The rut tends to last somewhere between 20 and 45 days. This varies on latitude, which affects the timing of spring and autumn and which can give elk a longer calving season and a longer rut. During the rut, elk frequently use areas around fresh water, and tend to bed in heavy timber five to six hours per day. A cow elk will remain in estrus for 12 to 15 hours, if they are not bred during this time frame they will normally have another estrus cycle 18 to 28 days later.