Finally, one will give up and wander away looking for another female. The male often creates a wallow, or a rutting pit. Using the forefeet, the bull paws up the soil and soaks the ground with his urine. These pits are about 1.5 m long by 1 m wide and 4 to 8 cm deep. The bull rolls around or wallows in this pit.
Males stretch out in the pit.
A cow that is ready to mate often is attracted by the male's scent. She climbs into the wallow and lies besides the bull. After mating the bull wanders off, seeking other females to court. After the rut, the males are thin because of the lack of food and the strenuous activity. The bulls are now mild mannered and join other moose of both sexes.