More Jousting Elk

Yes, more jousting Elk. However, they stopped at one point to look at me. That's when I snapped this one. Another of my "5" Star Favorite Photos. This was just outside Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada:

Elk

Elk Jousting in Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk have provided me many photo ops whether it is Rocky Mountain Elk in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, or Alberta; or its Roosevelt Elk in Washington and Oregon. So we go from bugling to jousting. This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I have a similar one taken in Jasper National Park in Alberta. Love 'em both.

Elk Jousting

jousting elk

Here we have two bull elk "jousting"; a ceremonial activity during the "rut." I watched as these two elk slowly approached each other, locked antlers, turned one way, then the other, again, and again, then released and slowly backed off. It wasn't violent as is the case with the bighorn sheep rams. Once finished the elk went back to eating as if nothing else had happened. Again, you can see how the neck is swollen. While I have seen "jousting" before, it is an amazing act of nature I never tire of.