Elk location

[Hunter E]

How far away from roads and or access/pressure points are elk typically located?

 

[Geewhiz]

lol I don’t think that question can really be answered

Sometimes you’ll find an elk right along side of a well traveled highway or interstate and sometimes you won’t find one no matter how hard you look.

 

[Hunter E]

lol I don’t think that question can really be answered

I think if there are guys that go out every year for a long time, they might find a little bit of a pattern on how far they have to go in before they find elk.

 

[Maverick1]

I think if there are guys that go out every year for a long time, they might find a little bit of a pattern on how far they have to go in before they find elk.

The answer to your question is: it depends. I’ve shot elk while literally standing on a “road”, and I’ve also shot elk just over 8 miles from the closest road. So, it depends. Elk are where you find them.

 

[Geewhiz]

What I’m saying is elk often aren’t very predictable. The best advice I can give you is look for good habitat in difficult to reach areas and figure out how to get there.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I think if there are guys that go out every year for a long time, they might find a little bit of a pattern on how far they have to go in before they find elk.

Nope, not necessarily… seen elk right off of I-70 and seen them in the middle of the wilderness. They go where they want when they want. They can have patterns but it can and will vary season to season based on moisture, hunter pressure, recreational pressure, heat or lack there of ect… ect… sorry they are not whitetails and there is often not an easy button for them

 

[ElkArcher918]

There's is no hardcast rule where elk are found on public land. Depends on habitat, food source, water, security cover, topography, hunter pressure, time of year... That being said I tend to encounter the beginnings of elk sign and animals 1-1.5 mi away from trails and roads. But I've also encountered elk a mere 50 yds off well traveled forest roads and in the middle of sagebrush flats middle of the day.

 

[Balderdash]

There's is no hardcast rule where elk are found on public land. Depends on habitat, food source, water, security cover, topography, hunter pressure, time of year... That being said I tend to encounter the beginnings of elk sign and animals 1-1.5 mi away from trails and roads. But I've also encountered elk a mere 50 yds off well traveled forest roads and in the middle of sagebrush flats middle of the day.

My rule is generally about 1 mile from a road on out. But like others, have seen some right next to a road feeding or just walking slowly during hunting season when they really didn't have a good reason to be there vs any number of other places that were substantially the same but more remote or at least not visible from the road.

We often hunt a forested sadle/travel corridor that has a road we can see about .75 mile below it. The road cuts through a meadow/grassy hill. Several times we've watched elk wait for vehicles to pass and then meander across the meadow and walk right over the road after the noise is gone. It's a rough road, so they can hear anything approach as well and are long gone before any vehicle would catch sight of them. Two years ago we had a little time before dark after getting a buddy's elk out. Because we didn't have much time to hike into anywhere, I advised a friend to watch the meadow where the road in reference cuts through. Everyone thought I was kidding, but there weren't many options. I dropped him off at a good vantage point, and was only gone maybe 10 min when I heard the shot. Cow and 2 bulls came out shortly after the sound of me driving away was gone, and he was able to fill his cow tag. Only dead elk I've been involved in that could be loaded right into the back of a truck!

 

[4rcgoat]

Sometimes just driving off the mountain will get you into some good elk!

 

[cnelk]

Elk are where you find em

 

[elkguide]

I have shot elk in the wilderness where I rode on horseback 30 miles to base camp and then hunted from there. and the elk that I shot last year that tipped over 3 feet from a road.

As my father told me when I asked him where to find deer......
"The deer are, where the deer are."

 

[Fullfan]

Elk are where you find em

Beat me to it.

 

[Doghed]

Beat me to it.

Haha!
Me too.

 

[Dave_]

I think you just need to re-frame your question to: "when e scoutin gennerally how far from roads and trails do you focus on.... " As others have said elk are where elk are. My general rule of thumb when e scouting a new area is ~0.5 miles from a very difficult /steep access point. ~1 mile if intermediate. 1.5 miles from easy access. But definitely varies. I don't like to walk past elk to find elk.






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[jgilber5]

Numbers don't matter. When e-scouting, find where they aren't likely to be bothered, and go bother them.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

I think if you are looking for a semi reliable rule of thumb, a mile and a half and/or 500' of climbing should clear out most of the crowds. Whether the elk are there or not, is probably up to them, but that would be where I would start.

 

[spike camp]

I think if there are guys that go out every year for a long time, they might find a little bit of a pattern on how far they have to go in before they find elk.

Nope

 

[Overdrive]

This question got me thinking, I've taken almost 90% of my elk a mile or less from my truck. It's not a pattern because it doesn't happen in the same location year after year. But it shows to me I don't need to go deep to find elk in my areas, all OTC or low draw public land.

 

[Indian Summer]

We see bulls from our base camp at the truck. Pretty sure there are some further back in as well.

 

[Bigborealaska]

Elk are where you find em

Nothing could be more true.