Elk carcass, elk travel

[SlickStickSlinger]

If an elk has been taken in an area and there is a carcass in this area where a bunch of elk are, will the elk move out of the area because of it? Or not pay any mind to it and remain in the same general area? The rut is beginning where I am.

 

[jdmaxwell]

In my experience, they move on and bears move in.

 

[P Carter]

I’ve had the opposite experience...we’ve seen elk right next to carcasses that our group, or others, have killed. I’m certainly not the most knowledgeable on this topic, but I would think that elk are used to elk carcasses. For example, their winter range has at least a few carcasses each year and that doesn’t drive them away.

 

[brsnow]

I have a place we call elk ridge. By 4th season there can be 10-15 carcass and the elk still use the area thankfully.

 

[SlickStickSlinger]

All good things. I'll head back in to the same place, maybe down a bit for the rut.

 

[Indian Summer]

They pay no attention to it at all.

 

[westward_archer]

I don’t think it bugs them at all unless predators move in.


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[Wrench]

I've pounded them with rifles and had other elk lay with the dead one. We push them off and three days later you can bet they're back.

 

[RT-MCPO]

I’ve not seen any change in how they act.

 

[brettpsu]

My cousin shot his bull less than 100 yards from where I shot mine the day before. Didn't seam to bother them at all

 

[Jethro]

Buddy shot a bull in archery and the bulls were in the same area bugling the very next morning.

 

[njdoxie]

Wow, when I shoot an elk, that area goes cold as ice because of the disturbance from shooting and breaking down the elk. So disturbance goes along with an elk carcass. I’ve glassed a honey hole after a kill and have yet to see an elk.


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[Coveyleader]

My experience, they will still use the same drainage, but if they run into the carcass, they will haul ass away from it. Saw it this year. Killed an elk, it dropped in an area the elk always come through and it was pretty much a road block from there on out.

 

[Jn78]

In my experience, it seems like the human disturbance makes more of a difference than the presence of a carcass.

 

[Next Ridge]

I doubt it makes a predictable difference. By that I mean it probably bothers some and not others. Agree with others that what comes along with elk carcass, more people and predators, are a larger impact. We see elk in areas with carcasses. But this is why when a buddy in a deep canyon shoots an elk and asks for packout help I can say no thanks, I’m really just trying to keep from disturbing the area more than necessary,