Click on the Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk image to enlarge

Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk

Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk was taken on a fall trip to Yellowstone National Park during the fall elk rut. The Elk (or Wapiti) is one of the largest species of deer in the world. A Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk is also one of the largest mammals in North America.

Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat. Elk feed on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. The Male elk has large antlers which are shed each year.

During the fall rut an Elk will engage in a ritual of mating behaviors that include posturing, sparring with antlers and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations which establishes dominance over other males and attracts females.

The sound of an Elk bugling is a beautiful and mysterious sound. It is a difficult sound to describe but when you hear it for the first time you will never forget that sound. Click here to listen to a Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk.  A Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk is something that attracts visitor from around the world to Yellowstone National Park. It is akin to the howl of a grey wolf as a distinctive sound of nature.

A bugle is normally interpreted by an Elk as a challenge from one Bull to another for dominance. The dominant Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk is normally protecting a harem of cows he is carefully guarding. Often the dominant Bull Elk has a bugle that is deeper and clearer, a sound of dominance and maturity.

Only mature bulls have large harems and breeding success peaks at about eight years of age. A bull with a harem rarely feeds and he may lose up to 20 percent of body weight. Bulls that enter the rut in poor condition are less likely to make it through to the peak conception period or have the strength to survive the rigors of the oncoming winter.

The rut continues for about a month in length, and that month is typically September, with the middle of the month the height of the rut.

A Yellowstone Bugling Bull Elk is a wonderful and distinctive sound of nature and should be experienced and appreciated by all nature lovers.