By Prince Albert National Park

The Elk Rut is On in Prince Albert National Park

Sep 13, 2021 | 8:31 AM

From early fall to mid-October, mature elk breed, which is called the rutting season. Mature bulls gather cows and their calves into what is called a harem.

Elk bulls are impressive animals at this time of year. They rub their antlers on trees to remove the velvet and polish the ends for rut.

Wallowing also leaves their scent on bushes so that cows know they are nearby. Evidence of shredded bark can be seen around the park. Bulls also bugle, which is a very distinctive sound, to let other bulls know they’re around. Many of these territorial rituals are posturing and done to avoid fighting by letting other bulls know that they are there.

Though not as frequent as posturing, these territorial rituals can lead to fighting. For elk, a fight entails two bulls smashing antlers together. In some cases, the bulls will lock antlers and will push one another in displays of strength. This is to assert dominance over another bull and to keep guard over the bull’s “harem” of cow elk.

For information about the elk rut and visitor safety, please visit webpage or contact the Visitor Centre at (306) 663-4522 or pc.princealbertinfo.pc@canada.ca.

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

15h ago

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

Dec 11, 2024

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

Dec 11, 2024

Use Google Street View to explore park trails!

Many of Prince Albert National Park’s trails can be virtually visited ahead of time on Street View, which provides a way of virtually visiting and dreaming about, educating and learning about, and planning trail experiences in the park! More information

Keeping the “wild” in wildlife

Prince Albert National Park is a great place to view wildlife in their natural habitat. With a vast range of recreational opportunities and camping experiences set in a wilderness full of elk, deer, fox, waterfowl and black bears, it is important to keep people and wildlife safe. Wildlife find their healthiest food in their natural environment and once they become accustomed to being fed by people, they stop looking for their natural foods and are no longer “wild”.

In national parks across Canada, it is illegal to feed wildlife. It is also important to reduce the chance of these animals getting into pet food, coolers, storage containers, barbecues and other items that have a strong smell. Visitors are encouraged to store items with an odor in vehicles, bear caches when in the backcountry or in bear-proof garbage and recycling containers provided throughout the park.

Do you fish on Kingsmere Lake? Share your thoughts on the declining trout population

Parks Canada takes its mandate to protect the health of the environment seriously. An agency-wide monitoring and reporting program, consisting of independent scientific measures that help assess the health of the ecosystem, is used to guide parks in making decisions or taking actions that support conservation.

According to present information, population assessment results over the last three years indicate a 45% decline in the lake trout population in Kingsmere Lake. More information is needed to determine the condition of the lake trout population.

With the public’s participation, together we will know more about the state of the fisheries and the health of the species. For more information on this engagement project, and to provide feedback or learn more about the topic, please contact us at: pc.panptrout.pc@canada.ca or visit Nature and Science on the park website.

Protect waterways from aquatic invasive species: Clean, Drain, Dry!

Aquatic invasive species threaten aquatic habitats, fisheries and valuable recreational resources. Parks Canada is informing visitors to prevent aquatic invasive species such as zebra mussels from entering waterways.

Visitors are asked to clean, drain, dry their watercrafts and water toys. These items include motorboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, inflatables water toys, sand toys; anything that goes in the water. Parks Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan are working together to monitor for aquatic invasive species. More information

Prince Albert National Park Visitor Centre

Contact the Visitor Centre to learn more about activities in Prince Albert National Park at (306) 663-4522 or pc.princealbertinfo.pc@canada.ca.

Fall Visitor Centre Hours:

Until October 11, 2021: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Sunday to Thursday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Friday and Saturday