Elk Rut Bulls Bugling

More Elk Rutting Season
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Elk Rut 4

Why do Elk Bulls Bugle During the Rut?

During Elk rutting or mating season, male elk emit bugle calls that function in attracting potential mates, bringing herd members closer together, aid the assessment of fighting ability and display dominance of other bull elk.

Bugle Tones - Low and Higher Tones

Structural rules have been observed to predict that aggressive vocalizations are usually low-frequency, wide-bandwidth sounds, whereas friendly or fearful or bugle vocalizations are usually high-frequency, narrow-bandwidth sounds. Many Elk bull bugles during the rut will also contain both the high and low frequencies together.

The Elk Rut

The Elk Rut is just a couple months away. Elk Bulls are putting on a lot of weight right now as their testosterone increases and they have access to much more nutritious food. Bugles, Battles and Breeding will be taking over this Beautiful area as Bulls fight to claim or hold their territories' throne.


Elk Rut on Video

Elk Rut Action at it's Peak

A high ratio of Big Elk Bulls to Cows in a tight area of Nature at the height of the Elk Rut. Elk Bulls came out of everywhere in this short period, and the dynamics were amazing to witness. The Sheriff still had no problem asserting his dominance among all these incredible Bulls, but there were many successes between other Bulls and Cows as well. A lot of energy expenditure on the formation and protection of small herds, both along and in Athabasca River. These couple days were not only filled with fighting, bugling, herding and mating, but also some elk rut behaviors not previously witnessed. We left all the original sound in which offers listening to the intensity of all that we could see, but also that we could only hear. Much of this elk rut footage includes hand held digital zoom at dusk.. thank you for your patience with that.


Elk Rut on Video

60 Elk Bull Bugles during the Elk Rut

Here are 60+ Elk Bull bugles during this year's Elk Rut so far. This shows a wide array of bugling sounds and tones from the largest Elk Bulls in this area of Canada's Rockies.


Elk Rut on Video

Elk Bulls Bugling During the Rut

Magnificent Elk Bulls bugling during the rutting season in Canada's Rockies.


Elk Rut on Video

Biggest Elk Bull All Fired Up During the Elk Rut - Lots of Bugles

The Sheriff, still considered the largest Elk Bull in this area, is all fired up around these cows and satellite Elk Bulls during the beginning of the Elk Rut. His Bugles clearly demonstrate the sounds of a dominant Elk Bull, signaling other Bulls that he is not to be messed with.


Elk Rut on Video

The Most Successful and Battled Elk Bull in this Territory

Here are some highlights of the last several years of this area's most famous Elk Bull during the rutting season. He has dominated this area for many years now, with past bumps and bruises very evident during his success. While his behavior was more cautious in 2020, his maturity served him well. Just a few days ago, we captured him looking the best he has ever looked at this time of year.. not a broken tine and a strong, healthy gate. The "Sheriff", as many call him now, has proved to be an incredible being with exceptional genetics.


Elk Rut on Video

Elk Rut with Lots of Bugling and Aggressive Bull Guarding his Canadian Rockies Harem

The early stages of the Elk Rut in Canada's Rockies - Jasper National Park. These Video Clips are fractions of several days of a Wonderful experience. This particular Bull Elk has aggressively defended His harem from Several other Bulls over the last few days, of which is still quite early for the Elk Rutting Season.


Elk Rut on Video

Elk Bugles and Chuckles from Early Rutting Season

Here are some Elk Bugles and Chuckles from this year's largest Bulls in early rutting season so far.


Elk Rut on Video

Bigger Bull Steals the Herd Early in the Elk Rut

A bigger Elk Bull came in and stole the herd from the First Bull that formed this herd. The fight must have been just an hour or so before we observed this new slightly larger bull being very active in his takeover. There were still some cows scattered, but he gradually brought them all together with lots of bugling and herding behavior. It was a perfect cool evening to catch those steamy Elk Bugles.


Elk Rut on Video

Elk - Wapiti Rutting Season


The Elk Rut
Elk Bulls put on a lot of weight as their testosterone increases and they have access to much more nutritious food. Bugles, Battles and Breeding will be taking over this Beautiful area as Bulls fight to claim or hold their territories' throne
More Elk Rut Encounters:   5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

The Elk Rut Season


The Active Elk Rut Season Time and Duration

The elk rut season is from late August through October, with some breeding activity continuing into November. Male elk, or elk bulls, are much more aggressive during this time. The peak of the elk rut season is when the most elk breeding activity occurs. During the elk rut season, there is lots of bugling, cow elk communication, and elk movement. During elk rutting season, bull elk may attack anything that comes close to them or their mates, which provides protection for the herd.

The Peak of Elk Rut Season

The peak of elk rut season lasts up to 10 days when a ratio of light and dark, along with a colder snap, causes hormones in cow elk to flow(estrus cycle). Each cow comes into estrus at slightly different times during the elk rut season. While elk cows won't all go into estrus during the peak, it is called the peak of the elk rut season because most will.