The Sound of Autumn

As the days grow short and temperatures dip, bull elk feel the nudge of autumn. Instinct and experience guide them. Ready to compete, bulls pierce the air with bugling - their distinctive mating calls.Gathering and Guarding a HaremRobust bulls rely on more than muscle to compete in the rut. Herding skills and a spirited attitude are vital, along with a stout pair of antlers. A bull must defend his harem of cows - sometimes to the death - or risk losing them.While two bulls battle, other bulls sneak in to whisk cows away. Unattended females often wander, only to be herded again. For more than a month, mature bull elk have very little time for food or rest. The rut demands full attention.Bugle Calls in the FortLong before soldiers arrived to protect Yellowstone's wonders, or built Fort Yellowstone, or graced the parade grounds with bugle calls, bull elk sounded their own bugles.Elk are wild and unpredictable. They roam freely in the park today, as they did on 1886 when soldiers first marched into Mammoth Hot Springs.Too Close!During the rut, bull elk are agitated and extremely dangerous, even when resting. Elk are quick and powerful. Keep your distance.Stay at least 25 yards (23 m) from elk at all times.< Second Marker : >Calving SeasonNew Life in the Elk HerdA Few Minutes OldCow elk give birth in May or June. In less than an hour, a newborn calf stands for its first meal.Motherly InstinctNewborns cannot keep up with the herd. A cow keeps her calf safe by hiding it, then grazes or rests nearby. Like its mother, the newborn uses instinct, lying still until its mother returns.Cow elk are very protective of their calves. A cow may charge if you venture near her young, even if you do not see a calf. Stay alert!

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Show me all markers in:  Yellowstone National Park, WY  |  Park County  |  82190  |  Wyoming  |  United States of America

The Parade Ground
Fort Yellowstone     National Historic Landmark
Fort Yellowstone
Welcome to Historic Fort Yellowstone
Road Builders
Road Builders
From Soldier to Ranger
The Drill Field
From Soldier to Ranger
Life in the Fort

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