Our experience with elk during our time in Estes Park was the best part of our visit there! We happened to be in the area during the rutting season. Elk seemed to be everywhere, and the bulls were all competing for female favors!
Besides seeing elk at our campground and in Rocky Mtn National Park, we also saw elk in neighborhoods and while biking around Estes Lake, not far from the main town! As we were going to the lake, we saw a bull with his harem of about 15 females and some babies. They were grazing and resting in the side yard of a home in a residential neighborhood! The bull was protecting his harem and chasing off lone bulls! During the bike ride we spotted an elk swimming in the lake and standing on some sandbars in the middle of the water!
On our last evening in Estes Park we went to the golf course next to Estes Lake. We heard from a reliable source that the elk were congregating there! Sure enough, there was a herd of elk grazing in the middle of the course with some golfers still golfing! Again, there was one bull with about 20 females and babies. All around the course were stray bulls and the leader of the herd spent all his time chasing the other bulls away! At times, we were within 10 ft of some of the elk! The bulls were making their bugle sounds and calling to the herd and the main bull was warning the other bulls to stay clear! We spent 2 hours watching! It was great entertainment!!!
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