Male elk have antlers which are shed each year. Elk are found mostly in the high meadows and subalpine forests during the summer, browsing on twigs, bark, shrubs, and occasional herbaceous plants. September is the time to listen for the male's bugling call which can be heard at Cowlitz Park, Shriner Peak, Stevens Ridge, and Sunrise. The golden mantled ground squirrel is slightly larger than the chipmunk and only has stripes down its back. Although the chipmunk and ground squirrel eat many of the same foods, they coexist because the chipmunk will climb into the lower branches of trees and shrubs to forage, while ground squirrels remain on the ground.
Marmots are the groundhogs of the west.
They are fat with short legs, and have tan to yellow-gray fur with a bushy tail. They are about the size of a large house cat. All spring, summer, and fall marmots can be seen among the wildflowers eating greens and fruits and storing fat for their winter hibernation. Almost any rocky slope will shelter a family of marmots. The east slopes of Alta Vista, the Paradise Valley, and the area around Sunrise are likely places to watch these playful animals.