So I have been living in Colorado for a few years now and I still hadn’t gotten up to see the elk during rut. This year I wasn’t missing out! I have to say they are not the easiest to capture because you have to catch the male doing his thing and it only lasts a few seconds! Nevertheless, I had a great time exploring Rocky Mountain National Park and capturing what I could. The cover photo for this blog is probably one of my favorites because it shows the bull elk in his natural habit. We photographers call this a beautiful environmental photo. 
I was able to capture at least one bull elk bugling and one in a stream! Unfortunately the stronger bulls beat up the weaker ones to win the right to mate with the females. We saw a few outcast males that were injured. I wonder if they will survive through winter with their injuries or they will be weeded out as nature intended. 
After spending some time with the elk, I decided to take a hike up cub lake trail. It was a beautiful pretty easy trail up through Moraine Park and into the mountains. I was not disappointed on this hike! I found a cute chipmunk that was super fun to photograph. He would pose for me while eating the brush and bulking up for winter. I also spotted a red tailed hawk searching for meal atop a pine. That was neat as well. 
I also had a fawn right on the trail. Its mom and sibling were nearby, but the fawn was among the colorful foliage and made for a beautiful photo opportunity. 
If you get a chance to get up early and find the bull elk, I promise you don’t be disappointed. Just be careful because they are wild animals and are full of hormones right now. They can and will charge, so enjoy them from a distance!
