Yellowstone Elk Begin Their Rut
Is the summer season in the Greater Yellowstone area coming to an end? Judging from the behavior of the elk on the northern end of Yellowstone, it is. Park Spokesman Al Nash says the bull elk have already gone into their annual rut, making them quite unpredictable. Nash says if an elk can get something tangled in its antlers, it has happened. Furthermore, he says there has been a fair share of cars damaged by elk this time of year over the years. But in addition to becoming somewhat zany, Nash says the elk can also be quite aggressive for no apparent reason at all. As they run around, Nash says they are not paying attention to people or vehicles – and if either gets in the way, they suffer the consequences. While many of the incidents happen in the Mammoth area of the park due to the concentration of elk and people in that area, Nash says the concern is very real in all parts of the park. Nash says the fall bugling has begun already, but not in earnest. Those wishing to observe the fall mating ritual need to always be sure they are at least 25 yards away from the agitated animals.
