Charged By a Crazed Rutting Elk

Sorry, got nothing for ya.  We lost the challenge and Jeff sent us back to camp empty handed.  (Okay, if you don't get the reference, you should be watching Survivor).  We got up before dawn and headed back to Jackson Lake Lodge in search of another moose, who today decided to stay in the forest.  It was freezing cold (a bit over 30) and there we were, with many others, cameras ready, binoculars scanning the terrain, but no moose.  We did see a few elk and listened to the males bugling.  We had a good view of one bull elk rubbing his antlers in the dirt, part of the rutting (mating) ritual.  Since it's rutting season, elk testosterone levels are high and there is much posturing and lots of bugling.

We gave up around 9 and went back to Signal Mountain to pack and check out.  We then drove north to Yellowstone.  Our first stop in Yellowstone was West Thumb, a part of Yellowstone Lake.  West Thumb is an explosion crater formed within the main Yellowstone caldera about 170,000 years ago.  It contains all four hydrothermal types found in Yellowstone: hot springs, fumaroles, mud pots, and geysers.  We had brought a picnic lunch, which we ate in the West Thumb picnic area.  A couple of elk strolled by.  After lunch we took the trails to see all of the hydrothermal features.  They are on a lovely setting above the lake and the features are all fascinating.  Some have gorgeous colors.  Not long after we started on the boardwalk trail, a big very active bull elk came by and we enjoyed up close views.  We continued around the boardwalk and when we got to the northern side we saw a young female elk chewing grass just off the trail.  Her mom was having a rest in the trees just above, keeping an eye on baby.  We watched for a while, the baby was so cute.  Eventually another female appeared, then the bull elk came out of the woods.  He was definitely in rutting mode, charging at people and at his harem, herding them off.  At times it looked like he wanted more of one of the females but they all ran off ahead.  It was interesting watching elk behavior close up.  They can seem oblivious to the people around them and then without warning come charging, and they are fast.  You don't want to mess with a bull elk!   We've been hearing the bugling for several days but today heard it very close.  It starts as almost a scream, ends in a whistle.  There must be a lot of elk in this West Thumb area because we could hear the bugling in all of the forested areas.

Shortly after we headed north on the main road (east side of Lower Loop), we saw lots of cars pulled over and a ranger handling traffic.  There was a bull elk very close to where we pulled over; we had nice long close up views of him, with the lake in the background.  We continued north, enjoying the views, until we got to Lake Lodge, where we will be staying for four nights.  We have a nice cabin in the woods.  Lake Lodge is one of the last lodges at Yellowstone to close for the season; we're here their last week.  We got settled in and later had dinner in the cafeteria, the only food service here.  It was okay; not great, not awful.