elevation?

[jsig]

So im wanting to get out and try my hand at elk hunting next year (probably CO fwiw). Ive started e-scouting and know to look for the usual water, shelter and food. also heard to look for north facing slopes, but what ive had a hard time getting my head around is what elevation to look for these things. does it vary by herd/location? do elk move with the seasons/weather (high early then cold and snow push them down)? or is it a situation where they could really be anywhere i wouldnt know til i get out there? Colorado has such a range in elevation i can find water/food from 11k down to like 6k and its just put my head in a blender lol

any just general trend tips would be welcome.

thanks.

 

[Poser]

Right now, there are elk hanging out around 13,000 feet. There are also elk hanging out at 5,000 feet. There is a resident herd of elk who live year around on my buddy's pumpkin farm and never leave. There are elk in Aspen groves. There are elk on golf courses. There are elk in suburban neighborhoods. Elk in South facing scrub oak. Elk above treeline who may migrate to New Mexico or Arizona during the winter. Elk in North facing dark timber. Elk near trails. Elk far away from trails. Elk near roads. Elk in wilderness areas.

There are indeed elk in Colorado.

 

[stumblinhorse]

Elk are where you find them. It depends on where you are hunting. There are very few absolutes in elk. Every time something is said that someone assumes or states is true, I see the opposite. Full moon, elevation, bugling, Bull vs cow behavior. There is no absolute answer. I have been snuck up from behind by an elk to bow range when they are completely down wind of me. I have seen cows up high and bulls down low. Seen elk filtering down during the day and going way up high at night. Only thing you can do is decide where you are going to hunt and go there and figure out their patterns and try to have a plan. Anyone stating "facts" about elk behavior is suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I just chased a herd of 30 at 13k. Also saw some cows down around 8k. They are where they are. Going to be location dependent.

 

[Team4LongGun]

To your question about elevation-don't get caught up in that. What if the mountain tops out at 5500'? There are elk on that mountain. The other mountain tops out at 8100', and there are elk there as well. Out of all the variables, elevation is the least predictive. Cover, food, water, temperature, pressure and access come well ahead.

 

[jsig]

Right on right on. Kinda what I figured. Just wasn't sure if there were like migration trends or not. I know they can roam far

 

[jsig]

Im a midwestern deer hunter so im used to whitetail being a little more predictable (or probably just what im used to really) and me just sitting in a tree waiting for one to come by

 

[Poser]

Im a midwestern deer hunter so im used to whitetail being a little more predictable (or probably just what im used to really) and me just sitting in a tree waiting for one to come by

One of the aspects that makes whitetail more predictable is that you are hunting an animal where the average density is 20,30,40+ deer per square mile on a carved up landscape that forces them into certain travel corridors. Hunting Elk out in Colorado, you're talking about a relationship between miles per animal not animals per mile and while they certainly have historic travel corridors that look like game animal super highways due to the amount of traffic they have received since the end of the last Ice Age, you could watch some of these trails for many consecutive days and not see a single elk.
You have to change up your thinking that much as its all about where the elk are right now.

 

[jsig]

Right. Thats definitely a mental change thats going to have to be made for sure

 

[LaFever]

The elk seem to get fixated on certain wild pastures that they like because the forage offers more nutrition or it tastes good to them. I've seen get chased out of those areas and come back to it the next day or that evening. I think their instinct has programmed them to eat as much as they can as fast as they can. Hunters hiking or even a fresh gut pile doesn't chase them out of that area. In a couple instances these areas are shallow basins with steep slopes they bed on during the day it's usually aspen trees running up hill to dark timber

 

[Npike4040]

I personally wouldn't focus on north slopes because everyone else is focused on north slopes. Sometimes it works out when you do what everyone else isn't doing. I hunted a very busy otc unit a few years ago and found 5 bulls screaming at 3pm on a 70 degree day 1/4 mile off a popular road on a south facing slope. As everyone says they are where you find them!

 

[LaFever]

The elk seem to get fixated on certain wild pastures that they like because the forage offers more nutrition or it tastes good to them. I've seen get chased out of those areas and come back to it the next day or that evening. I think their instinct has programmed them to eat as much as they can as fast as they can. Hunters hiking or even a fresh gut pile doesn't chase them out of that area. In a couple instances these areas are shallow basins with steep slopes they bed on during the day it's usually aspen trees running up hill to dark timber

From memory that landscape occurs between 8500 to 9000 feet

 

[AslanE]

Right now, there are elk hanging out around 13,000 feet. There are also elk hanging out at 5,000 feet. There is a resident herd of elk who live year around on my buddy's pumpkin farm and never leave. There are elk in Aspen groves. There are elk on golf courses. There are elk in suburban neighborhoods. Elk in South facing scrub oak. Elk above treeline who may migrate to New Mexico or Arizona during the winter. Elk in North facing dark timber. Elk near trails. Elk far away from trails. Elk near roads. Elk in wilderness areas.

There are indeed elk in Colorado.

This is useful to know, people have been oddly specific about what elevation they tend to find elk.

As far as I can deduce, it must be snow or drought that would push most elk one way or the other.

 

[Poser]

This is useful to know, people have been oddly specific about what elevation they tend to find elk.

As far as I can deduce, it must be snow or drought that would push most elk one way or the other.

That is mostly because people see elk somewhere, say above 11k and proclaim "They are all way up high!" or, the'll see some elk after a storm at 7,000 feet and proclaim that "They've been pushed down low!."

This is a huge drought year in the Southwest and I could simultaneously show you elk herds who spent all summer at 6,000 feet and elk herds who spent all summer above 11k. Bachelor groups will often hold in deep snow, up to 4 feet or so until they are absolutely forced down where cows will often jump ship much sooner.

Think about it this way: There are Canada Geese who migrate many thousands of miles to the Artic and back every year. There are also Canada Geese who never leave a particular golf course. Never accept hunting advice from a person who applies a singular observation to an entire species. In fact, you'd probably be better off inverting their advice.

 

[AslanE]

These are all valid points.

Myself? I'm gonna stick to the lower altitudes as it will be my first time out west for first rifle. Gotta pace myself.

 

[LaFever]

From memory that landscape occurs between 8500 to 9000 feet

It's very correct that the hunter must go find the elk ."knowing how to GLASS" is important, you have probably read articles about this. It's not as easy as just sweeping across the mountain side .you need to try and look behind every leaf and twig (approximately)
Your looking for a piece of an elk or deer ,a butt ,an antler ,an ear