Cynthia Martin of BristleCone captured these amazing photos on January 5. The herd of elk travelled through the number one fairway of The Ridge golf course behind Martin’s home.

According to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, elk move down from the mountains to places where they can still find grass and other plants to eat during the winter. In fact, half of their winter diet consists of bark, twigs off trees, and shrubs.

Colorado has the largest elk population in North America. Regardless of the cold and snow, the Colorado Division of Wildlife encourages homeowners not to feed wild animals of any kind. Unlike humans, wild animals have developed ways to cope with the cold and stress of winter.