It helps to think of winter during the hot summer. Cow elk, in rabbitbrush, during a snowstorm. Lighting was not good and the wind was howling, as you can see from the snow packing one side of her face.
Canon Xti, 400 mm f5.6 lens.
1/250
f5.6
ISO 400
Hi Dave,
Agree that a vert may have worked better.........i do notice some of the other elk in the BG.........so may not have been possible. Placing the head to either side of the frame may also work. got to love the mood and feel you presented though! Is the cooling off trick working???