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Friday, October 1, 2021

Autumn Trees and Autumn Elk Rut

The weather has turned, and it is truly autumn here. The trees are racing toward peak color. And it's been cold and foggy for a couple of days.

A couple of nights ago, both the Runner and I were out getting the garden ready for the cold and for the bear. I was putting frost blankets on our beds, hoping that the frost would not kill everything. The Runner was putting up an electric fence, hoping to deter the bear from eating the whole garden. We both succeeded.

As we worked, we heard the ethereal sound of an elk bugling on the hillside above us. His high pitched bellow echoed off the valley walls. It is the season when elk are busy making calves. One male gathers a group of female elk, and he works so hard to keep them with him and to prevent other bull elk from mating with them. Indeed, a bull elk who successfully keeps a harem with him might not survive the coming winter. He even forgoes eating in his quest.

Bull elk also adorn themselves with mud, grass, and urine to attract the cow elk. That started in late September in two wallows in a side valley near our house. Check out the crazy behavior of the bull elk in a video from very close to our home in Lab Valley.

 


15 comments:

  1. The elk rut behaviour is similar in many ways to that of our red deer here in Scotland, but the high pitched bugling is something else entirely!

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  2. we would love to take such a bath... it#s friday, so we should get one ;O)

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  3. It's funny what the female elk finds attractive. He looks so much better without the mud and grass on his beautiful antlers.

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  4. I had no idea about all the elk facts you shared.
    I agree with Molly about what attracts a female, she likes lots of 'natural and earthy" scents. LOL
    Hugs cecilia

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  5. What an interesting video. We always wondered how they got the grass on their antlers and now we know. Millie barked when she heard the elk bugling.

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  6. He has quite the rack. :p I'm sure that's attractive to the ladies as well.

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  7. Love the autumn colors. Beautiful. Love the video too. You live in paradise.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥

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  8. Nothing quite like a grass necklace or tiara, and the mud must be attractive, nature has some odd ways of attracting the opposite sex. The bugling, what a wonderful call, and so close to your home. and leaves changing almost daily, I wonder when the first close big snowfall will happen.

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  9. The bugling gets me everytime...such an unexpected sound coming from such a "manly" bull!

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  10. What interesting mating behavior! The sound these majestic creatures makes still catches me off guard.

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  11. Every single time they amaze me, so fun to see.

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  12. I'm sure his "ladies" are thrilled with all his efforts to impress them!

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  13. I just love that first photo. I'd love to be on that road. It's been cool and rainy here, and I've been working so much....I haven't been able to get out and really enjoy the foliage here (though we seem to be behind schedule on that anyway). I hope to get out there soon!

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  14. We always learn so much from your posts and your vidoes. Thanks for the elk lesson:)

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