An Evening With Limpy - A Pennsylvania Elk
The elk mating season, better known as the rut, is in full swing. The male elk (bull), living apart from the female (cow) for the summer, move in on groups of cows and calves. These groups are called harems and the bull tries to keep their harems from being broken up by larger, more experienced, bulls. This photo blog, created with images made last week, is an example of the everyday activities during the elk rut with a bull known as Limpy.
Limpy is a bull elk that resides in Pennsylvania Elk Country. I've heard about him from several people who love to watch and/or photograph the elk. I never saw him, however, until last Friday, September 19, 2014. My wife, Elena, and I made the hike to the out-of-the-way place, known as the saddle, that Limpy is known to be in the morning and evening during the rut. Limpy is an older elk with thick body mass who earned his name from a noticeable limp in his front left leg. He has proven to me that night that he can still be a dominant bull.
Two young spikes were feeding in Limpy's meadow while bull bugles echoed throughout the Pennsylvania mountains from all directions. One could even hear Limpy's distinct, deep, bugle that sets him apart from other bulls. Finally, we could see Limpy, spit flying from his mouth on each exhale, making his way up the steep hill to the fields in front of us.
Obviously tired from the days activities, he laid down, shaded from the setting sun, in the edge of the meadow.
It appears he had an itch.
With distant bugles seeming to be closer, Limpy answered back.
Soon, elk cows began to climb the hill and feed in Limpy's meadow. Cows listen to a bull's bugle for clues about his size. They are attracted to bulls who bugle more often and the loudest.
Suddenly, a large set of antlers appeared at the rim of the meadow. As another bull reached the top, he bugled to advertise his presence. They also bugle to announce or accept a challenge from another male.
Displaying dominance, Limpy stood, raised his head high, and answered back.
Limpy rubbed his antlers into the turf and urinated on himself. Bulls wallow in mud, if available, and coat themselves in urine to attract cows. It's basically their "perfume". The females seemed to respond in Limpy's favor as they began to walk into "his" meadow.
Below is a video of Limpy urinating on himself to attract elk cows. Click on the play icon in the center of the photo below.
All the noise and scent of the bulls attracted more elk cows.
Limpy gives chase to an elk cow to either mate with her or drive her into his growing harem. It's kind of comical to watch a bull chasing a cow as his tongue goes in and out of his mouth.
Below is a short video of Limpy attempting to mate a cow. Click on the play icon in the center of the photo below.
Aggressions grew as Limpy herded the cows into his harem. The visiting bull and Limpy began displaying dominance by bugling and thrashing the ground with their antlers. They walked, side by side in opposite directions, gauging each other's size and fitness. With spit flying and urine spraying, this bull was salivating for combat.
The two bulls, heads down, barely touched antlers when the visiting bull, realizing Limpy's strength, broke off the would-be fight.
PA Elk (Sept, 2014)Limpy (on right) and foe
Limpy, reassuring his dominance, bugles as the other bull increases the distance between them.
The next several minutes Limpy trotted around the meadow, bugling, to survey his harem. The little cow in the image below looks like she is admiring him.
Other bulls, including the one in the photo below, began entering the meadow from the other side. But Limpy, all riled up by the previous bull, wards them off easily.
Tired but standing proud, Limpy is king of the hill.
Below is a short video of an exhausted Limpy patrolling the rim of his meadow. Click on the play icon in the center of the photo below.
As the sun was nearly set behind the blue-green, Pennsylvania mountains, Limpy had managed to round up 22 cows into his harem. I paused at the top of the hill, turned, and snapped this image of Limpy and a portion of his harem. As we walked away, I said "See you another day buddy. Thanks for the show".
Check back soon for other experiences in Elk Country.
Dan
Comments
Totally Awesome!!