For several years now, I have been photographing a herd of Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I follow them through the seasons, I see the young grow and the females take care of them. I even took a rare photo of a female nursing three calves. I have always wanted to witness the rutting period, especially when the dominant male defends his harem against other males to be the sole procreator of the next generation. Since the ovulation period is short, it was important for me to be there at the right time.
This fall, I finally had the opportunity to photograph this event. When I arrived in the field, there were already about thirty Roosevelt elk: three dominant males, two immature males, females and young born this year. The dominant male kept an eye on the other males, chased them and eventually forced them across the river. He also kept a close eye on whether some females were ready for mating. His approach was simple: stroke the female's rump and neck, lick her flanks and then mate. He then lay down to rest among a few females.
I spent about 3 hours with them at a respectful distance so as not to disturb their activities. During this time, in addition to chasing rivals and copulating, some elk napped while others grazed. I eventually lost sight of them as they moved deeper into the forest.