and energy to spend time in nature. Yet connecting with nature is important for our health, even in cold weather. Now viewers around the world can enjoy the Gaylord, Michigan elk cam and get a taste of the outdoors from the comfort of their own home. With this live stream, nature lovers can watch the 60-member herd in Elk View Park as the large mammals enjoy a Midwestern winter. You can connect to the elk cam here.
âIn a 2017 tourism study, we learned that approximately 60 percent of visitors to the area participate in elk viewing,â Christy Walcott, director of marketing and communications for the Gaylord Area Tourism Office, said in a statement. “Watching elk is a highlight not only for visitors, but also for locals. It’s a pastime we have all enjoyed in Gaylord and many people want to keep the experience and share it with others.”
The camera is operated by the Gaylord Area Convention & Tourism Bureau, in partnership with the Otsego County Commission on Aging (OCCOA) and the City of Gaylord.
The city’s elk herd roams 108 acres in the outdoor tourism mecca of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The webcam was placed near their feeding area, where they are fed corn, hay, sugar beets and vitamins. Some bull elk (or bulls) weigh over 800 pounds and stand over 6 feet tall. The town’s herd started with three elk that were rescued when a local nature center closed.
The area is also home to a large herd of wild elk that visitors can observe in the Pigeon River Country State Forest. While the animals were once native to northern Michigan, they disappeared from the region by the end of the 19th century. This current wild herd dates back to 1918, when seven Rocky Mountain elk were introduced to the Gaylord area. The herd gradually grew to nearly 1,500 elk by the 1960s. However, their population plummeted in the mid-1970s due to poaching and
reduced habitat quality. Since then, local government and the private sector have worked to manage the elk population. Based on a 2016 aerial survey, the population is estimated at 1,300 animals, making it one of the largest free-ranging elk herds east of the Mississippi.
Wild elk are found year-round in the Pigeon River Country State Forest Area, but September and October are considered the best months to view elk. This is when bulls attempt to establish dominance for the right to mate with females (or cows) in the herd. Bulls emit loud vocalizations (called bugles) and break up brush with their antlers in an attempt to impress cows and intimidate rivals.
Additional elk cameras are installed at different times of the year in other states, including Pennsylvania and Virginia. Never-before-seen nature webcams offer people of all abilities an accessible way to connect with nature, while entertaining and educating.
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