In traditional agrarian communities, the end of the growing season and the completion of the harvest are often marked with a community festival, a grand dinner, and a barn dance. The “hoe-down” dance, which celebrates the stopping of work, or “putting ones hoe down,” often sparks the flames of romance. Young singles, separated for months, may be impressed by the maturing physique, the virtuoso display of footwork, or the smile of a potential suitor. Males and females vie for each other’s attention and courtship begins.
Autumn is also courtship time for all of Colorado’s ungulates. At least one of our state’s hoofed species is in the “rut”, or breeding season, at some period from mid-September through December.
For antlered animals such as elk, moose, and deer, the pattern is the same year-in and year-out. Their breeding cycle is triggered by the ratio between daylight and darkness (photoperiod). Males have spent the summer months growing antlers, which were covered in soft, nutrient rich velvet. The shortening of daylight stimulates hormone production. As testosterone courses through their veins, the velvet dries up and is rubbed off. Their necks swell, and their hair will grow darker and longer, helping the bulls and bucks look more massive than they already are.
At this time, males are constantly on the move. They become aggressive and belligerent, challenging and fighting other males. Bull elk and buck deer seek out harems while bull moose become serial monogamists—they stay with the cow only long enough to breed and then leave in pursuit of another cow.
All this moving and mating makes for quite a show for wildlife viewers—at a distance, of course. Getting too close to any of these animals this time of year is very dangerous and can disrupt the animal’s chances for successful breeding.
Here’s some tips on times and places where you can enjoy watching the rut: