The season of love is upon us. Mating season, that is.
It’s a time of fiery passion. The kind of all-encompassing, must-have-you-now infatuation that can’t be squelched and must be satisfied.
During this time, Jasper’s testosterone-driven bull elk are a little on edge. They’re on the prowl, collecting their harem of luscious ladies and warding off other burly men, who are eager to get in on the action.
They’ll fight to the death if they have to—all in the name of love.
For Jasper’s trail users, visitors and locals, this can pose a significant threat, as bulls are not inclined to share, nor are they open to competition. So, if they feel their manhood being threatened, they’ll lower their heads and charge full force with their powerful antlers—grown just for this occasion.
To protect yourself from such an encounter and to keep your butt out of a rut this rutting season, here are a few tips on how to avoid dangerous close encounters.
No. 1: never separate a bull from his lovers. If you step in between him and his mates, there’s no telling what he’ll do—one thing is for certain, though, if he’s in a particularly aggressive mood, he won’t be passing out love taps.
No. 2: never approach an elk—cow, bull, or calf for that matter. For your own safety and the safety of the elk, always keep a distance of 30 metres—about three bus lengths.
No. 3: keep a barrier between yourself and the animals. If a bull is angry, it’s helpful to have some protection, like a car, tree or large rock, to keep him at bay.
No. 4: if you find yourself face to face with an aggressive bull, never turn and run. You’re asking for a race and there’s no doubt who’s going to come out on top.
No. 5: instead of ending up skewered by a bull’s dagger-like antlers, act dominant, make yourself appear as large as possible and maintain eye contact with the elk. If you can, take cover behind a tree, car or rock.
No. 6: if you find yourself on the ground, don’t play dead—that won’t stop the elk from clobbering you until you are gravely injured or, in fact, well, dead.
No. 7: to stay safe this rutting season and to allow the elk to get it on, as they so desperately want to do, respect their space and their wilderness.
Get out of the way; take a detour, if you have to, and let nature take its course.
