Cool picture have seen this more than once like someone else said this is usually followed by a bark or a whole bunch of breaking brush as the rest of the herd departs 
Oh it was there, and heard.
There was about 25 head in the bunch. They sort of trotted off about 75 yards away, kind of milled around (could not smell us) for about 5 minutes. I took more pictures.
Wind shifted, they ran about another 75 yards and stopped again...
Some were very pregnant. Did not see any horn growth on any of them, so assumed just a herd of cows.. (did see horn growth on another elk later that day) have pictures of that bunch too...
