Where are the elk? Up high or down low?

[DMiller6868]

Quick question for the experts that I was thinking about earlier on the location of elk as it relates to ranches vs. mountains...

Here's the scenario:
Let's say you have ranches with lush green alfalfa down low completely surrounding some very high and rugged mountains above them. The total area is 100 square miles, so it's not small by any means.
The ranches are private, the mountains are public. Let's assume there's 3,000 head of elk in the 100 square miles.

1. Where are the elk? Are they traveling all the way from the highest north facing slope and headed 5-7 miles down for alfalfa EVERY DAY? Or are they hanging 1-2 miles from the alfalfa where they make their way to feed at night.

2. How do you scout and hunt this area? Do you assume that a good number of elk will be down low, but there's still some elk up high that might never make it down to the ranches until winter? Can we assume some percentage of elk are up high and some percentage are down low?

I'm struggling trying to understand why some elk should be "up high" and why a lot of them will be "down low". I feel like the farther I get from the ranches, the less of a chance I'll have, but I also think the closer to the private ranches I have the chance of them never leaving the private land.

Long winded way of saying I'm confused as heck and would love some tips on how you might approach this! Thanks guys!

[elk.addict]

The area I hunt is similar to what you described. I hunt the high country, mostly to stay away from other hunters. I am in elk basically every day I hunt in September, but I usually will be hunting small herds of elk. I know folks who hunt on or near the ranches, they are also in elk often but they typically are hunting larger herds. Around here, I would guess that there's probably more elk near the ranches, especially near the peak of the rut (they tend to bunch up on some of the ranches for breeding). But it all depends on the specific area.

The question of why some elk are up high and why some are down low is a good one. I don't really know. I just know where to find them by past years experience. When scouting new ground, looks for signs of past rut activity. Then hit those areas come hunting season. Some will probably prove productive, some may not. If I hunt past the rut, I seem to find the bulls in the most unassuming places.

As far as elk travelling to their feeding grounds - in my experience the elk are usually bedding close to where they feed. Unless they get pushed. Yes elk can and do travels several miles if need be, but most of the elk I hunt seem to travel less than a mile from where they feed to where they bed.

Maybe others will offer some scientific reason on why certain elk are in certain areas. I keep it simple and just walk around in likely areas 'till I find them. That's half the fun for me

[Lefty]

Im no elk expert but Ive watched plenty
Elk are where you find them!
Yeah I hate it too, but its accurate.

And lets face it: some elk will tolerate different types of activity and pressure. Elk can live in all sorts of places.

If you bump elk where I use to hunt expect them to be 10 miles away in less than an hour, literally ten miles. There are some elk that will spend their whole year in a valley, a river bottom , a private ranch or refuge.
Sometimes down low is a herds home range. I posted a pic last late July of a a heard in the river bottoms
Years back I drew a trophy Idaho tag. I had permission on an Idaho ranch For the whole archery season two archers waited evenings for the elk to leave the field on the Utah border Enter Idaho then try to follow the elk up 3000 feet. It never worked out for them .
Ive watched elk drop down 3000 feet in less than an hour to feed in alphalfa, Seen deer do the same. Dont limit yourself to high or low, dark timber or open-space juniper.
Washington (oregon/California) coastal elk are under 4000, Most of Idaho is over 4000 feet

[chipick]

Like he said elk are where you find them, just like people, some are in big towns/city's some are in the country, its all preference. If it was me and I could get access to the fields, and talk to the farmers, some of them or all, hate the amount of loss they get from the heards, and they know when and where they come in at. That might give you a good spot to start at with your scouting, And build a relationship with the farmers.

[Kleinpm]

I have had little success hunting elk that are moving from the pivots to their bedding areas higher.

Your probably asking this question geared toward the Crazy Mountains. I would say that 95% of the elk in the units the encompass the Crazy Mountains are on or VERY close to private property during the majority of the archery season. The number gets worse during rifle season. There are also a LOT of hunters in the Crazies.

If it was me, I would gain access to the Crazies through one of the larger Block Management units. That would cut down on the number of people and give you access to some private that might have pivot elk moving back and forth.

Patrick

[Gselkhunter]

A lot of ifs here. High riparian areas can have better nutrition than an alfalfa field, cooler temperatures and less bugs. Steep country can also have better air movement so that a timbered bench is very attractive to elk. However if it is a dry year the alfalfa can be very drawing. A sprinkled/irrigated field is a great source of water and create its own Eco-system. I would still watch timber line or higher openings in the tree line.

[Indian Summer]

Elk were once prairie animals. But these days they are mountain critters. At least the bigger bulls anyway. I know an area similar to that. The ranch has a resident herd of around 1000 elk. Once gun season starts that number goes up. And while there may be a couple six point bulls on there it's mostly cows calves and raghorns. Lots of elk stay in the hills where it is safe and they consider it home especially the quality bulls. I think they shy away from the private land because there is less cover which to them is as important as food. While life on the ranch may be cushy they have everything they need in the mountains. Elk don't think like people who always believe the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Humans in general are less content than wild animals. So they live where they live and call it good if that makes sense.

In a way I think more like the elk. Yeah... the ranch seems like it might be fun... for a day or three. But I'll take mountain life over that any day of the week!