Elk Bedding and Burned Areas

[idahohikker]

I like hunting burns. Sometimes burns run for a long ways and don't have dark timber places nearby for bedding. Others have small strands of 20 or 100 trees (less than a quarter mile long) of varying density in patches.

I know elk will travel a few miles from their bedding area for good feed.

In sum, when do you discount or disregard a burned area because it doesn't have sufficient bedding areas nearby?

I hunt way back in wilderness areas with very low pressure. Maybe they are more willing to be in the open there, though I've never seen them bedded in an open scope back there. Much thanks for your help. I love this site. Any other tips about burns are welcome.

 

[Swede]

It really depends on the burn. Fresh moonscapes have limited use, and I would expect to only see them cross or bed near the edge. Dirty burns where there is a lot of remaining vegetation, and older burns with good new cover and feed actually may see increased use. Last years burn is replaced with fresh succulent vegetation.

 

[Topo_trekker]

When there is no water around I disregard those burns. Water is pretty scarce in those areas. Find their water source which is usually a small spring and you'll find the elk. If you look on some old USGS maps they have springs marked.

 

[idahohikker]

Thank you for the information, guys. So, is there a nice burned area (perhaps with water) that isnt used because there isn't thick timber for bedding nearby?

 

[Topo_trekker]

Thank you for the information, guys. So, is there a nice burned area (perhaps with water) that isnt used because there isn't thick timber for bedding nearby?[/QUOTE

No. If the burned area is thick enough they'll still bed in it, usually north facing slopes.

 

[Coveyleader]

At times they will bed right in the burnt stuff. Just like above timberline. I always look near the closest timber still standing as a start, but don't forget that if it's a good burn, with good regrow they will bed right in those 10 foot high thick aspens.

 

[Agla06]

Elk will always be in thick stuff, but they're there for a reason. You can't see them until you step on them. I really got into elk last year in an old burn area. It was pock marked with little pockets of trees 20-30 yards wide and 30-100 yards long.

They would feed in the burn at night and either head for nearby timber or hang out a little longer after first light and bed in those islands of trees. We would wait on a little saddle that funneled them from the burn over a ridge to bowl with heavy timber.

Next year we'll probably push out to one of the tree islands before first light. The bigger bulls seemed to stay further out. They knew you couldn't get anywhere close without them seeing you well before. They'd just head out the backside of the island of trees to the next stand.

 

[Rogue541]

I've hunted a few areas in Easter Oregon that were about 5 year post burn. Good vegetation and very open in most spots. Like TopoTrecker said if you can find sign and water they will not be far. I found them in one main drainage in a basin that had the only water around.


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[elkyinzer]

Depends what's left. I like burns that leave a nice mosaic. Scorched earth burns take decades to come back. Give me a nice cool ravine that the fire just touched with fireweed seeds and the stank of elk and floating in the air, now we are talking.