YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyoming – Early fall is a bad month to be reckless around elk. Really anytime is a bad time to be reckless around elk, but when mating season, or the rut, is going heavy is a really bad time. September and October are the main rut months, and bulls tend to be significantly more agressive than any other time. This Yellowstone National Park ranger knows this, so he threatens tourists with a $200 fine if they don’t keep a safe distance and stay in their car.
During elk rut, a single bull will join a group of cows and form a harem. These bulls can be extremely protective of their harem, becoming agitated towards other males, people, or potentially anything that moves (they have been seen going after cows). So when a ranger tells these people to get in their car, he ins’t just messing with them, it’s for their own safety.
I’m not sure if I think a $200 fine is enough. If they were kicked out of the park, too, now that would do. Viewing elk during rut is a privilege. The bugle of a bull elk, which acts as their mating call, is one of the most incredible natural sounds out there, and if a tourist hopes to spot two bulls battling it out, mating season is the time to do so. So taking that privilege away for misbehavior, in addition to a proper fine, sounds like a good punishment to me.
Yellowstone National Park on Elk Safety:
Cow elk are especially fierce and protective around their calves in the spring. Around Mammoth Hot Springs, they often hide calves near cars or buildings. Be cautious when exiting buildings or approaching blind corners. In the fall, bull elk battle for access to cows and challenge other males during the rut. They also charge cars and people who get too close.
- Always stay at least 25 yards (23 m) away from elk.
- In an elk charges, get away! Retreat to shelter in a building or vehicle or behind a tall, sturdy barrier as quickly as possible.