Elk rut spells caution for Smokies visitors
It’s breeding season for elk, and that means that fields in the Cataloochee and Oconaluftee areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are closed to use until Oct. 30, when this season, known as the rut, ends. Even when elk are not present, people are not allowed to walk into the fields, which are the prime elk herd habitat.
During the rut, male elk make bugling calls to challenge other bulls and attract cows. Dominant bulls use the fields to gather and breed with harems of up to 20 cows. Bull elk actively defend their territory by charging and sparring with competitors, using their antlers to intimidate and spar with other males. Coming too close may lead a bull to perceive you or your vehicle as a threat, causing them to charge.
“Bull elk, which can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds, are wild animals with unpredictable behavior,” said Park Wildlife Biologist Bill Stiver. “To help ensure your own safety, make sure you have parked in a safe location and remain close to your vehicle so that you can get inside if an elk approaches.”
Visitors should use binoculars, spotting scopes or cameras with telephoto lenses to get up-close views of elk. It’s illegal to get any closer than 50 yards to park wildlife. If approached by an elk, visitors should slowly back away to keep distance between them.
Park volunteers, through the Elk Bugle Corp, Oconaluftee Rover and Roadside Assistance volunteer programs, provide onsite information and assist in traffic management at both Cataloochee and Oconaluftee during the rut season. Funds to support these programs are provided by Friends of the Smokies.
