TONS OF BUGS IN ELK TRACKS?

2pointer · Jan 17, 2009

I was chasing some elk today and noticed what looked like dirt or dust in all the fresh footsteps. (I was in the snow) Upon getting on my knees and looking to see what it could be, I discoverd that it was a bunch of little bugs. They are black and my have had little wings.

Have any of you ever seen anything like this? There had to be millions of the little things. Any clues?

2pointer

bigbone · Jan 17, 2009

Snow Fleas!

^BIGBONE^

kilowatt · Jan 17, 2009

Where is the pictures of these bugs??

Brian

elkantler75 · Jan 17, 2009

2pointer · Jan 18, 2009

I did not even think of taking a picture. I will hopefully be back there on Monday. I will take some pictures then.

2pointer

WapitiBob · Jan 18, 2009

6 legs, 3 body sections = insect. I'm guessing they're from the Diptera family. Probably not from Orthoptera or Ephemerida.

c3 · Jan 18, 2009

Probably something like this, but a bit different sub species. I always called them snow flies. Hehehehehe!

Cheers,
Pete

2pointer · Jan 18, 2009

I have been looking through some google images. I think they may have been some kind of flea. They were black and I could not see legs. They oviously had some since I could see them moving.

They were every where!! There were hundreds in every footstep and covered and entire hillside. I started to itch and crawl after I figured out they were there.

2pointer

Squirrel · Jan 18, 2009

Snow fleas- harmless little fellas stick your finger down and they will "flea" from the body heat. They come out heavy in the spring on south facing snowy slopes.

thebroker · Jan 19, 2009

Snow flease Eh I was picking them off my x wife (You no were) just a couple weeks ago thought maybe bessy had got to her ... yep every time she stepped in the snow there were a pile of them .

mtmuley · Jan 19, 2009

Yep, They are snow fleas. See them every winter here in Montana. mtmuley

Dawgs · Jan 25, 2009

"chasing elk..." huh?

schmalts · Jan 27, 2009

Why are you chasing elk this time of year??

c3 · Jan 27, 2009

I know there's a central Wasatch Front cow hunt that runs until the end of Jan. There's also a cow hunt up East Canyon down to I80 that's still on.

Cheers,
Pete

AZStickman · Jan 29, 2009

Wow... A cow hunt that late? That could be a twofer..... Terry

ColoradoOak · Jan 29, 2009

>Wow... A cow hunt that late?
>That could be a twofer.....
>Terry

What do you mean?

NeverStopHuntin · Jan 29, 2009

Twofer= two for one

Shooting a pregnant caw in january

or

Shooting a cow with a young calf that will likely die during the hard winter without its mother

AZStickman · Jan 29, 2009

Cows bred in September would be pretty far into the gestation cycle in January.... Terry

bowhunt · Jan 29, 2009

any cow hunt is a "twofer" it does not matter if it is in September or January.
Cows have calves, so killing a cow eliminates 2 animals. That is what they use cow hunts for, reduce herd sizes.

ColoradoOak · Jan 29, 2009

What bowhunt said.

Why is a cow killed in October not a twofer?

AZStickman · Jan 29, 2009

"Why is a cow killed in October not a twofer?"
Can't argue that....... Maybe Game and Fish can get a double tag fee going for these hunts instead of using increased opportunity to generate more revenue.... Terry

2pointer · Jan 29, 2009

I have a late season cow tag. It began November 22 and ends January 31. I have had this tag several times. It is a VERY FUN hunt!! I probably should not have said I was "chasing" elk. I wait for them to come down low and then shoot one. If they are still up high, I leave them alone.

2pointer