The 2008 Arkansas Elk Rut -- Arkansas Wildlife Photography Gallery and Blog

If you are a photographer and want to take pictures of Arkansas elk, it is time to begin planning your shoots for 2008. The start of the rut is only a few weeks off. The exact starting dates can slip and slide a bit, but mid-September is the start and the rut will run for 6 to 8 weeks.

If I had to guess, I would say this year will be right on time or even a bit early based on the weather. This cold snap seems persistent, and there are signs all around of fall color starting early. I suppose the weather could turn on a dime, but things are tracking well right now to be on time, if not a bit early.

In recent years the Boxley Valley elk have been in the rut over a spread out period of time, and the rut has tended to start earlier. This could just be a matter of climate change or just normal variations. We can say for sure that September is the start, and we will be writing about it as soon as we know.

During the rut the biggest bulls re-enter Boxley Valley. It is believed they come in primarily from the Upper Wilderness area and rejoin the cows in Boxley Valley. During non-rut periods, the bulls tend to segregate from the cows. In November and December you can get pictures of the "bachelor herds" after they group up. I will cover that in a separate posting.

Last year the biggest bulls did not come down until around October. Until then, smaller bulls, 5x5s and 4x4s had the cows to themselves. Based on what I observed last year, the very biggest bull in the valley came from the Upper Wilderness in October, and he just showed up and took over.

If my observations are correct, bull elk appraise the size of opponents and choose if they will fight or not. You will see them do what I call "walk offs" where they move along beside one another prior to squaring off, if they do at all. During these walks off, smaller and weaker bulls will often just trot off and do not bother to challenge. I am not sure how they make this determination, but I believe it has to do with the size of the antlers, and the size of the body. I have not yet seen a 5x5 be dominant. The winners are usually 6x6s and up. Last year's big guy was a 7x8, and he had a huge body.

The smaller guys are in the valley as of this writing and beginning to pull in closer to the cows. I have observed 4x4s and 5x5s hanging around and moving closer in. They are in velvet now. I expect the rubbing to begin soon, after which the serious fighting and bugling will begin.

For me, the rut is prime time. I will be in the valley most mornings, and some evenings. Look for my black (and dirt) jeep wrangler. To get the best pictures you really have to work at it. Expect to have to visit many mornings and evenings to catch the best day or days.

One day last year I had 3 bull fights in front of me at once, with a total of 12 to 14 bulls involved. There were easily 100 cows pinned along the fence near the intersection of 21 and 43. During that time, the current alpha bull fended off repeated attacks by groups of bulls. He finally locked into a real fight with a genuine competitor, during which the other bulls took all his cows. He won, but he lost his cows. This was "the day" of last year, but it was also only one of about 40 separate visits to the valley during the rut.

When you see a real bull fight, not skirmishes, you will never forget it. They fight until they can no longer hold up their heads. They rage, scream, and growl. The clashing of antlers can be pretty loud. The twists and turns of their bodies as they push and wrestle, combined with their steaming breath, is an incredible sight. It is one I hope you will experience, and photography.

Stay tuned. I will be writing periodic postings throughout the rut. As time permits, I will post photos. Remember that the Ponca Elk Education Center is the best single source for daily updates. You can call them at 870-861-2432.