Elk bedding

Bhunt247

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Nov 14, 2019
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So I'm kinda gathering elk like to bed on benches or flat spots on the mountains. Am I correct in this thinking? And how do you go about locating benches from online maps. I live in a flat part of the country and have no references to compare to as I walked around my area.
 
I've seen elk bedded in dark timber, fields, wooded sides of hills, bare sides of hills..... they bed pretty much wherever you find elk bedded.

Here is an example of one of my go-to spots to find bedded elk. Its a flat ridge top with bare ground, trees on both sides.

1586279595942.png
 
They can bed wherever but this little spot (just off the section corners) would be worth looking at for both bedding and a "bugle point" as I like to call them. Out here where I hunt Bulls will find a flat spot on a ridge point and use it as a place to rake and bugle from.

View attachment 134996

Given their ability to locate where noise comes from and that they likely know where the good benches are on a slope that seems like a great tactic to use. I usually bugle from the ridge line down to where I know benches are based on topo maps, but I might give this a try and sneak in on a bench to make sure it's not occupied and then try some calling from there.
 
I have found elk down low in the mornings when the thermals are moving downhill and in the afternoon I found them high. They tended to bed on the benches and flat spots on sides of the hills. I found them on top when they were being pushed or threatened. Once hunting starts, I find more of them where most hunters, especially road hunters will not normally go. Steep ridges with benches and a water source nearby is the best bet.
 
I've seen elk bedded in dark timber, fields, wooded sides of hills, bare sides of hills..... they bed pretty much wherever you find elk bedded.

Here is an example of one of my go-to spots to find bedded elk. Its a flat ridge top with bare ground, trees on both sides.

View attachment 135000
Is the red line a public/private boundary? Just curious.
 
The symbol following USGS standards indicates Federally administered park, reservation, or monument (external) . You can find a complete legend of all USGS symbols here: https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/TopographicMapSymbols/topomapsymbols.pdf
I realize what it could be. I would rather the guy who posted the picture tell me because I’m not sure the origin of the picture. Just thought it was interesting that the elk bedding areas were dissecting that line. If that line is Yellowstone national park boundary, then “meh”. Even though I think the area the x’s are on seems logical for bedding. Again, just curious if it points out that you need to hunt boundaries. I see a ton of elk bedding on boundaries.
 
I realize what it could be. I would rather the guy who posted the picture tell me because I’m not sure the origin of the picture. Just thought it was interesting that the elk bedding areas were dissecting that line. If that line is Yellowstone national park boundary, then “meh”. Even though I think the area the x’s are on seems logical for bedding. Again, just curious if it points out that you need to hunt boundaries. I see a ton of elk bedding on boundaries.

I hear ya. I hate hunting too close to boundaries. I had one incident in my 20s hunting deer on the boundary and paid a $50.00 ticket because I retrieved the deer 10 feet or so outside the public so I don't like to hunt close to boundaries if I can avoid it or unless I have permissions.
 
The elk aren't necessatily attracted to benches. Many times they are happy with a flat spot such as a uprooted tree. A more controlling issue is temperature. If it is warm they tend to control their temperature with air currents and the north side jungles. When it is cold they tend to gravitate to the south side on the edge of cover. Another controlling factor is how much hair they have at the time.

Like one of the guys said where on the hill may also be by the time of day. In my country the elk tend to feed in the valley bottoms at night. By daylight they are usually about 2/3 of the way to the top of the mtn. Sub- ridges are typically a better target than the main ridges at least here.

In the summer they feed in the fields in the evening. If I replant a field especially with clover they will feed all night in it. By september everything changes to a different pattern. By the end of the season the pattern will change again.
 
It’s the forest boundary.

I'm pretty sure you are correct on the meaning of that red line, I never thought too much about it.
The red x's where those elk bed is actually paralleling a private boundary. That road one ridge over has houses on both sides and is the side of a large subdivision. The elk bed on the crest of the ridge overlooking the houses. The elk go down into the subdivision and hangout when they start getting too much pressure; and lawn, gardens, flower beds, etc are a decent food source.
 
The elk aren't necessatily attracted to benches. Many times they are happy with a flat spot such as a uprooted tree. A more controlling issue is temperature. If it is warm they tend to control their temperature with air currents and the north side jungles. When it is cold they tend to gravitate to the south side on the edge of cover. Another controlling factor is how much hair they have at the time.

Like one of the guys said where on the hill may also be by the time of day. In my country the elk tend to feed in the valley bottoms at night. By daylight they are usually about 2/3 of the way to the top of the mtn. Sub- ridges are typically a better target than the main ridges at least here.

In the summer they feed in the fields in the evening. If I replant a field especially with clover they will feed all night in it. By september everything changes to a different pattern. By the end of the season the pattern will change again.
It seems like there is no easy answer to any question involving elk. Everything has a 'but'. Elk love benches, but... Elk like thick cover, but...north slopes, but...south slopes, but... :)
 
I agree with diamond hitch an elk ledge for sleeping is often 4" bigger than the elk and in any but the most extreme cold will be cool or cold compared to everywhere else. Many times elk herds bed over hundreds of acres, the bulls being on the other side wherever that side is.
 
If you look a WapitiBob's map I would tend to look in the northwest quadrant at about the 3600 level. Those little sub ridges that don't start at the top seem to attract elk especially on the north side. If there are springs in the botom so much the better. On the first time out I come off the top on an easy ridge in search of the trail they follow to traverse the drainages. There will likely be 2 or 3 fairly close and somewhat parallel that run in a somewhat braided pattern. Pay close attention to the direction of the tracks and the prevailing breeze direction. There are directional trails where they only travel with the breeze in their face.

Those trails are the elk freeways. That is how they cover 5-7 miles in a few hours. If you know the highways your life will get a lot easier and your success rate will go way up.
 
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