2010 Arkansas Elk Show Update & Celebrity Eagle

The peak of the Arkansas Elk Rut is over now, but there is a lot of great elk viewing that remains for the year. There are still big bulls running herds of cow elk and this will continue until mid-December if past years are any indication. Bull fights are generally over, but sparring will continue until April.

Early mornings and afternoons after 3 or so remain the best times for elk viewing. The most reliable spot is in the middle of the Boxley Valley south of Ponca on highway 43 down by the 43/21 intersection. Lately there have been elk in the first field by the Ponca Access, just outside of Ponca.

In other news, Harley the radio-tagged bald eagle has been frequenting the Buffalo National River Watershed. Getting a picture of him would be a real trophy. He is covering an enormous area. On the website below you can find up-to-date maps of where he roosts every night. This is fun to watch.

http://www.theraptorcenternews.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Randy Mann and Tim Higgins for letting me know about this eagle.  I will definitely be trying to get this picture.

Our bald eagle season is just starting. Locals consider the season to be from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day. Visitors to the Buffalo River Region will see many more birds than the permanent population. There is also the occasional golden eagle in the area. Definitely a trophy picture.

There are plenty of reasons to visit now. There is still some nice fall color here and there but it is highly variable. Hiking is outstanding with cool temperatures and relatively few bugs. Horsemen also love this season. There are hundreds of miles of hiking and riding trails in the Buffalo National River. This is prime time for hikers and riders.