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The Wild's Graceful Departure
When we first purchased our mountain property, it was as raw as land gets. No power lines, no buildings, no trails—just untamed ground. The only way in was along a rough cut that barely qualified as a road, and to even reach that, we had to forge a creek. It was wild, rugged, and untouched—and that was exactly what drew us to it.
On that very first walk down the slope toward an open meadow, I wasn’t sure what I’d find. The place felt both new and ancient at the same time. Then I noticed a shape tucked into the grass. There, lying quietly against the slope, was a cow elk bedded down.
For a few seconds, she let me share her world. The woods were completely still, except for my heartbeat. Then, as the wind shifted, she caught my scent. In a flash, she rose gracefully to her feet and disappeared into the timber, leaving only the memory of that encounter etched in my mind.
No camera in hand, no photo to prove it—just that image burned into memory. But sometimes, those are the moments that shape the stories we carry.
When I set out to design this sign, I thought about that first elk. Instead of a cow, though, I imagined a bull elk—a creature of strength, presence, and majesty—even at rest. The stillness of a bedded elk, rarely seen, seemed the perfect way to capture that memory in steel.
That idea became the Bedded Bull Elk Metal Sign, part of my Wild Steel™ Series—a collection of wildlife-inspired designs, each rooted in a true story from the mountains we call home.
While the inspiration for this sign came from memory, not film, the elk are never far from our lives here. I may not have captured a bull elk bedded down on camera, but this video is proof they roam our property—sometimes just out of sight, sometimes stepping right into view.
For me, it’s more than décor. It’s a reminder of the quiet strength of the wild, and of the moments that stay with us long after the elk have slipped out of sight.
👉 View the Bedded Bull Elk Sign in the Wild Steel™ Series here »
The Trail Cam Video
The bedded bull elk sign was inspired by memory, but this video proves these giants truly share the land with us.
From Trail-Cam To Sketch
That rare glimpse of a bedded elk stayed with me long after it vanished back into the timber. So I sketched it—not the exact cow I saw, but the spirit of a bull. The strength. The stillness. The quiet power of a giant at rest.
That sketch became the foundation for what’s now available in two forms:
A wall-style steel sign, featuring the elk bedded down among tufts of grass, antlers rising above—a silhouette that brings the calm presence of the wild indoors.
An address sign, built around that same resting elk. Here, the bull finds his place above a rustic log-style nameplate where your personalized address or family name becomes part of the design.
Both are crafted as part of the Wild Steel™ Series, where story, steel, and the untamed moments of the wild converge.
Rough sketch of the elk at rest, the starting point for the finished sign.
Here’s the Sign Inspired by This Moment
From one quiet encounter in the timber came the inspiration for this elk sign, bringing the stillness of the wild into steel.
Our Off-Grid Log Cabin
Tucked up in the mountains, this is the log home we built by hand, one log at a time. We live off-grid here, surrounded by quiet woods, wandering wildlife, and the kind of stillness that lets you notice the little things. Most of our sign designs are born from real moments that happen just beyond this porch: a cougar crossing through the pines, a fawn curled up on our driveway, a chipmunk or Jaybird raiding the feeder.
This cabin isn’t just where we live—it’s where most sketches and stories behind Wild Steel™ begin.
Facts About The Elk
Elk Fact #1
Bull elk can weigh up to 700 pounds and carry antlers that may span 4 feet across. They grow a brand-new set of antlers every single year.
Elk Fact #2
During the fall rut, bull elk make a haunting call known as a bugle—a mix of roar, whistle, and scream—that can carry for miles across the mountains.
Bedded elk metal signs from our Wild Steel™ Series — available as a personalized family sign or custom address marker.
Capture the quiet strength of a bedded elk in steel — a design inspired by the wild moments we see here on the mountain.
More From the Wild Steel™ Series
From this rare sighting of an elk at rest came one story — but the mountain offered more. A fawn soon wandered into our path along with a cougar.
