How far do elk travel

[sticker_flicker]

Went and put my trail cameras up today there was 0 elk in there. Found them all about 5 miles away. Moved up In elevation and seemed to have side hilled across the mountain from a north slope to a east slope. So the question is think they will move back into the area I hunted last year?

 

[yhudson]

As long as the habitat is the same my guess would be they'll be back. They'll definitely move several miles for no apparent reason over night. I don't think 5 miles is a great distance for elk.

 

[Jackelope]

I know of a bull that was shot at and missed last year, then a few weeks later was killed +/- 4-5 miles away.

 

[Bar]

They might have smelled the scent you left when you put up the camera. Try to stay out of an area you think holds elk. You have to observe from a distance. You only go into an area that holds elk when you're ready to make a kill.

 

[jdmdavey]

we were on a Summer scouting trip this weekend and spotted a nice Raghorn bull and 3 cows across a canyon about 1 mi away. They moved slowly through the timber and seemed to head for the cool deep canyons full of trees. They didn't move more than a couple miles all weekend. But, the temps are hot and they seemed to be staying where there was shade, cover and water this time of year.

 

[Rizzy]

I have got the same raghorn about 2 miles apart on trail cams. The bio for the area says the big Bull he has radio collared has gone across 2 Elk zones, about 100 miles

 

[MesaHorseCo.]

5 miles is nothing for an elk. They clear high mountain passes like they aren't even there. That being said, they like the areas that they like, and often you can find elk year after year in roughly the same general area if nothing has changed. But on a whim, they can clear out and travel many miles without breaking a sweat.

 

[phish938]

I found that it really depends on the elk/country you are hunting. One area that I hunt is pretty open country and I have seen elk blow out 2-3 miles in a matter of minutes. About 80 miles away in thicker country they barley move off 1 mile after a good spoke. Then another range 100miles away they travel dozens of miles a day to migrate to a HUGE game range and then stay put. Long story short get to know the elk that you are hunting.