Early-morning wake-up yields dawn elk treasure
In dawn’s golden light, a young pair of bull tule elk emerged, their fresh antlers still covered in velvet fuzz. After a short spot-and-stalk, a photograph captured what felt like an unrepeatable moment for Kurt Schwabe of San Francisco at the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.
“I set the alarm for 3:45 a.m. to be there at dawn and made the two-hour drive from San Francisco,” he said with a laugh.
Anybody can do the same, not necessarily with such an early wake-up, and see not only this year’s crop of elk — numbering more than 300 — but also river otters.
Grizzly Island is along the lower Sacramento River Delta, south of Suisun City.