Elk Question

PH,

In my limited experience I believe that they will rut in areas that they would normally be at during Sept/Oct, which is higher up in the timber where it is cool. Calving is in Apr/May I believe and they wont have moved that high into the timber because it will still be deep snow at that time of year. So I guess my answer is "No, but depending on the year and snow pack they might?" Maybe some of the other guys will have a clearer answer than I just gave.

Mike
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PH,

Keep in mind that every unit and every state may be completely different, but in the area we hunt, the bulls do in fact rut near or in the calving areas. The reason being is that the cows come into the calving areas in early spring, where there is plenty of feed and water, they have their calves and spend the summer there. The bulls head up high in early spring, following the snow line, feeding on the first shoots of grass and buds on the brush/trees. They stay up high all summer, where it's cooler and the bugs don't bother them while their antlers are growing.

When the rut starts kicking in, the bulls will come down in search of the cows and calves. They will spend 2-3 weeks rounding up the cows and establishing their herums. Then, from what I've experienced, they will move back up into the higher country with their herds, away from the rifle hunting pressure. Then the snow starts flying and they move into their wintering areas, and the cycle starts over.

We scout our areas by finding the cows in the spring/summer, we rarely see bulls while we are scouting. But by the end of August, the bulls are right in where we saw all the cows during the summer. I hope this helps!

Corey
 
my area is at 8000 ft and there is no higher peaks and they do rut in the calving area if you remember the picture i posted of the elk calves this spring it was taken 400 yards from where the bulls from my tree stand were taken in september and 600 yards from where my son took his bull last year october 25 and the elk are three ridges over now maybe 1 mile away it all depends on the area you hunt and the food these elk go down to farmland at night and back up every morning i even find elk sheds in the same spot as winter killed elk, calves in the spring, elk rubs and rutting bulls, and the same bulls during rifle season. i don't think they move more than 7 miles all year the farthest they go is the hayfeilds.
 
Thanks for the ideas. I have been playing around with some map program that Colorado DOW has online. It shows calving, winter range, summer range areas for elk, mule deer etc. I'm not sure how accurate the maps are. The area I was looking at doesn't have any real high elevations. Just wondering if more bulls would be found near the calving areas during early Oct. near the end of the rut. Just something to do waiting for next years hunt.

Phantom Hunter
 
They rut wherever they happen to be at the time they feel the tickle. man Elk are nomadic, constantly moving. In my humble opinion I believe Bulls are wherever you find them. High, low, in between far and wide. Sometimes we try to hard to figure these critters out and always come to find em in the least likely place or the most likely place. Just yeterday we were talking about the damndest places elk live (and rut)


Shedcrazy
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-03 AT 08:35AM (MST)[p]its 50 50, 50% hard work and 50% luck in most aeras. look for a small range with lots of elk and limited cover then the elk don't cover as much area they are forced to stay in the small mountain range or have to head across wide open spaces which they will still do if forced to the idea is don't force them out.
 

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