What is Dark Timber?

[RADRB8]

Hi all,

I am not a complete flatlander growing up hunting the Appalachians of WV, but now live in Southern Md, so yeah, it's somewhat flat.

This Dark Timber description of forest I am completely unfamiliar with. Would someone be kind enough to explain the different types of western timber I may run across on a hunt?

Thanks

[WapitiTalk1]

Pine (multiple species), fir (multiple species), spruce (multiple), even other types of larger stands of mature trees can be called dark timber. Elk use these dark timber stands for security purposes, and, they can provide needed shade during the hot part of the summer/fall. As a general rule, elk will move to feeding areas in the evening (oftentimes on S slopes but really can be anywhere) and then, depart back to darker stands of timber for bedding areas right at day break. Again, this is a general rule. If you are looking at an area known to have an elk population and locate a dark timber stand covering a N facing slope, with, a few tasty benches 2/3 to 3/4 the way up that side hill, you'll quite possibly find elk bedding areas there. All this said, elk break rules all the time... sometimes they'll bed down in a cool draw, just far enough off the bottom so the noise from the stream doesn't affect their ability to hear in-coming predators. It depends on the area, the temperature, the available overhead cover, and the predator and hunting pressure. I've seen elk bed year after year in one spot in Montana above a shale slide and below a cliff.. they like to keep us guessing

[RADRB8]

I was thinking it had something to do with fir, spruce or the general evergreen family.

Thank You for the additional info as well... As with anything else we attempt for the first time, my learning curve I suspect will pretty vertical

[ElkNut1]

Here's a photo of dark timber! It can consist of a variety of pines, firs, tamaracks, etc. There are sparse openings around it but for the most part they are fairly tightly knit!

ElkNut1

[RADRB8]

The area in MT we are headed has a fairly dense grizzly population and have been advised to stay out of those areas unless we want multiple encounters due to them using the dark timber to travel in.
Any truth to this?

Mentally, that bothers me and we are many months away.

[saddlesore]

When it is so thick with blow down and live trees that it is almost impossible to walk thru, but the elk can. Full sun almost never hits the ground









As opposed to this.

[WapitiTalk1]

The area in MT we are headed has a fairly dense grizzly population and have been advised to stay out of those areas unless we want multiple encounters due to them using the dark timber to travel in.
Any truth to this?

Mentally, that bothers me and we are many months away.

Remember that a grizzly has a 100 square mile "claimed" plot of land. Montana is not like you see in Alaska where there are 20 bears feeding on a river in one spot. I have hunted grizzly country many times and to date have not had a bad encounter. Just be careful, mind your camp smells/garbage disposal, be cognizant of your surroundings during the hunt, and be on high alert when you return to (or stumble across) a kill site.

[RADRB8]

Saddlesore: Nice bull.

That dark timber has a very eerie aura about it from a flatlander's perspective.

Phantom: No camping for us on the first goround.

[Swede]

Simply put dark timber is a stand where you can be beneath a fully enclosed canopy of tree tops.

[husky390]

A nightmare to walk through.
A great place to break a leg if you aren't careful.
A great place to go when it's hot.
A great place to blow the whole damn herd out of that you saw walk into in the morning and it took you two hours to get there.

[jmez]

Grizzly bears are the honey badger of North America. They don't give a $@#^ and travel where they please when they please.

They don't use dark timber any more than other areas.

[Lefty]

A nightmare to walk through.
A great place to break a leg if you aren't careful.
A great place to go when it's hot.
A great place to blow the whole damn herd out of that you saw walk into in the morning and it took you two hours to get there.

Maybe the best description!!!

I hunted within a females grizzly with two young main habitat ( freaked the game warden out that I was there). The grizzle seemed to have run all the black bear out of her core area. I did try to spend less than 30 minutes walking in the dark.
I say his often: people scare me more than grizzlies,.. then moose more than grizzlies.
I keep bear spray easily available on my hip. and practice reaching for the spray more than I do clipping my release to the D loop.
Dont be afraid,.. just more aware

[Swede]

I hunt close to the edges between open area and timbered stands. Elk will go to bed into dark timber, but are generally within a couple of hundred yards of open feeding grounds. They can get pushed further back, but habitat with maximum edge area is normally the best.

[saddlesore]

Since I hunt rifle ,usually in 2nd season,the elk don't come out. There are always enough small meadows and water in there. I pretty much have to go in and get them.
Do it careful and you wont bust them out

[ishy]

One of my trail cameras this year would use it's IR all day with the exception of about 11-3. I think that would qualify for "dark " timber.