Rifle Elk Kill Survey

[idahohikker]

I have always thought this was an interesting question. I’ve found elk from top to bottom of mountains. My personal experience points more to the upper 1/3 of the higher ridges in an area.

Sometimes the bottoms can be dismissed but they can provide really good escape areas with cover and solitude where guys don’t want to go down there. See Jason Matziners recent video where he kills a buck in a canyon bottom and says that’s common for him.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

Most have been buy a Meadow or bottom part of the hill. Which is funny because I spend most of the day climbing to the top of the mountain.

 

[wyosam]

Depends on which one is further from people, generally.


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[idahohikker]

Ttt for more data. Thanks to all who have submitted responses.

 

[juan trueno]

It’s not quite as cut and dried as that- the hellholes I get them out of are the kind that you have to climb to- and then drop down in behind the ridge you just climbed type of scenario typically so even though they are “down in a hell hole” they are still usually 1/2 -2/3s the way up the mountain .

I always always always check out northeast facing benchy spurs first. Because if you know where those are that people don’t go to- elk like that and are typically 80-90% easier to extract from there than a hole.

I like my elk in the morning before they go to bed but I am ok with evening too- just prefer the dynamic of the am hunt.

And finally by way of answer I’ve had better success on benches than in holes but that is *exclusively* because I put more effort there as I prefer packing them out mostly down instead of half up half down.

I have closed the deal 3 times in down in hellholes that were my last resort- and I have those spots all around -A few of them basically- and they mostly will be a ridge road type scenario or something to really help push the elk down into some fairly discreet but readily apparent places in response to the pressure and the obvious access points. and as soon as the season is open they always have elk but aren’t any fun to hunt or pack out of but if the freezer is empty kind of thing.

You (op) always talk about the wilderness being a barren wasteland essentially- and I’ll tell you what- for my time and my money- people are essential. I’m always lookin for other hunters to play off. Elk are good they are pretty predictable- but people- hell you always know what they’ll do- and to me I like that because it condenses the elk in places that are while inconvenient- pretty easily identified and exploited.

 

[KurtR]

Hoping to add some info this year I have only seen elk but not closed the deal but elk I have seen have been near ridges .

 

[406unltd]

ive never personally found them below half way. With that said if something is very steep and not frequented by very many people because it’s steep or just off their radar, I think they might go further down.

 

[tttoadman]

Find the elevation on a ridge where the "saddles" come through. I find the elk will move around on the ridges at this elevation and these are easy to get setup on. Use Juan's comments from above to pick the ones that make the most sense. Some saddles drop into north side blow downs where nothing wants to go. Some drop into small benches where the elk will be bedding.