This guy (and earlier with another male) was escorting me around the herd, bulging as I went.

The herd was rather skittish, 4 or 5 spotted me about the time I saw them and as I moved on North at 90 degrees to them and up toward St Helens they seemed to communicate before leaving,dropping down about 20 more joined them out of my sight until the rose up the next ridge. They then turned and moved down away from St Helens.

As the trail turned back East, I noticed they had left one Elk which was now behind me. Seemed nervous about how to rejoin the herd. The trail crossed where they had been , but they did not move, almost as if they knew where the trail would take me.

Still as I went on, I thought this was strange because a rise blocked there view, if I was to choose to sneak up on them. But then two males appeared, but bugling and pacing nervously. I thought about leaving the trail (which aren't suppose to do) but wasn't sure I could find it again. Going back did not seem an option. I pressed on, and just when I thought I was past these guys this guy started walking parallel to my route. Another herd or another part of the herd was sitting down, and he bulged them to get up. A bit later the trail turned away from them.