Montana Elk, Pictures

Of all the big game animals in North America, the Rocky Mountain elk – or Wapiti as he is known in Native American circles – engenders the most respect and adulation of area locals and outdoorsmen. Its regal stature, large prominent antlers, and eerie high pitched mating squeal in the fall, make this animal the favorite of visitors to the region.

In the Yellowstone region alone, including Big Sky, elk populations are coming off of their all-time highest populations from just a few years ago, numbering around 40,000 animals within a 200-mile radius around the Park.

Enjoying a similar lifestyle to domestic cattle, elk live out their days eating a lot, lounging a lot, and watching out for predators (grizzly bear and gray wolves). When spring and summer bring on new grasses and plants, elk follow this new growth up the mountain sides into meadows and tree stands. For protection, elk prefer stands of timber as their preferred "go to" location should danger be detected. They are very sure footed, even in the nastiest of downfall trees and underbrush. Their strong, muscular bodies allow them to migrate many dozens of miles at a time, even in thick snow.

One of the most unique identifiers of the bull elk (the male of the species) during their fall rut (the term for courtship ritual) is their bugling. In order to fend off advances from other male suitors, dominant bull elk scream or "bugle" a shrill sound hoping to warn these rival males to stay away, or deal with the consequences. If two dominant males come together vying for the rights to sire a harem of females, mortal combat often ensues in the form of "antler jousting", a truly incredible site to see if you are lucky. The annual rut happens around September into early October.

To see elk in the wild, get an early start in the day. Best chances are at sun-up for a couple hours, then again in the last hour or so before dark. During the heat of the day, elk may be bedding down in thick tree stands or tall grassy meadows just yards from popular highway routes or trails. Be observant, be quiet, and watch for movement. Sometimes, what you thought was a tree branch swaying in the breeze may have been a bull elk's antlers turning in the grass.