JACKSON, Wyo. — Peak rut season in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) means bull moose are keeping a close watch on potential mates.
On Sunday, Sept. 21, Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer spotted a bull moose standing close to a cow moose and offspring near the lush riparian habitat of Kelly. Bulls often search for mates near waterways, where cows and their offspring can be found eating aquatic plants, according to GTNP.
In GTNP, the rut or mating season peaks in mid-September and lasts until early October. A cow moose can attract a mate using a long drawn-out call. Once a male is selected, a bull moose can stay with a receptive cow for several days to about a week. After the courting and mating period ends, a bull will often move on in search of other cows.
According to the National Park Service, when vying for a female, bulls will use their antlers to fight rivals to gain mating rights. Unlike sparring, fighting is violent and bulls frequently suffer injuries ranging from minor to fatal. Bull moose can be very aggressive during this time of year, especially if they perceive a threat to them and their rights to mate.
“While sparring does happen, males normally display to each other by parading around, shaking their antlers, and showing off their size,” GTNP wrote on social media. “If the smaller male knows he won’t win a fight, he will bow out before the two come to blows.”
When the rut ends, moose will return to their lives of eating and resting as they prepare for winter. Cows will carry their calves until the following spring when births occur. All rutting behaviors cease until the following autumn.
