Larry A. Smail's Blog

Beautiful Pennsylvania

The morning trip for a day in the woods and streams began at 4: 50 A.M. for me. I would be spending all   day in some of the most beautiful areas of Pennsylvania. I needed to travel to Austin, Pennsylvania to pick up stones that had some of my art prints applied to them, so why not make a day out of it. I had been looking forward with hiking and fishing, as well as, wildlife watching. I had been planning on this day excursion all along!

I arrived at Benezette, Pennsylvania around 6:30A.M. The day was already becoming light since we moved to a different time on Sunday. I traveled up and over the hill to watch the sun rise and cast its rays onto the easterly facing mountains. A reddish-golden glow was the result. The temperatures were below freezing for a blue-white colored frost would be everywhere the sun had not warmed.

Headin’ to the cows!

   The elk were all about this morning. Bulls, cows and calves were scattered all about. I watched two mature bulls as they bugled declaring their availability to the many cows and calves. Young bulls of the year were busy being frisky. They would head bump and run and chase each other.  The big bulls didn’t have time for such actions. These fellers had serious things on their minds. The primary rut is over, but these bulls were still in the mood!                      

I saw some cows and calves out in the sun. I liked the yellow morning glow against the yellow leaves of the birch. I took a lot of photos of all these elk. I would see another small-racked elk later near Medix Run, Pennsylvania. Only a couple of people were in the area at this time. That was a plus for me!

I spent an hour or so in this area before moving along towards the First Fork of the Sinnemahoning.