Antler Shed Season

Antler Shed Season

Submitted by Patricia Skibko, Wildlife Apprentice If you want to see elk with their antlers, come now to the Elk & Bison Prairie. Each year bull elk lose their antlers in the early spring. Antlers typically fall off independently of each other. Usually both shed within about one week. They take a lot of punishment through fights with other bulls during the mating season. When elk lose their antlers, new ones start growing almost immediately. Throughout a bull’s lifetime each new set of antlers grown are larger than the last. Elaborate antlers are an indicator that an elk bull is…
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Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge

Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge

Submitted by Brian Truskey Communications Department apprentice at Land Between The Lakes The next time you come to visit Land Between The Lakes, plan to visit to our neighbors to the south at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge encompasses 51,000 acres of forest, farmland and grassland wildlife habitat. In 1945 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the area to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Now over 306 species of birds currently call the refuge home at some point during the year. Over 50 types of mammals, 144 fish species, around 90 species of frogs,…
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Peregrine Falcons Return to Land Between The Lakes

Peregrine Falcons Return to Land Between The Lakes

Submitted by John Pollpeter Soaring above the iron works of the Eggner’s Ferry Bridge, peregrine falcons survey their winter kingdom.  Each winter, these once rare birds return to Land Between The Lakes following migrating waterfowl. Also known as “duck hawks,” these crow-sized falcons are the fastest animal on Earth; diving at 240 mph.  These “speed demons” use high perches such as cliffs, bridges, or buildings to launch a successful hunt.  Peregrines tend to focus on hunting birds and often catch their prey on the wing. The Eggner’s Ferry Bridge, as well as the other bridges near Land Between The Lakes,…
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First Elk Calf of the Season

First Elk Calf of the Season

Story submitted by Curtis Fowler, Range Technician at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area-- As spring turns into summer, bison at the Elk & Bison Prairie have been producing calves almost every week since early April. Memorial Day weekend marks the time that elk normally start producing their calves at the Elk & Bison Prairie. The first calf was seen on June 8; however, there are likely a few others hiding in the bushes. Bugle Corps staff have spotted 4 elk calves so far over the past week. This week, we located one of the newest calves and tagged it…
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Scenic Viewing and Special Places Inventory

Scenic Viewing and Special Places Inventory

We ask you to complete this Scenic Viewing and Special Places Inventory and tell us about your favorite scenic areas. What would you like Land Between The Lakes to emphasize in managing our landscape for high quality scenic integrity? If you would like to complete the scenic viewing and special places inventory, please follow this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8KPQ8KJ. If you would like to learn more about the inventory, read further. Hello! My name is Rourke McDermott and I serve as a Landscape Architect at Valles Caldera National Preserve, north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. During the next five months, I am working…
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