Sarah Dettmer

sdettmer@greatfallstribune.com

The sun hangs low in the sky, setting the scene for romance in central Montana. The residual ambient glow across the meadow sets the right tone for the impending passion that is about to take hold of the singles anxiously gathering to find their other half.

The males have been preparing all season. They have sought out muddy depressions in the ground, urinated into them and then wallowed around in the tantalizing mixture, all in an attempt to entice the waiting females.

With their all-natural, specially-curated musk on, they’re ready to find their matches.

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The females arrive in groups. They’re answering the boisterous ads left for them by the eager males:

Single bull elk seeks cow elk for romance in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Must enjoy bugling. Meet me at Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area. Bring your friends.

On the east side of the meadow, a large bull with six-by-six point antlers guards his harem of 14 cows and calves. If any cow makes a move outside the imagined perimeter he’s set, the bull chases her back into the group. He won’t risk losing a single cow to another waiting male.

The sun sets lower over the ridge behind the Missouri River and the activity intensifies. The haunting bugles of approaching males ring through the stands of trees along the drainage, announcing their presence long before the newcomers enter the meadow.

The bull on the east side paces around his harem. The polished ivory tips of another six-by-six bull begin to emerge from the tall grass past the trees.

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The bulls eye each other in fervent anticipation of a clash. They bugle at one another, throw their heads around and try to intimidate the other away from the females.

The approaching bull isn’t keen on a fight and slinks back into the grass to make his way over to the main stage on the west side of the field to try his luck at securing a harem.

A collective sigh is released across the outskirts of the meadow. The cars, trucks, RVs and four-wheelers of people watching with high-hopes for a brawl line the road along Slippery Ann. Rows of visitors and their massive binoculars and scopes whisper to one another about the action they’ve zeroed in on.

“He’s too scared of him,” Bruce Wheeler said. He and his wife had spent the past two evenings watching the elk in the viewing area. Despite the lack of action this time, Wheeler said he was optimistic that there would be some fights later in the evening.

Slippery Ann has become one of the hottest places in Montana to view the annual elk rut. Depending on the day, between 250 and 300 elk congregate in the meadow for their mating displays.

The road along Slippery Ann gives visitors access to elk that range from 50 to 300 yards away. Even without a scope or binoculars, people can see and hear the bulls duke it out for their harems.

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The elk rut usually occurs from September to late October, with a peak in numbers and activity around the second and third weeks of September.

This year, the refuge launched the new Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area hotline. Those interested in visiting the refuge can call the hotline for information about how many elk are currently in the meadow, their activity and viewing tips. The pre-recorded message is updated every Monday and Friday.

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“We’re seeing an increased interest in the viewing area,” Paul Santavy, refuge manager, said. “We’ve counted 200-plus vehicles and 400-plus visitors in an evening.”

The elk are most active between 5 and 8 p.m. said Matthew deRosier, deputy refuge manager. Those who have the patience to wait until nightfall often get to see the bulls and their harems cross the road and head north for the night.

As it nears 7:30 p.m. and the sun finally disappears behind the ridge line, the meadow is plummeted into the dark haze of dusk. The main herd of gregarious elk desperately dash around the field hoping to find their ideal mate before nightfall.

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Onlookers peer through their scopes at the massive bulls charging one another, stopping just short of impact. Their bugles ring out across the meadow in a prehistoric-sounding chorus of love and angst.

deRosier said each elk has his own unique bugle. Though it can be difficult for humans to distinguish the different characteristics, the larger and usually older bulls have a deep, powerful bugle. The younger males are still finding their voice. They bugle in light whistles instead of the hair-raising, guttural calls of their elders.

Though females are able to breed at 2 years of age, males generally don’t become competitive until they are 3 or 4 years old. Bulls reach their prime between 4 and 8 years old, deRosier said.

The females also call to each other in the meadow. In comparison to the haunting songs bellowed by the bulls, the cows make high-pitched mewing sounds like sassy, one-syllable retorts.

When the bulls are warding off other males, they talk to their harem in soft, popping grunts. The sound is made several times in succession and is thought to be used to herd their cows.

The music and conversation is broken by the much-anticipated sharp crash of antlers into antlers as two bulls come to blows over a group of cows. The fight is short lived but none-the-less exciting for the 50 people watching from the roadside.

“They’re fighting to hold their harems,” deRosier said. “The fighting can be pretty physical. They can suffer injuries, like broken antlers, but the fights are primarily displays of dominance.”

The massive antlers atop the bulls’ heads usually weigh around 20 pounds. A well-wielded blow can cause serious damage to an unlucky foe. On the far west side of the meadow, a lone male elk slowly limps away from a lost bout.

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Though the bulls attract the crowds and keep them entertained with their bugles and fights, the females still hold most of the power over how the evening will turn out.

When the males get too caught up in their squabbles, some of the cows sneak off to join the harems of the bulls they find more appealing. Occasionally, a younger, less-competitive male will sneak into a harem while the dominant male is fighting and mate with a few cows before he gets caught.

“They go in, quickly have their way with who they can and sneak out,” deRosier said.

Rangers have conducted rough estimations of the number of elk vising Slippery Ann this year. The average hovers around 200 bull, cows and calves. Santavy said the viewing area is a unique opportunity for visitors to see so many elk in one area.

“Elk are smart and adaptable,” Santavy said. “They’re safe there and they know they’re safe. You’ll see them right by the road, comfortable near humans. You won’t see that outside the viewing area. Drive a mile down the road and they won’t do that.”

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Viewing the rut

Visitors can either go on their own or take a tour bus.

To drive on your own to the Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area, go north on Highway 191 out of Lewistown for about an hour. Pass the Sand Creek Wildlife Station and cross the Missouri River. Turn right, or east, onto the Auto Tour Route.

The Central Montana Education Center in Lewistown is hosting two bus trips to the Wildlife Refuge to view the elk rut.

“People come from all over North-Central Montana,” Diane Oldenburg, director of the Central Montana Education Center, said. “It’s quite a tradition for some. Most people comment on how incredible this natural phenomenon is.”

Bus tours are being held on Sept. 9 and Oct. 4 out of Lewistown. Participants will leave from the Fergus High School parking lot at 4 p.m. and arrive at the refuge around 5:30 p.m. Staff from the refuge will be on the bus to answer questions and talk about the wildlife during the hour and a half drive to Slippery Ann.

Oldenburg suggests bringing blankets, lawn chairs and binoculars for the two hour rut viewing. Participants can expect to be back in Lewistown by 9 p.m.

The bus tours cost $12 per person. Participants can purchase a boxed lunch for an additional $6. Those interested must pre-register for the tours at least a week before the trip by calling 535-9022.

Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area Hotline

Call the Slippery Ann Elk Viewing Area Hotline at 535-6904 or contact the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters at 538-8706 for weekly updates on elk numbers and activity.