An bull Elk on the Madison River. The largest elk ever recorded weighed about 1000 lbs. A bull averages around 700 lbs. During the rut, when big bulls are gathering their harems for mating purposes, a loud, variably pitched, bugling call is heard all through the park. This bugle serves as a warning and challenge to other bulls. If a another bull responds to a bugle, the two bulls will probably battle, crashing their antlers together and then pushing and wrestling until the weaker gallops off. The winner of the battle gets to claim the harem of female elk(cows).