The elk breeding season, or the rut, occurs from late August to early November and during this period the elk are concerned about few things besides mating. As autumn colors begin to peak throughout the park, the haunting sound of bugling elk fills the air. During the autumn months, males gather harems of females that they mate with and zealously guard. The bull elk bugle, a high-pitched whistling sound followed by grunts, as part of their mating ritual. A fascinating and beautiful sound, bugling is a male dominance display that attracts females and states the rank of the male.
Rival males respond by bugling back.
The exchange of bugling in the evening air is something Grand Teton National Park visitors never forget. The rut can get pretty intense for the bull elk. Bulls may actually spar with their challengers, after first demonstrating threat postures, by thrashing the ground with their antlers. To witness the spectacle of elk during the rut, park visitors should look for bulls and their harems along the Teton Park Road between Signal Mountain, Jenny Lake Lodge and Moose in addition to the Colter Bay area. Mornings and early evening are the best times for observing the rut, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.