Incredible rutting bull in Estes Park tonight

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

After catching dinner at Wapiti tonight (food was fantastic) we got the show of our lives from around 30 cows and calves, a rag horn, and a giant herd bull. He got so close to our car I bet we got bull snot and drool on the hood. It was unbelievable!

Herd bull in Estes Park

 

[JPC6000]

Too cool

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

My wife and daughter have a new appreciation for why I love them so much. They were within arm’s reach out the window.

 

[mt terry d]

Beautiful.

It used to be wild in mammoth (yellowstone). Several herd bulls with
cows screaming, running around, posturing.
I drove up once and there was a big 7 on the road who was pretty
snorty. I stopped about 40-50 yards away to watch and take pics. A
ranger drove up and we chatted. He said "be careful, he's gotten
5 cars so far".

Of course, that was before the wildlife experts imported their big
shaggy pets.

Now you're lucky to see any elk there.

 

[dennisy123]

Offset funky looking right side. Very cool nonetheless.

 

[Mtncowboy]

Awesome! I love elk!

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

My daughter had a college visit Easter weekend, and we took advantage of the opportunity to visit the park. We were pleasantly surprised that it was a fee free weekend, and got to see several mule deer and some nice bulls. It was crazy, because some of the raghorns still had hard horns from this past season, and the mature bulls already had brow tines and beams started for this year's racks. The elk and deer were concentrated in the areas that had controlled burns where lush green grass has returned. I don't recall the area, but its the "backside" of the park on the way out. Here are some pictures.