This bull is actually displaying for a bunch of cow elk that are just out of camera range
to the right. He uses body posturing like this to herd his harem in a particular direction
which in this case is away from a rival bull to the left of me in a stand of timber. This
bull is also about to realize my presence and turns and runs his ladies up onto a ridge top.
The next day I went in search of these elk and was only able to view them about a mile away
near timber line.