Nearly a dozen elk invade a Yellowstone front yard during mating season, video shows

Thousands of elk call Yellowstone their home, and nearly a dozen invaded someone’s front yard while they were washing their hands, video shows.

Yellowstone National Park officials posted a video Monday on Facebook that shows nearly 10 elk crowding together in a front yard. Their screams echo through the neighborhood, the video shows.

Tens of thousands of elk call Yellowstone their home, according to the National Park Service. During mating season, which is early September to mid-October, elk can also be seen all over the park looking for a mate, park officials said.

“Avoid getting ‘stuck in a rut!’” the park said on Facebook. “Keep your head on a swivel in the park this time of year. Elk can be almost anywhere, including between cars in parking lots, near building exits, or in this case, a front yard.”

The elk can let out blaring screams during the rut too, McClatchy News reported. Some people have compared it to a “little girl screaming” and say it’s unforgettable.

“Bulls bugle to announce their availability and fitness to females and to warn and challenge other bulls,” the National Park Service said on its website. “When answered, bulls move toward one another and sometimes engage in battle for access to the cows.”

Park visitors who come close to elk should give the animals their space and stay at least 25 yards away, the National Park Service said.

“Bison, bears, and elk have injured and killed people,” the National Park Service said. “Do not approach, encircle, follow, or feed any animal.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Nearly a dozen elk invade a Yellowstone front yard during mating season, video shows."