Obviously the choice of weapon will also play a significant role in how to go about your hunt. Also, hunting pressure, terrain, weather, elk density, bull to cow ratio, and many other factors will make a difference in how to go about hunting bull elk.
Many of these factors can vary year to year and even day to day within a hunt. The best general advice is to learn all you can continuously, be persistent, be flexible, and enjoy the hunt! Bull Elk Learn about habitat, habits, and how to hunt. Different Elk Species There are four distinct subspecies of elk that live in North America, and close relatives that live in Europe. Roosevelt Elk — The bulls of this subspecies have the largest bodies, and they are primarily located in the Northwestern United States, Western Canada, and Alaska.
Manitoba Elk — These elk are located in the southwestern corner of Manitoba, southeastern Alberta and the southern half of Saskatchewan.
Tule Elk — The smallest bodied elk subspecies is located in small pockets of California. Rocky Mountain Elk — With the largest population and range, these elk are the most commonly hunted, and are indeed the focus of this website.
All references to bull elk on this webpage will be with regard to Rocky Mountain Elk. How Big Is a Bull Elk? Body The average mature bull elk will be about 5 feet tall at the shoulder, 8 feet long, and weigh about pounds. Antlers The huge antlers of bull elk make it one of the most sought after trophies for hunters from all parts of the globe. Bull Elk Habitat Elk are very adaptable animals and can be found from the high deserts of the southwestern United States to the tundra of Canada.
Year in the Life of a Bull Elk Spring Spring is a time of renewal for all of nature and the same is true of bull elk. Summer Summer will typically find bull elk in the highest country available to them that has good forage, water, and shelter.
Pre-Rut Before the approaching rut, the testosterone levels in bull elk will continue the upward swing that began in the spring with antler growth. Fall The main feature of the fall season for bull elk is the onset of the rut, or breeding season. Rut The rut is the breeding season for elk. Winter As snow begins to fall in the high country, elk will begin to migrate to lower elevations where food is more readily accessible.
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I send out articles and videos every week or two. Elk will hear your movements and the call will put them at ease, allowing you to move closer. The key to taking an elk at this time is deep penetration in the woods, as well as smart hunting. Stay out there all day, and be alert to other hunters moving elk around.
The late season is from November on, but some states have already closed their general rifle seasons. The later you hunt, the better the chance of snow. There are some outstanding late hunts adjacent to national parks where elk migrate out and onto land available to hunters.
These are limited-entry hunts, requiring a lottery draw for a tag. Elk Behavior: Elk country typically includes a vast area, from very high elevations to the lowlands. When snow piles deep in the upper reaches, animals have no choice but to migrate down, since their food sources are covered with snow.
Elk begin gathering together in large herds, remaining in those groups throughout the winter. When they migrate, they tend to use the same routes year after year. In some areas, elk may remain on fairly high windswept ridges where the wind constantly blows the snow away, baring enough forage for the animals to sustain themselves.
Where snow is deep in feeding areas, elk may be exposed far longer than usual in the open. It takes longer to paw away snow and find sufficient forage, especially in cold temperatures when elk need plenty of extra calories.
These are tough animals, capable of surviving severe weather, although extended and bitterly cold winters may cause some mortality. Hunting Strategies: If snow is in the equation, tracking is an effective way to hunt elk. You may never catch up. Far better to cut tracks from animals moving to and from feeding and bedding areas. In very cold temperatures, elk may linger longer in clearings. If you have a bull tag and see plenty of cows but no bulls, leave the area and hunt higher, hiking slowly and glassing.
Bulls are often in bachelor groups by now and often hang out in higher elevations than cows. Reading Elk Sign Knowing when to read sign is as important as actually reading it. Sometimes a young cow may not be bred during the rut, but will come back in heat later in the year.
Instead, stalk slowly toward the bull and try to spot him by using his vocalizations as a guide. Feeding areas are always prime places to find elk. Clear-cuts and old burns also have forage preferred by elk. If hunting pressure is heavy, animals may be nocturnal, or nearly so. Elk may be moving to and from the shelter of timber at the edge of darkness. In that case, even active feeding areas may be impossible to hunt.
Keep looking for new spots, especially smaller meadows that have more timber close by, giving spooky animals a heightened sense of security. Cow hunts are usually a classic stalk. A hunter with archery or other short-range gear may also hunt elk from a ground or tree stand, usually over a waterhole. Elk hunting is not only an exciting and challenging pursuit, but a great opportunity to experience striking landscapes and immerse into romantic atmosphere of the American West. Powerful antlers of the bull will foster lasting memories of your adventure.
Last but not the least, elk meat is not only delicious, but one of the healthiest on this planet, with lower fat and cholesterol than supermarket chicken.
We are a licensed and insured family owned guiding business ran out of Trinidad, Colorado. The owner and operator, Brad is a highly experienced hunter specializing in the Southern Colorado area for 17 years. Our guides are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced big game hunters in the Southern Colorado area. Any person looking for a guided hunt in this region will be sure to enjoy the professionalism we offer along with the excitement of a trophy hunt.
This hunt is conducted 20 miles west of Trinidad Colorado on a private ranch consisting of 8, acres. This ranch is around ft. You will be responsible for transportation to Trinidad Colorado. Licenses are available by draw for the first and forth seasons the second and third season licenses can be purchased on arrival. Trip duration: 5 days. Hunting season: 23 Nov 23 Nov We have a very healthy elk population with many small herds.
Our gene pool provides very heavy horned animals. We have a six point restriction and take exceptional to point bulls throughout the season. I recommend using a tripod and power binoculars.
Look for pieces of the animal and not the entire animal. Days in the elk woods are long, and the nights can be even longer. When most hunters are watching the inside of their eyelids, you need to be roaming ridges and sending out locator bugles.
Hunting apps like HuntStand work perfectly for this. I spend the entire offseason keeping my mind and body in top physical shape and have spent weeks at a time in the backcountry. I drive access roads, glass, and look for sign. As I mentioned earlier, elk are where you find them.
They can be.
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