When you journey to or through the Rocky Mountains, you can be certain that you aren’t the only living, breathing creature enjoying the natural environment. Depending on the season, there’s a good chance you’ll run into elk, deer, moose, or even coyotes and bears as you trek through their terrain.Elk are mostly viewable year round, but if you visit during the September-October mating season, it’s likely you’ll hear the Bull Elk’s characteristic mating call as dusk changes to dawn. The best places to spot Elk are Moraine Park, Harbison Meadow, and the 18-hole golf course in Estes Park. Even more common than elk, the mule deer tend to browse bushes, wooded areas, and planted gardens all throughout The Rockies.During the summer, keep an eager eye out for bighorn sheep on the East side of Rocky Mountain Park. In October-November, you’re likely to find a pair of the horned creatures in a head-butting contest on the mountainsides. They head to the south in the winter and like to travel to the roadsides in spring to munch on the fresh grass.If you’re lucky, you might see a Moose along the Colorado River in the Kawuneeche Valley on the west side, or along a scenic drive down North Park. If you’re not so lucky, you might encounter a ferocious mountain lion or bobcat. These predators keep the deer and other prey populations in check, but to ensure they don’t decrease the human population be sure you never approach one you come across, especially if its feeding or with kittens. If you do happen to encounter an oversized feline, don’t run from it, instead stay calm and give them a way to escapethey like to avoid confrontation with anything they feel is a threat. For this reason, you do not want to appear to be preyback away slowly, pick up a stick, or throw rocks/other items at it if it acts aggressively. The chance of being attacked by a mountain lion is low, but it’s important to be prepared, just in case. You’ll also need to be wary of black bears, coyotes, and foxes.