Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Dominant bull tule elk, Point Reyes National Seashore

Rutting bull tule elk in wildflowers

The sound of a bugling tule elk in the rut is truly spectacular. This large dominant bull, the same individual I included in my post yesterday, was keeping close tabs on his harem and bugling regularly and loudly on this August morning in 2011.

Tule elk starting to bugle in Point Reyes

It was awesome to observe and hear this behavior from close range along the road down to Drake's Beach. Especially as he let out one of his long, loud calls and you could hear it echo down the valleys -- often eliciting a response from a rival.

Dominant bull tule elk bugling in Point Reyes


2 comments:

  1. That's one handsome bull! Beautiful photos!

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    1. Thanks, Brian! He was a big brute, the largest I could remember seeing out there.

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