Spike Bull Elk Rocky Mountain National Park

The herd bull is King of the herd. He rules absolutely and his primary duty is to create a harem and sire as many calves as he can. He looks for the most acceptable cows so that his offspring are most suited to continue his line. Because he is the biggest and strongest his prodigy should be too. When he is successful it is readily apparent as his young are smaller versions of himself.

This is the young Prince, a result of a successful union between himself and the Queen Mother, the dominant cow in his harem. He is being groomed to assume the role of master of the herd just as soon as he grows his antlers to their full potential, has the required number of battles with his peers and finally is able to confront and over come the herd bull. This is no small task and the outcome is in no way guaranteed. There are at least three to five more years of growing and training and avoiding the mishaps, such as accidents, falling prey to predators or being killed during the yearly hunting seasons, that are the regular fate of most bull elk.

If he makes it and is able to assume his place as King of the herd then he too will pass on the lineage he was born with. Right now he is just beginning to see the path before him and he is trying mightily to bolster his confidence. The carefree life of a young calf is behind him now and he’s paying very close attention to what the older bulls are  doing. His turn is coming up and he will need all the strength and experience he can gain. Wish him well, he has a long difficult journey ahead of him.