Across North America, elk are gearing up for their annual breeding season , known as the rut. As exciting a spectacle as it may be to behold, visitors to a number of national parks are being warned to keep their distance from the amorous elk, which are especially unpredictable during this time. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Male elk, called bulls, experience heightened testosterone levels during rutting season, which usually lasts from September through October, making them more likely to exhibit defensive behavior as they compete for dominance and female attention. To do so, they display their antlers , emit strong, musky odors, and make unmistakable, high-pitched sounds called bugles:

IFLScience · Elk "Bugles

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