BOZEMAN — Picture this: You’re sitting in your kitchen having your morning cup of coffee and you look out the window and see something incredible. You get in your car, drive out there and you capture the most memorable video you’ve ever taken.
That’s exactly what happened to one woman recently.
“I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Michelle Dralle.
Dralle said she’ll never forget seeing a herd of elk cross Cottonwood Road. Just how many elk?
“I thought it was about a thousand, but other people have said it’s more than a 1,000, maybe even 2,000,” said Dralle.
WATCH VIDEO OF THE ELK CROSSING HERE:
Dralle has lived in the Hyalite Foothills area for about 35 years. She said the morning started off like any other day, until...
“I looked out the window and I saw the line of elk going right across the field out there. And I thought, ‘They’re back!’”
It was a herd Dralle had seen last year around the same time, but when she saw these elk a year ago the herd was about half the size. That's why Dralle hopped in her car and drove up the road to get a closer look and captured an incredible video.
“I was thrilled. I pulled up and they were just starting to cross the road. And I just couldn't believe my timing. It was perfect," she said.
Dralle recently revisited the exact spot where she filmed the video. Tracks from the elk were still fresh in the snow.
But where did these elk come from and where were they going?
Morgan Jacobsen, information and education manager for Montana FWP Region 3, offered an answer.
“What we’re seeing is that there’s a lot more snow at higher elevations. And they have to be able to find food. So, they come down to lower elevations to do that,” Jacobsen said.
This is why you may see a lot more wildlife around the area for the next few months.
“This herd in particular here south of Bozeman is one of a few that we are putting collars on, to track their movements,” said Jacobsen.
The reason is to make sure the elk are steering clear of busy highways. And after tracking these elk for a year now, something they’ve also noticed?
“They’ve showed that they are using places with conservation easements, which is good. That's why those easements are there, to help protect wildlife habitats,” Jacobsen said.
In fact, the land you see them traveling through in Michelle's video is conservation easement land, owned by Dralle's neighbor.
“Because of them, we have this open space that gives the elk the opportunity to roam and migrate. I love it because I love seeing the wildlife,” said Dralle.
Dralle said next January she’ll be on the lookout for this herd again. And as for this once-in-a-lifetime video she took?
“I feel so lucky I got to see it. And I’m glad I got the video and can share it with people because it was amazing," she said.
RELATED: WATCH: Elk herd crossing road near Bozeman captured on video
