How steep is too steep?

[CurlyTail]

I am scouting some area in Wyoming.

The area I am interested in has numerous deep and steep valleys, most of which have thick timbered North Faces. My question, is it ever to steep to hold elk? Or if trees can grow, the Elk can manage it?

[Swede]

I would say that if the land is not to steep to hold dirt, it is not too steep for elk. Elk do not rappel even go where goats will, but if the land has dirt on it, the elk can go there.

[CurlyTail]

I spooked some elk last season, and got an impressive demonstration how fast an elk can move up steep and rocky terrain. This cow elk went up a rock face that I would have thought was not possible, and it barely slowed her down.

[Swede]

It sounds like you answered your own question. Certainly elk can navigate solid rock areas for some distance, but they don't live there like mountain goats. Those timbered north faces in Wyoming are no steeper that the Olympic range in Washington or parts of the Cascade range. There are large areas in those mountains where the average slope is over 100%, but there are elk living there.

[WapitiTalk1]

Yes sir, they have no issues at all with steep. And, it doesn't take much of a bench by definition for them to claim it as a bedding area. Here is a snapshot 7.5M map of an area I hunt that has a few such bedding areas (shown with the black stars), on a pretty steep N slope. This area has patches of timber but much of the cover is provided by very tall/thick alder.

Bedding-Steep.png (438.12 KiB) Viewed 5037 times

[Lefty]

Every year while hiking Ill find deer and elk beds in places that are steep.
Ive seen places beds are located next to trees,. which are holding a small flat area just enough room for a bed.
Saturday I watched a bull on a very steep sloop maybe 60 degrees . I was on the phone with my wife and commented to her about how steep the hill was. The bull just feed up into the rocks and walked over the rim, May have been the only place at that elevation where there was some green grass

[Deanmac]

Great question, I had wondered the same thing, Thanks for the responses. Steep canyons where I hunted last year, but I did not venture into them. Might have to check it out this year.

[Swede]

Dean, I know the elk used to go down in those awful holes and canyons, but I am not sure they do anymore. Years ago, I would bail off a rim and head down because they were chased down in those areas to feed in meadows or just escape hunting pressure. I am not sure they go there anymore as I stay back on the tops and look over the side. Now I just think to myself, "Maybe they are down there again. If you are down there, I hope you have a nice long life in there." Then I go somewhere else to hunt. Years ago I knew it would take a day or two to pack one out. Now I wonder how long it would take for someone to find me and pack me out if I was down in the bottom of some deep hole.
Just a reminder to all who want to hunt deep dark canyons: What would take you an hour to hike out of empty; will take you a half day to full day to pack a load of elk meat out of. The deeper, steeper and more the obstacles, the more it will take to pack that elk out. You will have sore muscles where you did not know you had muscles. You may be sick from fatigue and lack of oxygen. You may get a bad headache from the ordeal. I don't want to talk anyone from going. I know for some of you younger hunters, this is just like saying sic-em to a dog. God bless you on your hunt, just consider what you are in for and prepare well.

[stringunner]

Two years ago Swede gave me coordinates to an old spot of his that is straight down. I put a camera in it last year. This is now twice I have been there, once to find it and once to place a cam. I then checked the camera once more to find moderate activity. That's three times in and out. I checked it the weekend before the opener one more time, again to get moderate results. I pulled the cam and vowed never to go back. We shall see if I stick to it. Point being, there was enough moderate activity to peak my interest, but after 4 times in and out, I decided there was no elk worth that kind of hike. and with my lack of control to not shoot cows, I know I would see a cow in there and shoot it.


On another note, there is a guy that hunts the similar areas of swede and I. He has been hunting it as long as swede, 20 years or more, which makes him really old like swede Anyway, he now just hunts the top area where it is all flat and easily assesible with a rig. He does just as well as the young bucks who drop down into the hellish canyons. Sure makes me think sometimes as I am hiking out of the canyon completely worn out.

[Swede]

I scouted the Grande Ronde River canyon a few years ago. It looked good as far as elk are concerned, but has nothing I want. I would hunt it if someone has a packer at the ready.

[Kentrek]

I'm always impressed with the ground elk will hang out on, I think I have a few photos I can dig up of elk in some interesting spots

Really fast here's one that's not too extreme but it's it goes to show how well you could use the terrain to your advantage

[Heartwood]

We spot elk every season on slopes near goats and sometimes above goats where we used to never even look for elk. I'm still always amazed and surprised where elk will live. We then go to these places where we have spotted elk and find it all torn up with elk sign and sufficient amounts of feed when, from a distance, the available feed looks sparse and not very elky. These steep slopes keep most hunters out so if you are willing to put in some work, the elk are yours to hunt. A steep ridge and 3000 feet of elevation is equal to many miles of trail hiking to evade the crowds.

[Deanmac]

Dean, I know the elk used to go down in those awful holes and canyons, but I am not sure they do anymore. Years ago, I would bail off a rim and head down because they were chased down in those areas to feed in meadows or just escape hunting pressure. I am not sure they go there anymore as I stay back on the tops and look over the side. Now I just think to myself, "Maybe they are down there again. If you are down there, I hope you have a nice long life in there." Then I go somewhere else to hunt. Years ago I knew it would take a day or two to pack one out. Now I wonder how long it would take for someone to find me and pack me out if I was down in the bottom of some deep hole.
Just a reminder to all who want to hunt deep dark canyons: What would take you an hour to hike out of empty; will take you a half day to full day to pack a load of elk meat out of. The deeper, steeper and more the obstacles, the more it will take to pack that elk out. You will have sore muscles where you did not know you had muscles. You may be sick from fatigue and lack of oxygen. You may get a bad headache from the ordeal. I don't want to talk anyone from going. I know for some of you younger hunters, this is just like saying sic-em to a dog. God bless you on your hunt, just consider what you are in for and prepare well.

Thanks for the advice. The guy who I went with told me that when a local showed him the area years ago, he said, if you shot an elk in that canyon you better have a knife and fork with you to eat what you want, because there is no way you going to be able to pack it out.

[buglebrush]

Dean, I know the elk used to go down in those awful holes and canyons, but I am not sure they do anymore. Years ago, I would bail off a rim and head down because they were chased down in those areas to feed in meadows or just escape hunting pressure. I am not sure they go there anymore as I stay back on the tops and look over the side. Now I just think to myself, "Maybe they are down there again. If you are down there, I hope you have a nice long life in there." Then I go somewhere else to hunt. Years ago I knew it would take a day or two to pack one out. Now I wonder how long it would take for someone to find me and pack me out if I was down in the bottom of some deep hole.
Just a reminder to all who want to hunt deep dark canyons: What would take you an hour to hike out of empty; will take you a half day to full day to pack a load of elk meat out of. The deeper, steeper and more the obstacles, the more it will take to pack that elk out. You will have sore muscles where you did not know you had muscles. You may be sick from fatigue and lack of oxygen. You may get a bad headache from the ordeal. I don't want to talk anyone from going. I know for some of you younger hunters, this is just like saying sic-em to a dog. God bless you on your hunt, just consider what you are in for and prepare well.

When you are going to the nastiest spot go in with 4 guys and you can get the elk out on the first trip. There is one spot where I only go this way. I am just not mentally strong enough to do 3-4 trips out with meat. Been there. Done with that