#77976 This is my first herd bull shot of 2009. Today for the first time I saw some evidence of the rut, but I would say it was hardly a beginning. Two cow elk "presented" to this bull while I photographed them. This bull is likely just a year away from keeping a cow herd after the rut begins. The really big bulls will come down in late September and just take over.

#76973 This is a pretty rare picture. An amorous bull nuzzled up on a cow about a month before the rut. He was ready, she was not. This was the result. She won.

#75223