THE ELK

Rut Weekend

My 7-year-old nephew, Lloyd learned how to make cow and bull calls in an elk bugling club at a Cheyenne elementary school.

“At my house, I have to go outside because my brother gets mad. I say, ‘Oh, well,”‘ Lloyd told me over the phone.

If there’s one thing that makes my heart swell with human goodness and makes my cuteness meter go off the charts, it’s hearing adorable little tots make high-pitched sounds imitating elks in heat with the intent to draw the big horny beasts out of the trees and shoot them dead.

Nice, huh?

Thank heavens Northwest Trek puts the elk on a shrine. Visiting the huge wildlife park during the elk rut (breeding season) is fun, especially when they incorporate events such as antler making, moose story time, wild games and a park-wide scavenger hunt. This is in addition to their tram rides through the herds where the elk are, basically, getting it on. — Suzy Stump

[Northwest Trek, Sept. 1-2 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., $13.50, 11610 Trek Dr. E., Eatonville, 360.832.6117]

THE RODEO

Oh Roy!

If the word “rodeo” conjures images of professional athletes in starched western shirts and brand-new Wrangler jeans competing for millions of dollars, then the Roy Rodeo isn’t your bag. This rodeo is the real deal. This Puget Sound area tradition returns to the town of Roy on Sept. 1-3, combining events ranging from bronco riding to steer wrestling and calf roping, bull riding and even, for those who prefer a little less action — cow milking. Also on the rodeo grounds are food and souvenir booths, plus a beer and wine garden. — Bill Timnick

[Downtown Roy, Sept. 1-3, noon, $4-$10, off Highway 507, Roy, www.royrodeo.com]

THE EXHIBIT

“Beggars & Choosers”

If harried mothers ripping their hair out over back-to-school issues has you thinking about what it really means to be a mother, a new photography exhibit at Pacific Lutheran University’s University Gallery will help satisfy your curiosity with a political/intellectual take. “Beggars and Choosers: Motherhood Is Not a Class Privilege,” curated by feminist historian Rickie Solinger, takes a look at non-traditional mothers and the discrimination they face. — SS

[University Gallery, Sept. 5-27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, free, Pacific Lutheran University, Eighth Avenue South and Wheeler Street South, Parkland/ Tacoma, 253.535.7150]

THE STAGE

Studio 21

The self-directed and financed vagabond theater troupe Studio 21 will be staging “The Steward of Christendom,” dramatic work about a man’s fall from sanity after Ireland gains its independence. — Steve Dunkelberger

[Commencement Bay Coffee Co., Sept. 6-23 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $15-$20, 2354 S. Jefferson Ave., Tacoma, www.studio21theatre.com]

THE GAME

Tacoma Scavenger Hunt

Get ready! Get set! Go!

Bacchante Wine & Essentials will host a wacky, made-for-TV-style scavenger hunt Saturday, Sept. 8 in celebration of its four-year anniversary.

The event requires four-person teams — only one $20 pre-registration fee (deadline Sept. 4)  — to race through Tacoma, scavenger-hunt style, looking for clues that will lead them to fame and glory. Those who know and love their city will win the day.

Bacchante asks participates to be 21 and older and to bring their camera, cell phone and sense of humor — sounds like the Weekly Volcano’s normal shopping excursion.

The race will start at 1:30 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. over food, wine and awards.

The sign-up sheet is at Bacchante Wine & Essentials. — SS

[Bacchante Wine & Essentials, Sept. 8, 1:30 p.m., $20, 606 N. Prospect St., Tacoma, 253.573.9463]