One of the signature sounds along the South Rim during
autumn is the nocturnal bugling of the male elk. Their plaintive “whistles”
attract female attention during the mating season (or “rut” as its known), and
serve as a warning to would-be challengers. On rare occasions, one can even
witness these titans clashing antler-to-antler in the forest that rings Grand
Canyon Village and beyond. The elk aren’t the only love struck herbivores on
the prowl; the mule deer and desert bighorn sheep have roughly the same timing
to their mating season, though they seem to go about their courtships with much
less fanfare. It’s a general rule in the park to view animals at a safe
distance. The rangers even have a rule of thumb for interacting with wildlife. If you can’t block your entire view of
an animal with the thumb of your outstretched arm, then you’re too close. This
is sage advice for one and all, especially during September and October when
these amorous critters have little patience for camera-wielding tourists. Read
more about appropriate behavior around wildlife in the park by following this
link http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/wildlife_alert.htm
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