Week Three

Virtual Elk Hunt

Checking the Herd

September 8/9, 2007

Rocky Mountain National Park

Is it cheating? Maybe a little bit. But I had two problems this weekend. I had to find elk and I also had to work. So to cut to the chase I took the family to Rocky Mountain National Park to gauge the rut. It’s really not a true sign of how the elk are progressing towards the peak of the rut because these elk have no hunting pressure and they do get an earlier start into the rut because the competition is so fierce. I don’t blame them. Elk adapt very well. So disregard the buildings in the background in some of these photos. The information I learned is well worth reading on.

This bull was awesome – from his right side! Something happened during his antler development that left him with mostly a stub on his left side. He hasn’t let it stop him from wallowing and bugling though. He’s in to the rut early because I think he knows and his cows certainly know that he will get pushed out by a bigger bull in about 2 weeks. His weak left side will leave him vulnerable and not able to fight to his capability. Bad news for him, he’ll have to wait a full year until he can breed. Neat looking bull that’s for sure.

Here his in from another angle.

From inside the park the action was good too. Here a young 6x6 and a 4x4 practice. Bachelor groups of 4x4s and 5x5s are common. They can wallow, bugle and fight with each other but they won’t be allowed to participate in the breeding this year. They will be active early and late in the rut. But the peak of the rut belongs to the biggest and meanest bulls. Timing the rut is an art and a science.

Yes, the muddy 6x6 won the fight. What was interesting were the noises both made during the battle. If you’ve never heard these noises take a trip up to RMNP at some point. Bulls make a very whiney noise with their mouths closed. It is very unique and I have yet to hear any elk call manufacturer talk about this sound. It’s strictly a bull mew and is very unique. I wonder if it could be used during a hunting situation to attract other bulls? I will try to see if I captured it on video so I can isolate the sound and put it on the site for you to hear and learn from.

Oh, we saw cows too. Everyone looks plump and healthy after a very wet year. Most of these plants and grasses haven’t grown this tall in years.

There was a bull with these cows too. He was a dandy. The biggest we saw all evening. And very vocal too. Lighting was bad and my slow digital camera didn’t take any great photos. In a way I am surprised of the number of large bulls we saw with cows but I know there are a TON of elk in the park and the truly biggest bulls have yet to appear. This guy is big and will be a competitor this year for sure. But how long can he keep his cows? From what I’ve seen some of the biggest bulls leave the park and head East on to private lands or the Estes Park golf course for one major reason – to avoid the intense competition inside the park.

Interesting photo here. Look at the different colors of these hungry cows. The mature mother in the background is grayish tan. The one year old near her head is darker and already growing winter hair. The young calf is still reddish – the results of being born later this year thanks to the late rut last year.

Nice, mature bull making sweet mountain music. I could listen to that sound over and over and never get tired of hearing it. Unfortunately not everyone in the family feels the same. If you practice bugling at home or cow calling then you know what I mean.

Parting shot. Such a nice looking bull. This is what it is all about. That’s what elk heaven is all about. Finding elk, getting close, seeing the intensity of a big bull during the rut. We all have problems for but that brief moment everything in the world is good. The distraction is nice.

My observations of the rut is we’re still very much on track for a peak of the rut starting the last week of September and going strong into the first week of October. The full moon on the 26^th will make the elk rut hard all night that entire week. That’s why we’re filming during the darker nights the week after. Archers can expect things to heat up if the weather cools (Monday, September 10^th is my pick day of this next week). Rain will increase the tempo of the rut but snow seems to shut things down during the storm. Things will also pick up the last week of archery season. After muzzle loaders have left on the 16^th expect the elk to take a few days to resume their routines outside of their hiding spots.

Best of luck to everyone who is headed into elk country this year. Be safe, enjoy your time and let your worries go.

I hope you have enjoyed the photos. It was a wonderful weekend to be out in elk country.