Elk location

[trophyhill]

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.

Sure it can! In 2 words. “Go Deep”

 

[Kenn]

3/4" on a map.

 

[Coveyleader]

The problem many times with elk close to roads is they get pressured. Sure there are pockets, but the “go deep “ crowd aren’t just looking for elk, they’re looking for space. Sometimes going deep gives you that, sometimes not.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

OP, I think what you mean is "Send honey hole coordinates, please."

Try phrasing it like that, and see if you get better results.

 

[Team4LongGun]

OP, I think what you mean is "Send honey hole coordinates, please."

Try phrasing it like that, and see if you get better results.

I don't see it like that at all. He didn't mention state or unit. C'mon guys. Can't have it both ways.

And OP, don't do that.

 

[Lil-Rokslider]

I don't see it like that at all. He didn't mention state or unit. C'mon guys. Can't have it both ways.

And OP, don't do that.

Just trying to help!

 

[Laramie]

Most guys reference how far to go in simply to get away from other hunters because that is why the elk are in deeper generally. 25 years ago, a guy was good if he just got out and hiked off the main trails/roads a few hundred yards. Now with GPS and internet scouting, no part of the mountain is off limits to hunters so elk are literally distributed from above treeline as far in as a guy can go to the ranchers pastures in the valley bottoms... and everywhere in between. That is a long way of saying what has already been said- they are where you find them.

 

[Shō[t]gun]

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

Seems like an innocent and vague enough question to me.
It depends.
I could write a paragraph here, but Randy Newberg has a good video on YT on breaking down an elk’s needs for each season and response to pressure. They're all just general trends and you’ll find exceptions to all of it, but for the most part it’s a solid jumping point for applying to an area and earning a honey hole for yourself.

 

[Jaquomo]

They can be wherever they aren't bothered by humans, and have ready access to good feed, water and bedding cover. I killed my last bull 200 yards from a heavily traveled county road, with vehicles zooming by on the way to work.

 

[trophyhill]

They can be wherever they aren't bothered by humans, and have ready access to good feed, water and bedding cover. I killed my last bull 200 yards from a heavily traveled county road, with vehicles zooming by on the way to work.

Back in 2017 when a particular unit I was hunting was still otc, I took the atv in about 2 miles from the trail head (50" gate) and camped. I was into elk every day 500 yards or less from my camp beside the atv trail at 9000'. Meanwhile the atv and utv traffic was ridiculous racing back and forth all day long to the top and back down. Killed a small bull at 6'. These elk were tucked into a pocket where they felt safe and noone was bothering them. Accept me of course. One of my favorite hunts yet. I had 16 call ins to bow range in 7 days of hunting weekend warrior style.

But back to what you were saying, very close to a heavily traveled road and noone bothering them. When I find elk like this, I can generally hunt them daily if I'm careful and don't spook them into the next unit. In heavily pressured units like this, I hunt differently than if I were hunting a hard to get draw unit. I don't take nearly the chances I would in an unpressured unit

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I've seen way more elk closer to roads than "way back super mega high country deep". Get out and scout all year long, even if just driving roads.

 

[FlyGuy]

The elk don’t care about roads or access points. They care about human activity/pressure. They stay away from it. Not all roads/TH have pressure. Some have tremendous amounts of it.

 

[Browtine908]

They are so many variables that can play into it. It's already been said that elk are where you find them. To add to that, just when you think you've "figured them out" they'll do something to prove you wrong.

I take 2 approaches, and neither bring any different results. It boils down to how you want to hunt. 1) Break every variable down to a granular level. Analyze all the factors that can play into it. Study, scout, study, scout, and when the time comes they are there or not. 2) Pick a spot, hunt it effectively, and see where the day leads you. If there's elk, great! If not, rinse and repeat the next day.

 

[Beendare]

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

I'm going to extrapolate from your question....assuming you don't have a lot of experience elk hunting. $ decades of Archery elk hunting every year here....

Elk avoid pressure....plan your hunt accordingly.

Bugling has become a low percentage strategy [My apologies to the influencers making their living pushing calls]

It doesn't take but a day or two of elk season to push them around and make them much more cautious. They inhabit and cross roads all the time but as pressure increases they do it less and find areas of less pressure.

Right at dark last year, we had them bugling almost every night 300y from a gravel forest road....and it's likely they were feeding in the meadows adjacent to that road at night- gone before daylight. They try to somewhat stay in their patterns but adjust due to hunter pressure.

 

[Ross]

Find what they need, food, water and security and you find elk. tbt bull from 2004. Was shot above a campground, verrry steep, nasty and dark north slope. Shot many here and over 30 yrs I have seen one hunter on it and they were hours too late. Miles in No, very steep up Yes

Biggest change since this photo was taken is I can no longer roam the steep nasty like an elk

 

[towens2011]

It can be anywhere at anytime. Use weather, water, and food as a source. I got mine 5 miles into wilderness this year.

 

[Gapmaster]

sorry they are not whitetails and there is often not an easy button for them

Thank God they aren’t like whitetails… lord knows they’d be even harder to kill. One of the most difficult things to kill is a heavily pressured mature Whitetail buck with a bow on public land. I go elk hunting to get a break from deer.