Help me understand these elk

[CObuglechaser]

Just when I thought I started to figure the group of elk I am hunting out, they go and throw me all off.

I've had a trail cam set up in the basin I like to hunt since late June. I've been getting consistent pictures of about 10-15 different bulls at least every few nights, if not even more frequently. (Sometimes every night) Most pictures were during the late night when they were feeding and bedding and then would head down into the timber shortly after daylight. I pulled the memory card yesterday and there were 11 days, between the 5th and 16th of August, that the elk quit showing up, at all. On the 15th, I had pictures of a coyote that appeared to be chasing a rodent of some sort. Also, during that time that they quit showing up, the moon was in its darkest phases. Could it just be that they were just acting like elk (unpredictable) or could the coyote moving in (in 3 years I've never seen, heard or had pictures of any coyotes in this basin) have put the elk out of their routine? Maybe the combination of a new coyote in the area, combined with the dark moon phases, made them bed up higher at night and change their pattern. Either way, it had me confused and I was wondering if any of the elk experts here could help.


Matt

 

[elkduds]

So they never came back? Bulls won't be displaced by a coyote, but they could be displaced by livestock or human activity. I'd say keep watching, they'll likely be back unless livestock moved in.

 

[ckleeves]

Coyotes don't even phase elk IME. I have seen elk and coyotes within yards of each other numerous times and the elk aren't bothered. A few years ago I watched a cow and calf feeding in a meadow while 6 coyotes moused about 80 yards away. The cow kept a pretty close eye on them but didn't even leave the park.


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[IdahoElk]

Matt,
I'm no expert but I think it's Elk being Elk.Being Fortunate to feed Elk all winter on a ranch, the more I'm around them the more I realize they do things for who knows why?
Coyotes don't generally pose a threat to Elk.

 

[BroodBuster]

I think elk use game camera's to pattern hunters!

 

[charvey9]

It's just elk being elk as the bachelor groups are breaking up. Mature bulls will go off on their own until the rut starts while the younger bulls start to migrate toward the cows. One of the worse things you can see on your trail camera during the summer is a lot of bulls and no cows. By the time hunting season rolls around those bulls will be where ever the cows are.

 

[GotDraw?]

Scouting this summer, I saw three mature bulls feeding well w/in 100 yards of a 500+lb black bear that was eating the same forage. They were completely unconcerned.

 

[CObuglechaser]

I think elk use game camera's to pattern hunters!

Lol. I think there may be some truth to this.


Matt

 

[4ester]

Bachelor Herd is splitting up and probably starting to sniff around the cows.


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[Brado16]

In my experience game camera tend to miss more than they capture. I wouldn't be too worried, I bet there are still there or not too far away.


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[CObuglechaser]

It's just elk being elk as the bachelor groups are breaking up. Mature bulls will go off on their own until the rut starts while the younger bulls start to migrate toward the cows. One of the worse things you can see on your trail camera during the summer is a lot of bulls and no cows. By the time hunting season rolls around those bulls will be where ever the cows are.

That thought occurred to me the more I thought about it. The bachelor group that was hanging out there may start to be splitting up.
The whole not seeing many cows thing has me concerned. I may be hunting more in my plan B area this year.


Matt

 

[Hoot]

Im thinking thats the time most bulls are rubbing velvet off...

 

[CObuglechaser]

Im thinking thats the time most bulls are rubbing velvet off...

Will the bulls go into somewhat of a hiding period while they shed their velvet? I did notice that on the 17th one bull showed back up in the same spot and was hard-horned at that point. I've never heard of them changing their habits while they shed their antlers.


Matt

 

[KMT]

Elk are always home, no matter where they are. Maybe they will be there tomorrow in front of your trail cam. And maybe they will be 10 miles away.

 

[pingpong7]

Couldn't agree with Charvey9 more, bachelor group is breaking up and bulls will eventually start to find cows. Now that you know good bulls are in the area, find the cows and come archery season, the bulls wont be far away.

 

[westrnwild]

yeah there starting to break up. I was out last night hiking with the family and some small bulls were already getting into the spirit of things. Screaming back and forth at each other. My 4yr old daughter even got in the action doing her best elk bugle (better then mine without a call) and got them riled up some more... it was pretty fun, but it let me know things are beginning to change.

 

[elkyinzer]

It's a great sign...the season is coming!!!

Bachelor herds are breaking up. I follow some PA elk around for shits and giggles and to learn more about elk behavior since an elk is an elk (tag is like winning the lotto). A bachelor group I've been watching with 5 bulls broke up sometime in the last couple weeks and I randomly ran into one of the bigger ones ten miles away, across a large river, and without velvet. Your bulls likely broke up also and will set up shop near some cows and start getting territorial with wallows and rubs.

Now til Christmas is just the best time of year hands down, I love those first early signs that fall is coming. I saw a deer getting its fall coat yesterday...It's going to be in the 70's here next week....Goldenrod is blooming...it's getting harder by the day to focus on work... best of all I leave for Idaho in 3 weeks! Pretty sure next week I'm going to go outside one morning and "the smell" will be there. You guys know what I'm taking about with the smell, right?

 

[Swede]

In the first half of August the bulls had not started to rub their antlers and the bachelor groups were not breaking up. The bulls have not gone off to seek cows yet. These things will all start to begin shortly now. The coyote was not the problem. What is the feed like in your basin? I would suspect it has dried up and they have moved on or you have predators there.

 

[theleo91386]

I've watched a couple of cows actually trying run a coyote down. If they hadn't of noticed me they'd have stomped that coyote into the ground.

 

[CObuglechaser]

In the first half of August the bulls had not started to rub their antlers and the bachelor groups were not breaking up. The bulls have not gone off to seek cows yet. These things will all start to begin shortly now. The coyote was not the problem. What is the feed like in your basin? I would suspect it has dried up and they have moved on or you have predators there.

The feed in the basin is still plentiful. Lots of grass and water still. I'm guessing it was the fact that they're starting to break off from the bachelor group.


Matt