Quick Take
- Moose spend most of the year in total peace, but something flips the switch that turns them into brawlers. See what triggers the rut →
- Bulls urinate on themselves on purpose, and the females are in on it too. Discover the scent marking behavior →
- These fights can drag on for hours and end far worse than a bruised ego. Dominance has a brutal price. See the brutal cost of dominance →
On a shady path in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, a pair of moose are locked in a violent confrontation. This startling Instagram clip has captured what looks like a street brawl but is actually typical behavior for moose during the fall. What is this argument all about?
Dramatic Changes During the Rut
During most of the year, moose (Alces alces)lead very peaceful lives. They spend most of their time feeding, resting, and strolling around their habitats.
They are the largest member of the deer family, with a massive body and humped shoulders supporting their large head and antlers. Their antlers grow in the spring but are shed in the winter. They are there for a purpose – the rut!
What Is Rutting Season?
Rutting is the name given to the mating season in deer species. Moose behavior changes dramatically as the bulls compete for mating rights. It all begins in late August when the males have eaten enough food to bulk up with muscle and grow an impressive set of antlers.
The dominant moose gets to mate with the females.
©Tom Tietz/Shutterstock.com
The rutting season starts with some sparring. This is essentially practice fighting where the bulls lock antlers and push each other. Sparring is not an attempt to cause serious injuries to their opponent. It’s more about learning how to fight successfully and continues through to the end of the rutting season. Older, more experienced bulls rarely participate in sparring because they already have the skills!
Next comes the scent marking. The bulls dig a shallow pit, urinate in it, and splash the mixture on their antlers and neck. The females also wallow in the pits, and chemicals in the male’s urine coordinate their fertility. By mid-September, the females have formed stable groups. But which male will have the mating rights to the group?
Fighting Gets Serious
True fighting takes place from mid-September. Fighting is very aggressive and violent and can last for hours. Antlers are a key weapon, and the noise of these enormous appendages clashing can be heard from a mile away! Fights can go on for hours, and the bulls can get seriously injured or even die. The dominant moose is the strongest and fittest and gets to pass his genes to the next generation because he wins the mating rights!
