What was he doing here?

[BarW]

The first time I elk hunted the only elk my buddy and I could locate was elk moving from one basin to another along a ridge line right at or above 12000'. This was at least 7 miles into a wilderness area. We saw only cows no bulls but they moved above timber line and we got no closer than 100 yards from any of them before the wind would swirl and we would get busted.
When we came out of the wilderness after a few days we drove around to another spot and there is a nice 6x5 bull standing beside the dirt road at less than 9000' elevation with no cows in sight. This was around September 21 and I've always wondered what the heck was that bull doing there when all the cows we saw were so high? Any ideas?
Keep in mind I've hunted elk 3 times with no kills but I've had my chances. But I've also never found an elk below 11000' except this one bull.

[Indian Summer]

Very simple. There are always cows low. Some even at the lower elevations for the area. I'm sure there were some around and even lower than 9K. Don't let those ones on top fool you. They weren't all up there.

[itsnlkthing]

There is a resident herd near my house at just under 6000'

[BarW]

We glassed the area he was in for two days never saw another elk. But we new absolutely nothing back then so it's possible their could've been elk in that area.

[Swede]

I would try to find an isolated water hole at the lower elevation and see if anything was using it. Check the trails around there. Like Indian Summer mentioned, they ain't all up on the roof. Personally I would leave those up at 12,000 feet for a chance to find one that just hung out in an area where I could ambush him down low.

[BarW]

I don't disagree with y'all's analysis, I guess I'm just not smarter than the lower elevation elk yet. First year we went all the elk we saw would've needed wings to get any higher except that one bull. Most were literally sky lighted on the ridges they were walking. My gps said it was 12100 to 12300'. Man it was a lot of work to hike up there everyday, we were camped at 10700. That's when I realized elk hunters were crazy and I was hooked. lol

[Swede]

Mark: I don't know where you are hunting, and can only give generalities. I like semi-arid fringe habitat where there are not all that many elk. I don't care if there is only one elk around. That is all I am after anyway. I want to find him. To do that, I will check water holes and trails. I like those isolated water holes that are close to bedding areas. A trail camera can be a great asset in determining if the elk you have is what you want. After I have done my scouting, then I set up a tree stand and wait. It is then you find out if you have done your homework well. It is like getting a on your grade school test paper if the bull(s) come in while you wait.

[BarW]

I've hunted units 68 and 54 twice. The bull I'm referring to in this story was on rainbow lake road which Is a road that gets a good bit of traffic and hunting we were hunting several miles into the wilderness. ( west elk wilderness ). Which is another reason I was so shocked he was there just standing beside the road.
My uncle hunts like you, he locates a small area that holds elk and then sets up on a wallow generally and waits. It's effective for him.

[ST52V]

Cr 723 is not that far to the west when you get to the top and they did some timbering up in there especially on the east side of 723. If I remember correctly thats 16 mile gulch. Use GE and look for the clearing up at the head along with the nice large rocks clear at the top of said clearing. Theres water in there. If you look on a map you can find a logging road that goes in there. It runs back a finger ridge then turns sharply to the left to drop down to the clearing. Two years ago during the drought my father in law and I was in there. At the bend we went strait out the finger 100 yrds or so and did some cold calling. This was our first time archery hunting and did not know anything!!! On our walk out I asked my father in law if heard something that sounded like a bark. He said yep what was it?? Ha ha i also found elk just of 721 that year about half way in. 15-20 guys drove right through the water coming down out of that area to get to the trail head and the wilderness. The bull never made a peep that I heard and I know why those elk were there. The wind and thermals , not easy access, water , and no one to bother them. They were not 500 yds of the road when I saw them on a rainy afternoon. To get to them required a several mile hike around and in from the back side. Some day I hope to return there and kill one just off that road.

[Lefty]

My first year as an Idaho resident and rifle hunter I drew an early season trophy bull tag.
With 25 tags in this unit 60 miiles long 30 miles wide.
My fatherin law had a nice funky 5x5 patterened on a friends ranch. We were their early an hour after sunrise it was obvious the elk were not on the ranch,
Well on the way out there were 9 of the 25 tag holders on one public canyon all after the same herd.We were hunting the fields near the river bottom, 5000 -6000 feet.
I had permission on one other ranchsame thing about as low as you could go on the edge of ag fields.
That same year I found a little honey hole at the bottom of another canyon, nothing but elk down low.
Last year pre season allof the biggest bulls I saw were all under 6000 , feeding in secluded private out of state landowners properties