With the season's first snow and nearing the end of rut, these two bull elk sparred within view of the females at Rocky Mountain National Park. I kept a healthy distance and stayed within my car to be careful not to interrupt their actions. Though something tells me that I could have walked up, tapped them on the forehead and they would have never missed a beat. You can sense the intensity and focus of these animals when battling for position. They leave these fights wearing grasses and debris from their antlers like war medals.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 100-400mm f/4.5/5.6L IS @ 400mm, 1/80 sec @f/5.6, handheld, image stabilized, ISO equiv 1250, Calumet 8000 Carbon Fiber Tripod, Gitzo G1276 Ballhead