Elk and Moose

Joined
Sep 28, 2020
Messages
29
So I’ve been doin a bunch of lookin around the unit we drew and keep going back to an area that topographically looks great, good mix of timber and feed, but there are A LOT of ponds and that got me to thinking it might be more ideal moose habitat…which leads to my question, do moose and elk care to be around each other? Chasin elk in moose country (or this much standing water) is new to me, all my experience is in more arid NM type elk country…it’ll be during September archery if that makes a difference.

I appreciate any info!
 

Gerbdog

WKR
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
Messages
816
Location
CO Springs
Great question, and i've also run into this situation more then once. Fact is i don't think elk and moose care about each other and you can see them standing in the same open space on trail cams at the same time.

That said, I'd identify for sure elk sign, thats fresh, before committing to the area. When i was new in CO i spent a season hunting what i thought were elk (and maybe there were some) only to keep finding moose. So i spent a season hunting moose without a moose tag. Like you i had cut my teeth learning to hunt NM elk in arid environments, so i thought all that sign around the water was elk.

If a lot of the sign is around willows and around the water i'd guess a lot of that sign is moose, not to say elk dont need to drink and some of it around the water could be elk, but the willows seem to draw in all the moose.
 
OP
S
Joined
Sep 28, 2020
Messages
29
Gerb, thanks for the reply! That’s really kind of the plan just get in there and check it out because it looks too good not too! And yeah hard to beat New Mexico when ya know without a doubt it’s elk sign! Sure have been cussin ol’ NM last few years…bout decided I pissed of a politician it’s been so long since I had a tag 😂😂
 

khunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Messages
154
Location
Colorado
Have arrowed elk in a swampy azz willow infested river bottom while looking over some moose. Then killed a moose nearby a few days later. Few year later almost exact replay and buddy missed his elk sme spot.
 

Huntnnw

WKR
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
442
Location
Rockford,WA
I hunt high moose areas with elk every year. Not a care in the world to the elk. Moose are outnumbered by a lot in total elk numbers to actual moose in a given area.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
Location
Colorado Springs
When I was breaking down my moose in the dark two years ago, there were a couple bull elk nearby screaming their heads off the entire time.
 
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