This morning I drove up to Lookout Mountain to hike around the Boettcher Mansion. Surrounding the mansion is an open space with a few trails. When I arrived I was already hearing Elk bugles ring out. As I was hiking trails I unintentionally spooked four young bull elk and they took off into the residential area. As I circled back to the trailhead disappointed in spooking the elk. There was this lone mule deer just grazing minding her own business. This raised my spirits and I was able to come away with a decent photograph.

Later on on my way back down. I noticed a small herd of elk on one of the ridge lines of the mountain. I quickly parked the car to survey the landscape to see if I could hike over to them. There was a trail that lead to the base of another ridge that would be directly across from them. After short a hike, a scramble up the steep face. I came to an open patch. Now that I was closer. There were four bulls spread out over this ridge bugling back and forth to each other. This was the most vocal group of elk I’ve ever watched. The bugles lasted for an hour. Finishing off with a couple sparring matches before the herd moved over the ridge out of sight.