Elk and Coyotes on the Ranch

December seems to always mark increased fencing time on the ranch.  The elk come down out of the high country in large herds and pretty much ignore man-made boundaries.  Unlike our beeves, they will just flat run like wild buffalo.  Imagine a herd of 700 lb ungulates traveling at 25 mph and hitting our fences in the middle of the night.

We just wake up and survey the damage.  They really are beautiful animals, and can completely clear our fences, but often decide to plow through instead.

Other than that, things are pretty quiet at night.  Coyotes can really carry on this time of year, howling the night away under the quarter moon. Maybe their voices just resonate better over the frozen bottoms. Our Great Pyrenees guardian, Jackie, runs the hard rounds at night even in rain, sleet, or snow, protecting all that is ours.  Her sphere of protection is so solid that we never lock in our 30 laying hens and ducks at night.