Fall colors start to shine in the mountains of Western North Carolina in October. Tourists aren't the only mamals that are more active this time of year, explains wildlife biologist Joe Yarkovich, who works in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. September to November is elk mating season, known as the rut. “All of the large mature bulls that spend most of the year off by themselves return to some of the common areas where all of the females are. While they are there you will notice a marked