This imposing bull elk was sounding a warning to other males in the area to stay away from the harem he had gathered.
The distinctive bugle of a bull can communicate a number of different messages including letting his harem know he is around, letting the cows know they are straying too far and making him unhappy or warning other bulls to keep their distance.
Taken in the golden light soon after sunrise in Rocky Mountain National Park on September 28, 2014.
