Elk Fest

Some of the most popular wildlife to view in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park are the elk.  For most of the year, the females and their calves live in groups that travel together to grazing areas, which may even include the towns' neighborhoods as in the above photo.  The calves will remain with their mothers until they are about a year old.  The males will retreat to high altitudes and form bands of bachelors for much of the year.

But, beginning in September each year, the male elk can be seen cleaning the velvet from their antlers by thrashing through long grass or digging in the ground with them.  Soon afterward, the elk rut will begin and extend through October.  All those other guys they have been hanging out with now become the enemy. 


The males can be heard bugling, which is a call to the females to join their harem.  As seen in a previous post, they often congregate on the town's two golf courses.  But they are everywhere--crossing the roads, walking the sidewalks.  

Humans, their pets, even cars really need to keep their distance.  The males are irritable and agressive at this time, and they can weigh 800-1000 pounds and run 45 miles per hour.   They will attack anything, and those antlers can be lethal.  Every year, the wildlife people have to dart and then free male elk from swingset chains, christmas light strings, lawn chairs, you name it. 

Estes Park holds an Elk Fest in early October and the tourists show up to view the elk.  The people are, of course, interested in seeing the elk, but often fail to keep proper distance.  This results in some run-ins as seen in this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=794wEIbHlDc