Living in Banff National Park, nature is never far away. A bull elk hanging out at the rec grounds with a rainbow from of Mount Rundle.
Elk
A picture of a bull elk taken few weeks back, busy eating in the Bow Valley. Busy gaining weight and growing its antlers for the rut season that will start in late August.
Elk
In the morning I came across half a dozen elk, among them a new born calf, staying close to its mother. On the other side of elk were friends who were returning from bird watching, all getting to see a 15 to 16 kg calf, covered with spots. The mother was still licking the calf, trying to remove all sent that would give away the calf’s location to the predators. The mother was locating a secure spot for the calf, until it was ready to be able to run away from danger. Around the calving season there are more bear sighting in the area, all looking for an opportunity to locate a defenceless calf. Other predators join in as well, just minutes before this picture was taken, a female coyote was in the area, sent running by the elk. Soon after the mother took the calf into think vegetation, where the calf could rest, be nursed and kept safe.
Elk
This bull elk is facing a few challenges throughout the winter, main ones deal with the winter season, the cold temperatures and the amount of fallen snow. Using more energy if it's colder and more energy to get at the low quality food through the fallen snow. This bull like other elk may lose 20 to 25 percent of their weight over a winter and if he loses more than 30 percent, very likely he will not survive the winter. The winter might take it or if it's so weak, predators the likes of wolves or cougars will take it. It helps when the days start getting longer, it means shorter cold nights to deal with. Using the dense forest as cover, it can be few degrees warmer in the forest and protection from the wind. It may not make a difference for one day, but over a whole winter, every bit adds up. For wildlife it's the survival of the fittest, literally.
Elk
Once the rut season is over, the male Elk will get together and stay together until the next rut season. Few larger bulls will stay alone, if they are weak from not having enough time to eat during the rut season, losing up to 30 percent of the weight. And if cold weather arrives right after the rut season, it can end larger bull's life. But if they can find enough food and get back some energy. Then there's a good chance they will survive the winter and hope to compete in the next rutting season.
Elk
With the elk rut season coming to an end, it was interesting to see the male challengers were taking every steps to avoid fighting with the defending bull. Only when the challenger though he could take on a defender there would be a battle. First step would be to listen to the defending bull's bugle, which indicates size and strength of the defender. If the challenging bull was not deterred from the bugling, then he would locate the defender and size him out. If the challenger still felt confident, there might be bluff charge or two, both bulls walking side by side with each showing the other how big they were, this can go on for several minutes. If neither bull moves off, the next step would be to fight each other, this can last few seconds to several minutes. From my experience, in most cases the defender is the winner, even more so the larger the harem a defending bull has. Because there is a good reason why a certain bull has a large harem, the females decide which male to seek out for mating from the bugling. A weaker bull not only has tougher time defending but also keeping his harem together.
Elk
Two elk bulls fighting to decide who will mate. Normally these fights last a minute or so, sometimes seconds. But in this case they went on for several minutes, both getting tired and foaming at their mouth. Finally it was over, the one on the left was the challenger and in the end the loser of this battle.
Elk
This young bull elk making the moves on this female during the rut season. Head held high, the tongue sticking out while approaching the cow when trying to attract her during the mating season.
Elk
The elk rut season is full on, bugling can head throughout the valley. This male was busy calling out after taking his aggression out on the vegetation. The larger stronger males's bugling will attract the females who are interested in mating with this male. As well keep males away, except for those who feel they can challenge the bugling male.
Elk
Not sure what was going on, but I saw these three elk while birding. They were rising back and forth in different direction. I looked around to see if there was a a predator, none spotted. After a while they ran away from me and did not return. Maybe they were excising.
Elk
It was a cold morning when I came across four male elk, the other two are just outside the frame. It had been a very cold night, so as soon as the sunshine hit the valley, they moved into it. Every bit helps.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
There were three male elk I came across, while two of them stayed to the side and kept eating. This one stopped to look toward me and seems to be showing me his teeth. Perhaps he was smiling for the camera.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
Couple of months ago this male elk got yellow rope tangled onto its antlers. Every week or so I come across him, he's doing well. The rope is now mostly tangled on just one of his antlers. He might just have to wait until April when his antlers will fall off, along with the rope.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
It coming toward the end of the rut season, the dominant males are getting tired, you can hear it in their bugling compared to start of the rut season. It will not be long before the large bulls will behanging out with the bachelors once again. It will be interesting to see what this bull will do, before the rut season I seen him few times and each time he was on his own.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
The large bull is moving his harem from out of the forest to the open. Where he can see what is happening, if any other male is moving toward his females. Only rest he gets is during middle of the day, once he starts bugling, he will not stop until mid-morning.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
I came across this large bull elk middle of an another busy evening during the rut season. There is very little time to rest and eat for this bull, he is kept busy keeping his harem together and other males away. Bugling loud and often, signalling his strength and size to ward off competing bulls and to attract females. It's tough work for the bull to keep his harem together, losing considerable amount of weight, as a result becoming vulnerable to predators and the coming winter. All to mate and to pass on his genetic superiority to the next generation.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
This bull elk may look silly in the picture, but in realty it was all business. The rut season is on and this male had just tossed around tall grass and was heading toward the nearby females in his harem. All the large male elk will be busy for the next few weeks defending or competing to mate.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
To get this picture, just wait for the elk to cross the Bow River to the town of Banff's Central Park. Then wait for someone who is on duty in the human/wildlife conflict department for Parks Canada to be informed and then to arrive at the Central Park. Then wait further for the elk to be forced away from the people, back across the river. While they are crossing back get the picture. So get out there and wait by the river or just be bit lucky to be in the right spot when they are being forced away from town.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
It was early in the morning when I was walking along a path through a fog. I came across this waterway, I looked in both direction, but when I looked right I saw this bull elk standing in the water he was about to cross. He looked toward me and then straight ahead. There was enough clarity in the fog for him to stand out, I stayed put and took his pictures as he walked to the other side.
Until next moment,
Amar
Elk
I spotted this young male elk early in the morning, he and an older male were hanging out, eating grass. Their winter coat is gone and their antlers are coming along nicely.
Until next moment,
Amar
