YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Elk mating season, commonly known as the rut, has begun in Yellowstone National Park (YNP).
Male elk are likely to exhibit more aggressive, unpredictable behaviors during this time, meaning that park visitors should be sure to give them space.
YNP urges people to take the following precautions to avoid a run-in with an elk:
- Stay at least 25 yards, or two bus lengths, away from animals.
- Back away from any approaching elk.
- Don’t walk into blind spots. Look around corners or vegetation before proceeding.
- Don’t approach animals to take their pictures. Use cameras with 300mm of zoom or more to maintain distance.
- If an elk charges, find shelter in a vehicle or behind a tall, sturdy barrier, or run away if no shelter is available.
- Heed all directions from park rangers.
The elk rut lasts from late August and early September through October. During the mating season, male elk can be heard bugling at twilight, showing off to other bulls and signaling their fitness to cow elk.
Over the course of the rut, young elk and cows will align themselves with one or two bulls to form a harem.
Visitors are urged to give elk their distance during this fall mating season.
