Where would you go on your first date?
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| Somewhere with dramatic views... |
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| ...And colors glorious? |
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| Perhaps, a gathering... |
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| ...Or a sporting event? |
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| Maybe, a stroll with just the two of you? |
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| I like a romantic moon-rise, but that's just me. |
As it happens, Elk do them all! Once a year from (about) mid-September to mid-October is the Elk Bugling season. It takes place up in the mountains surrounded by the most spectacular views. During this time, Elk look for a mate. Bugling is what male Elk, or bucks, do to find a mate. A bugle is sort of a deep "wwwwww" then a high-pitched "ooooooooo" trailing off into a series of very deep "wook, wook, wook" noises.
Last month, Mom, Dad, and I went up to Estes Park to see the Elk bugle. I felt really lucky when we drove around the corner and spotted a group of Elk grazing and bugling. The Elk were so majestic and larger than you would think. I didn't want to get out of the car at first because it felt like intruding. Everything was so silent, the only real sound was the Elk bugles. After a little while, the Elk herd moved on and we visited a second herd, the one in the photo I called "The Gathering." I remember feeling like there was something I didn't know; like there was more to the Elk bugling then I thought. As it got dark, we started to head home. On the way back, a lovely moon started to rise...
Image Credits: Eva Getman
