Pronghorn Rut, Yellowstone National Park

Photo of a pronghorn buck during the rut.
Pronghorn Buck Defends His Harem

I’m in Yellowstone.  I came for the rut.  It’s been quite warm and that may have slowed things down a bit.

This buck was busy defending his harem.  I observed him for about an hour before sunset and he was kept busy by four other bucks.  He chased them all away without a fight.   It’s a bit like swatting flies though.

Photo of a pronghorn buck during the rut.
The Rut Is On.

This buck was on a course which would bring him through the harem.  He watched from a few hundred yards away and finally skirted around the above buck and his harem.  I’m not sure why he didn’t act like the other bucks.  Maybe he’d say he’s a lover, not a fighter.  But that doesn’t work.  In the pronghorn world, the only lovers are the fighters.

0 Responses

  1. Pronghorn elk are beautiful and I got a chuckle out of your message, when you added what the
    male that avoided a fight might be thinking.

  2. Great shots, Jim! Was this the buck near the Gardiner entrance? We had a lot of fun watching that group throughout our trip, and the buck seemed to take pretty good care of his harem.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share this:

More Posts

Bighorn Ram, Yellowstone National Park
Big Ram, Above Yellowstone River I photographed this ram near the Yellowstone River picnic area on the...
Read Article
Raven, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Raven, Point Reyes National Seashore I don’t know what this raven was eating. It was a soft, yellow...
Read Article
Red Fox Kits, Yellowstone National Park
Fox Kits at Play This is one of the two reasons why spring is my favorite season to be in Yellowstone. ...
Read Article
A bald eagle grabs a fish in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
View Galleries

Prints for sale

Browse my selection of photos for sale as fine art prints

Filter by category