When do elk move to their breeding grounds?

[c3]

I've noticed that elk tend to rut in different places than where they summer.

Does anyone else notice this? When do the elk move off to breed in your area?

Cheers,
Pete

 

[2_Point]

I have watched a few different herds of cow elk over the past 5 summers in Central Utah and it seems that the mature bulls move in to the area where the cows are the last week of Aug and in the first week of Sept the bulls really start to mix in with the cows for the rut. Spikes seem to be alone during the calving season, but move back into the herd around the end of June. Semimature bulls 2-3 years old seem to move into the herd the first part of July. Mature bulls seem to summer away from the cows and young bulls. That is just what I have noticed the past few years, checking on the herds weekly.

 

[bugledemin]

Pete, Your right saying the elk rut in different areas than they spend the summer in. My experience has taught me that most bulls like to rut in the same area year after year. The smaller bulls try to herd up the cows in late August early September. As the rut gets closer the big boys move in and chase off the smaller bulls.