The elk (wapiti) come down out of the higher elevations around the middle
of September to prepare for their mating season. They gather in herds by the
dozens, and then hundreds in the valleys throughout the park. Humans
gather by the carload, in dozens and then hundreds to watch them do it.
Pretty kinky, that. Park rangers keep the people pretty much near the
roads, and the elk just hang out, nonchalantly grazing often right next
to the road. This guy was about 20 feet away from me. He's bugling to
another bull about 100 yards away, who was getting a tad too close to
this one's harem of cows.
A JPEG compressed file.
Horseshoe Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.