Smell elk

[GSPHUNTER]

Maybe it's just my sense of smell but, they kind of smell like horse to me.

 

[RGARNER]

I've been in areas that have such heavy sign that is smells like a cow pasture.

 

[Indian Summer]

Just don’t be the guy bragging about all the elk scent you were into and elk sign and it be cattle…. When guys tell me they found a tore up wallow from a huge bull with hooves the size of pie plates I just nod and smile… elk and bovine are similar but can definitely tell the difference. If you’ve been around elk enough you can start smelling bull vs cow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^This guy knows his shit!^ lol If you’re in cattle country you’ll get false readings through your nose for sure.

One thing worth mentioning. Some spots are regular hangouts for elk. Even though elk move around regularly these spots are frequented by multiple groups of elk. Those places seem to always have at least some odor of elk. They’re not like the hit and run spots that only smell for a short time after the elk leave.

 

[Burnsie]

I wish my sniffer was better, never have had real keen smell.
Since I had Covid, its even worse.

 

[KHNC]

I wish my sniffer was better, never have had real keen smell.
Since I had Covid, its even worse.

Probably would have been a asset back in high school when I was parked in a pasture with an ugly chick!

 

[AaronMColeman]

My smell is way off since I got Covid last year. But in Fall I was pleasantly surprised that elk is one the the smells I didn't lose. I can't smell farts at all...so I guess Covid wasn't all bad.

 

[Jbehredt]

My smell is way off since I got Covid last year. But in Fall I was pleasantly surprised that elk is one the the smells I didn't lose. I can't smell farts at all...so I guess Covid wasn't all bad.

That’s good to hear. Elk smell has been in the back of my mind since the vid got me in November. Also can’t smell farts. It’s my super power.

 

[AaronMColeman]

That’s good to hear. Elk smell has been in the back of my mind since the vid got me in November. Also can’t smell farts. It’s my super power.

I was worried about smelling elk...then all of sudden I caught a wiff on opening morning of Archery season. I thought well if my smell never improves at least the one thing I need it for is solid.

 

[oswald2581]

My smell is way off since I got Covid last year. But in Fall I was pleasantly surprised that elk is one the the smells I didn't lose. I can't smell farts at all...so I guess Covid wasn't all bad.

I have a buddy that said the same thing, he cant smell much but can still smell elk. He thought it was awesome, however, not smelling almost killed him last fall. He is building a cabin, drove up by himself, turned the propane on in the shop he built and had a propane leak. Was leaking for 2-1/2 hours. He got a head ache but thought it was altitude messing with him. Neighbor showed up to have a beer, walked in and freaked out. They got it shut off and aired out, but no telling what could have happened if the neighbor didn't show up. Also glad he didn't start the furnace or a stove.

 

[AaronMColeman]

I have a buddy that said the same thing, he cant smell much but can still smell elk. He thought it was awesome, however, not smelling almost killed him last fall. He is building a cabin, drove up by himself, turned the propane on in the shop he built and had a propane leak. Was leaking for 2-1/2 hours. He got a head ache but thought it was altitude messing with him. Neighbor showed up to have a beer, walked in and freaked out. They got it shut off and aired out, but no telling what could have happened if the neighbor didn't show up. Also glad he didn't start the furnace or a stove.

Whoa! that is crazy. I can smell most things. I just know the smell isn't correct and sometimes it takes me some time to identify what a particular smell is.

Smelling Elk is not a sure sign that they are near. Lots of things in the wild smell enough like elk to trick my nose. But it has lead me to a lot of bedding areas and I have been able to track the elk out of there to where they were feeding. So it's just one more tool in the box, and one more tool that requires some knowledge of elk to use successfully.

 

[Gerbdog]

Good question, and smells like a barn yard, but as pointed out... dont get fooled if your in cattle country.

Sheesh.... im grinning just thinking about smelling elk haha.. Cant wait for September... when the wind switches and you catch that unmistakable scent.... you immediately start looking up wind.... somethings going on ....

Great way to find hidden away wallows, or just bedding areas.... or if your lucky there are elk in that direction.

How long it lasts? I dunno... probably depends on the weather a bit...

 

[BowForElk]

I feel like it varies by situation and how heavily the elk have been using an area.

 

[trophyhill]

I'll never forget the smell of that 2019 bull. JP and i had walked thru that area a day or 2 earlier and im quite sure it was him we were smelling. The day i killed him, i smelled him coming long before i caught glimpses of him thru the trees at 2-300 yards. I smelt him coming. Like Mike said, you smell that smell and you go to high alert instantly!

 

[Pony Soldier]

Elk have a unique musky scent. The cows have a sweet smell while the bulls are stronger to rank depending on the age of the bull. They don't smell anything like beef or horses.

 

[A-Brakke]

Smells like a sour barn yard in my opinion. At least that the only way I can describe it. Typically if I smell them without seeing the beds, wallows, Piss, rubs…they are reasonably close. If your seeing beds, wallows, piss, rubs…..and it smells it’s typically pretty dry weather and it could be minutes old or a day or two. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Short Track]

My 1st Elk was guided. I shot a cow that ran 40 yards. My guide found it with his nose. It was buried in scrub oak.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Elk scent and bovine/barnyard scent are not the same.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Not even close. Elk are wonderful and refreshing. Beef is just beef. Not really disgusting but consistant.

 

[fatlander]

This past year we hunted one basin that had 3 little rag horns in it, and nothing else. We found where they had bedded on the side of the trail on day 1. It smelled like elk on day 1 and still smelled like elk 4 days later. We hunted that basin longer than we should have because we saw those 3 bulls on day 1 and had been into a lot of elk in that basin in years past. Finally decided that elk just weren’t there like that had been before, probably due to the drought and lack of feed and water in that canyon.

We killed a herd bull a few canyons over with a lot of elk in it. The entire canyon smelled like elk the entire time we were in it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[roosiebull]

I've heard people talking about how you can smell elk if they're in, or have been in an area. So my question is, how long does that smell linger? Is it only there while they're close? Does it last for several days after they've moved on?

Sometimes it lingers a long time, especially if it’s a rutty bull. There is a difference between smelling elk in an area and smelling elk that are actually close and present.

There are spots the smell is strong even though there haven’t been elk there in several days, but you can tell the difference with exposure