'It’s so visible to everyone': Sask. elk looking for love don't mind an audience
Setting out to deliberately try and have a wildlife encounter can be hit or miss.
However, when fall arrives in the resort community of Waskesiu Lake, located inside Prince Albert National Park, sightings of a unique wildlife ritual are nearly guaranteed.
The spectacle of the elk rut can be witnessed firsthand from early fall to mid-October.
As tourists and cabin owners move out of the townsite of Waskesiu in late September, more and more elk come out of the woodwork — looking to mingle.
One of the first signs that the elk rut is on is the familiar calls of the male or bull elk which is called bugling. The males make the sound of a bugle, to let the other male elk know they are present in a certain area where they have females gathering, called a harem.
“The uniqueness about the rut in Waskesiu is that it’s so visible to everyone. The elk herd around here is used to people being around,” Dusty Guedo with Prince Albert National Park told CTV News.
A photo taken by Angie Carriere shows a bull elk in Prince Albert National Park. (Courtesy Angie Carriere)
The resident elk are front and centre and on full display according to Guedo, in places like the golf course the beach and parks. He can’t say exactly how many elk live in the park because they tend to leave and come back regularly.
Angie Carriere has a distinct vantage point from which to see the mating ritual because all she has to do is look out her cottage window.
“It’s such a unique experience and half the time it gives me goosebumps just because of being able to experience them so close up,” Carriere told CTV News.
She has hundreds of videos, some of which she posts on social media. Friends from out of province or country, intrigued by her front row seats are making plans to see the elk firsthand.
“Next year I will have my friends visiting from New York, New Jersey, California, all over because they are so fascinated by the fact that the elk are right here,” she said.
Carriere knows to keep her distance and experts say there is a danger to getting too close as the bulls get territorial about their females. Sometimes that leads to fights where the massive animals lock antlers to vie for top bull status.
“Nature is full of surprises, so you have to be prepared. If an animal does ever come to you, get to your vehicle, get a tree between you, just leave the area,” Guedo said.
There haven’t been any close calls reported in recent years, but Guedo says a good rule of thumb when dealing with elk or any animal, is if you can look into their eyes, then you’re likely too close for safety.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Closing arguments heard in trial for Sask. dad accused of abducting daughter
Closing arguments were heard Thursday morning in the case of Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter in 2021 to keep her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.