Feeding patterns

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

From everything I have read typically elk feed low then bed high. Which means the elk are using the thermals to there advantage if they leave there feeding grounds before the thermals switch. The area I will be hunting has more then has a lot more vegetation up around 10500 in elevation in form of lititle meadows. Also there is a good amount of vegetation above timber line. So to my questions would the elk still prefer to use these small meadows with little elevation change bed slightly higher then the meadow? I mean heck why not right easier the better. Or will they feed high and drop down to there bedding? If they are feeding high and dropping down to bed do they wait for the thermals to switch or do they typically leave in the dark?

[cohunter]

Pretty sure you're not going to find a hard and fast rule here. I know of one particular area (you can find these all over the west) with a flat mesa with open parks, etc... on top where elk like to feed. They'll bed in the dark timber off the edge of the mesa. In the mornings, they're regularly headed back down to bed and in the evening coming up to feed, no mind paid to thermals. (although the thermals around these plateaus are especially fickle!) I think it depends a lot on the elk, the pressure and the location of feed and shelter - the time of year plays a factor too and every herd is going to be behaving differently.

[Lefty]

While I hunted the desert over 1200 square miles. The lowlands was the ag ground and water, to the high of of a lava dome maybe 500 feet all under 7,000 elevation. The uplands provided security because nobody went there. No real elk bedrooms and nor real pattern. Any little thing an irrigation pivot three miles away , a train blowing its horn, all could change the "pattern" which was go to an ag field that is running water, , go back to bed 3 , 5 10 13 miles where nobody goes.

Depending on crop of choice and the irrigation schedule has a huge impact on those elk

[Swede]

I see the same thing cohunter describes. My take on it is that elk feed where there is good forage and they bed where there is good bedding. I believe the elk bed where they can benefit from a cooling breeze if possible, and if pressured they go where they can avoid predators.

[stringunner]

X2 cohunter and swede