LUDINGTON, MI – The arrival of a wagon filled with curious kiddos and awestruck adults means just one thing to these elk: Snack time.
They know the drill and there’s even a pecking order as these elk ladies lumber up to the tractor-pulled wagon at Amber Elk Ranch. Guests eagerly greet them and dole out handfuls of grain and corn.
A female known as Jenny is the boss lady. Standing around 5-feet tall at the shoulders, she posts up at the back of the wagon, stretching her neck over the stairs to lap feed out of hands and off the floor. She fiercely defends her place against the others who occasionally sidle up in hopes of getting in on the action.
Jenny is a favorite at the ranch, 2688 W. Conrad Road just south of Ludington. Of about 130 elk, she’s one of just a few with a name outside her tag numbers. Others include Gretchen, Bug Eyes (due to her huge, bright eyes), Charlie, Piggy (always hungry) and the massive 007 (pronounced double-O-seven) who wears an enormous antler crown.
What began as a dream of having a few hobby elk quickly became a thriving business for owner Bob Northrup. The ranch raises elk for breeding stock, velvet antler products, meat, trophy bulls, and education through public, private and group tours.
Public tours are offered from late May to mid-October with weekend-only hours during spring and fall and daily hours during the peak of summer. Tours are about an hour long, run on the hour or half-hour depending on when guests arrive. Guests learn about elk and the ranch, and interact with North America’s largest deer species.
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The wagon goes into enclosures that house friendly cows, calves and bulls. Guests must stay in the wagon and are only permitted to feed the cows.
Current hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 1-6 p.m. Sundays. The last day of the season is Oct. 12.
While elk in the wild naturally shed their antlers each February, the bulls on the ranch are relieved of theirs in late summer to avoid injuries during the rutting season. To see velvet-antlered bulls, visit in May or June.
See more photos below.
