Elk and acorns?

[dtrkyman]

Anyone seeing elk key on acorns? I always find them in areas with oak brush but have not really noticed them pounding acorns like a whitetail or a bear!

 

[JArcher]

Albeit there are no acorns in my western state but I have never heard of them keying in on them. They typically browse forbs first until they dry up and then transition to shrubs and grasses.

 

[Maverick1]

Yes, elk will feed on acorns. Have hear them plenty of times crunching on the acorns. Scrub oaks can be difficult to sneak through, though, and finding an opening for a shot is not always easy.

 

[jgilber5]

Down here they are critical in some units. Find the acorns find the elk. And bears

 

[GunsAreFun]

I have not personally observed it but have found lots of old sign in scrub oaks and know a hunter that kills elk every year that loves hunting that country.

I don’t know how he does it. Usually can’t see more than a few yards, and walking through it is incredibly difficult.

 

[madtinker]

Down here they are critical in some units. Find the acorns find the elk. And bears

Where’s here? I also see lots of scrub oak and have found sheds in it, but I haven’t targeted it specifically during the season.

 

[jgilber5]

New mexico

Where’s here? I also see lots of scrub oak and have found sheds in it, but I haven’t targeted it specifically during the season.

 

[Poser]

I'm in a scrub oak heavy area, though, elk tend to be in higher elevations when its hot. I have seen elk herds down in the scrub oak elevations feeding in September, but, having spent a lot of time hunting bear in scrub oak during that time frame, I don't see it often nor do I find a whole lot of fresh elk sign. They don't seem to flock to it by any stretch -just another option. In fact, some of the local ranches that hold elk year around are surrounded by scrub oak and the elk don't really leave the pastures for it at all.

In this area, I wouldn't go out of my way to look for elk in scrub oak, but, I have a buddy who gets a archery elk and bear tag every september, so sometimes he goes out in scrub oak looking for an opportunity on either.

 

[LaFever]

Yes ,
There are scrub oaks in colorado that grow like a bush and reach about 5 feet tall, these oaks are thicker on the western slope and do produce an acorn

 

[Dos Perros]

I hunted a unit in western Colorado and the elk spend a lot of time in the oak brush. In some country the oak brush is just absolutely littered with elk poop, but it's not summer elk poop, it's the later fall pellet type elk poop, so I they've got to be hammering that stuff after the rut.

 

[Poser]

I hunted a unit in western Colorado and the elk spend a lot of time in the oak brush. In some country the oak brush is just absolutely littered with elk poop, but it's not summer elk poop, it's the later fall pellet type elk poop, so I they've got to be hammering that stuff after the rut.

There's not any significant amount of mast left after the rut. Most years, its completely vacuumed up by bears by the end of Sept. Bumper years will often have leftovers into Oct, though.

 

[Dos Perros]

There's not any significant amount of mast left after the rut. Most years, its completely vacuumed up by bears by the end of Sept. Bumper years will often have leftovers into Oct, though.

Maybe it's where I was, but we're talking miles and miles and miles of oak brush. It is the predominant cover. And there aren't very many bears. Sure maybe the elk are eating them in October and not as late as March, but they're spending a lot of time in there at some point after September. They're also in there in September (because it's almost literally everywhere), but I also know they aren't exclusively feeding on acorns then because I see them feeding in the open. They do bed in there though.

Several sources confirm that elk consume Gambel oak acorns. According to Colorado State University Extension, elk rely on Gambel oak during the spring and winter, and the acorns are considered an important mast crop. The U.S. National Park Service also states that acorns are part of an elk's diet, along with grasses and forbs. Another source, <<Link: US Forest Service Research and Development https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/65147>>, mentions that the acorns of Gambel oak provide a food source for various wildlife, including deer and elk. Finally, <<Link: USU Extension https://extension.usu.edu/rangeplants/shrubs-and-trees/gambel-oak>> and <<Link: Colorado Native Plant Society https://conps.org/the-gambel-oak/>> also support the idea that elk forage on Gambel oak and its acorns.
In addition to the acorns, elk also consume the leaves and other browse from Gambel oak plants. Acorns are particularly important for elk as a food source during the fall and winter, providing them with essential nutrients, fats, and vitamins to help store fat for the colder months.

 

[Poser]

Maybe it's where I was, but we're talking miles and miles and miles of oak brush. It is the predominant cover. And there aren't very many bears. Sure maybe the elk are eating them in October and not as late as March, but they're spending a lot of time in there at some point after September. They're also in there in September (because it's almost literally everywhere), but I also know they aren't exclusively feeding on acorns then because I see them feeding in the open. They do bed in there though.

A lot of scrub oak range overlaps with elk wintering grounds. I've seen elk move in during 3rd rifle when we get big November snow years and I'll often run into them still hanging around in scrub oak once turkey season opens up in April.

 

[Dos Perros]

A lot of scrub oak range overlaps with elk wintering grounds. I've seen elk move in during 3rd rifle when we get big November snow years and I'll often run into them still hanging around in scrub oak once turkey season opens up in April.

Where I've been, there is oak brush from the valley floor to the hilltops, with almost all oak brush between. It's only 1,000 or 2,000 ft of vertical gain...they have no where else to go except for out of the country. There is some timber on the steeeeeper part of the north faces, and then pinyon juniper and rocks on the south faces.

 

[Weldor]

Yeap, see them pawing them up under the oaks. Don't last long though Deer , Bear all over them.