In the yellowstone the animals seem always to behave as one wishes them to! it is always possible to see the sheep and deer and antelope, and also the great herds of elk, which are shyer than the smaller beasts. in april we found the elk weak after the short commons and hard living of winter.

what is the closest meaning of the bolded phrase as it used in the excerpt?

a: survival efforts
b: hunting season
c: long and cold season
d: trials and tribulations