The Denali barren-ground caribou herd numbers in at around 1700 animals. It is the largest herd that is not hunted in North America. This bull was shedding his velvet before the start of mating season. This is the sight of fall in an intact sub-arctic ecosystem. The loss of velvet on the caribou is a sign for the people of the North that winter is on it's way.

Denali National Park, Alaska