Highest elevation you’ve killed elk at

[mxgsfmdpx]

Correct.

 

[.270]

I shot a bull at 12200 in CO.

 

[Indian Summer]

Just above 9000. Lowest about 6500.

 

[cnelk]

11,000'

 

[prm]

11,500’. He was up at 12k bugling but there was no way I was going up there after all I’d already climbed. Packing out solo one has to know one’s own limitations... conveniently he and his cows came down to me.

 

[Dos Perros]

10,000 ft in WY, just below the rocks and cliffs at the very top.

In CO we chased bulls over a saddle at 12,000 for several days, shot a bull at 11,400 but he lived.

 

[Poser]

11,200-11,600 is common for me. I do routinely see elk at 12k+ and as high as 13k, but actually hunting them at that elevation becomes increasingly difficult the higher you get. The alpine has less cover, super complex thermals and talus fields which are loud to navigate. Also, the elk are able to move fast efficiently at that elevation where you will be very slow and moving in a very cumbersome manner, up, down, sidehill... makes no difference. You’re just not going to be able to move on them.

If you are new to elk hunting and you are purposely intending to hunt at 12k+, I’m going to say that chances are you won’t actually make it to that elevation and, if you do, your chances of success at that elevation are less than 1%. There is an aesthetic for it similar to a climbing based aesthetic: “I want to climb that feature and kill an elk up there.” I get it and much of my elk hunting is a similar approach, but it’s way hard, you’re exposed to brutal winds, you stick out like a sore thumb and they can see you from a 1/2 a way.

 

[CJF]

11.7K

 

[macdaddy]

10,700 ish


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[roosiebull]

About 300' until a few years ago haha.
12k ft is impressive, living at 10ft I would be sucking air for sure

haha... sounds like me. sub 1k feet for me.... of my 15 roosies, i don't think more than 2 were above 500ft.... possibly none.

my buddy drew a good tag 3 yrs ago in the NE corner of the state... not high, high elevation, but 8k-ish, we could certainly tell the difference climbing through those 1k-1500' deep canyons all day every day. we did adjust after a couple days, but it was very noticeable for a couple days.

that country is the only thing (in this state) that would get me off the coast in Sept

 

[Btucker1384]

8900 ft for me. Also my only kill thus far. Ha!

 

[Conrad101st]

I get it and much of my elk hunting is a similar approach, but it’s way hard, you’re exposed to brutal winds, you stick out like a sore thumb and they can see you from a 1/2 a way.

You are right about the winds being brutal. I’m usually sitting behind rocks on my fold out pad wearing 3 to 4 layers including a full down parka under an army goretex jacket or an orange shell, with a balaclava and two stocking caps under my hood. If I get to shivering, time to move on.

I killed a small raghorn right after this selfie as the sun dipped over the horizon.

 

[J78]

I’ve killed only two elk out of a total of five elk hunting trips. First one killed at 11,000 ft. The 2nd one was killed at 11,300 ft. Six years later and approximately 400 yards away from where the first one laid 6 years earlier. Pic of packing my first bull of the mountain.

 

[Wrench]

6500ish on top and about 18' on the bottom ebd.

 

[Kansas_Husker]

12,200 in Colorado for this flatlander from Kansas. Lots of hands on knees that trip!

 

[GPool1842]

Wounded a spike with a poor shot at 12.5 in 2018.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

11,960 last year, archery in Colorado. I saw elk that were higher but could never get close enough above timberline.

 

[AGPank]

9,000 feet, highest part of the mountain I hunt is 9,100


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[bummer7580]

I've been lucky enough to kill accouple around 11,000', more at about 8,000' and one at 6,000'. Luckily I've had horses on most hunts to haul them in. Hard for a flatlander to find much oxygen above 8000'.

 

[Redwing]

Let's take a minute to appreciate these critters. I was visiting friends and duck hunting last year and saw elk below the high tide line on a bay in Washington. So, -3 feet. Just got back last night from my elk camp at 5500 feet. I'll be hunting with my brother this fall in the Rockies at 10-11,500 feet. The same animal! It's crazy.