September 2024 - 36

These white-tailed deer spar to attract a mate. (Photo by Lisa Ballard)
like a dog going to the bathroom. They scratch six
times and then move on. It only messes up the grass. "
Short said mule deer likely scrape and rub by
habit, though people believe they rub because the
velvet is itchy as it's falling off. All deer species scrape
and rub to some extent, but buck mule deer are just
wandering and looking for does. They can travel
across big areas during the rut. With mountain mule
deer, they are migrating to lower winter range as they
look for mates. They might be 10 miles away from
one day to the next, in contrast to white-tailed deer
who have a territory they defend from other bucks.
Elk scrape for completely different reasons. Bull elk
form harems then protect their harems from other
bulls. As they do this, they also move within their
environment due to pressure from other bulls and
hunters, and their cows' need to forage. The cows
constantly need to find food, especially if the land is
dry, to support their energy-intensive breeding cycle.
" Elk scrapes are more of a wallowing behavior, "
explained Short. " They urinate then roll in it. If
you see a bull elk covered in mud, it was wallowing,
probably to beat the heat, get bugs off, and
during the rut, as it's equivalent to scraping behavior.
Scent with an elk is more about making itself
smell. They're throwing on the $2 cologne, versus a
white-tailed deer which is trying to make its territory
smell like itself. "
36 | September 2024
SPARRING AND BUGLING
In addition to rubs and scrapes, male elk and
deer also spar, and in the case of elk, bugle, to
attract their mates. A lot of male aggression is to
ward off other males, but it's also posturing for
the females.
" It's like sage grouse on a lek, " Short said. " The
females are watching. If you observe deer or elk
fighting, some of it can be pretty playful. One
might pick up its head as if to look handsome. "
Elk also bugle with a double purpose, to scare
other males away from a harem and to tell cows
to notice him. Interestingly, deer do not call like
elk to defend their territory. At most, they make
quiet grunts to communicate rather than to draw
attention.
HUNTING CLUES
The ways elk and deer mark their turf, or not,
can provide helpful clues to hunters. It reveals
location and behavior. A whole industry has
evolved to help hunters mimic white-tailed
bucks during the rut. You can buy antlers for
rattling, kits to build your own scrapes and scent
to mark it.
Likewise, these clues tell you if you're in a good
place to find an elk. But what if you don't see an
elk? Your timing may be off.

September 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2024

September 2024 - 1
September 2024 - 2
September 2024 - 3
September 2024 - 4
September 2024 - 5
September 2024 - 6
September 2024 - 7
September 2024 - 8
September 2024 - 9
September 2024 - 10
September 2024 - 11
September 2024 - 12
September 2024 - 13
September 2024 - 14
September 2024 - 15
September 2024 - 16
September 2024 - 17
September 2024 - 18
September 2024 - 19
September 2024 - 20
September 2024 - 21
September 2024 - 22
September 2024 - 23
September 2024 - 24
September 2024 - 25
September 2024 - 26
September 2024 - 27
September 2024 - 28
September 2024 - 29
September 2024 - 30
September 2024 - 31
September 2024 - 32
September 2024 - 33
September 2024 - 34
September 2024 - 35
September 2024 - 36
September 2024 - 37
September 2024 - 38
September 2024 - 39
September 2024 - 40
September 2024 - 41
September 2024 - 42
September 2024 - 43
September 2024 - 44
September 2024 - 45
September 2024 - 46
September 2024 - 47
September 2024 - 48
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
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https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
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