How weird is this?

[elkduds]

Tonight @ 8:15 (nearly dark) I interrupted a herd of 200+ elk who were crossing the forest service road I was on. Some of the herd crossed in front of me and stopped 100 yds up a low ridge with sparse ponderosa cover. The rest stayed in the meadow and the 2 groups called to each other. I drove past the crossing point and stopped, got out to see what came next. They kept hollering @ each other so I drove on. I can't figure out what they were doing.

It looked like a late season herd heading for the security of private land. Archery doesn't open here for a week. The nearest private property is 4 miles away, in the direction the main group was headed. There is rainstormy weather due in tomorrow so that should have them feeding tonight ahead of it. 60 degrees, monsoon shower @ dusk. The grass above 10K in the wilderness area is lush, still wildflowers blooming, still standing puddles and all the springs and creeks are flowing. The wilderness is surrounded by national forest for miles in every direction, big parks and rolling ponderosa hills around 9K elevation. They are moving in the direction of where most archers will be hunting. They came down out of the wilderness to congregate.

About 2 dozen cattle are summer grazing 2 miles away, shouldn't be a stressor. I have not seen scouting activity in the area and there are no camps near where the elk came down from, there will be an outfitter camp in the area likely next week. What would cause 200 cows and calves to congregate in the middle of unlimited lush habitat, and head downcountry en mass, in August over a week before any hunters take the field? High point limited entry unit in South Park CO Spare me requests for coordinates.

 

[marksjeep]

?

 

[hank4elk]

Pushed by more elk where they were?
Pressed by a crew tracking one bull?

I have seen hundreds cross from the mtns with cover and feed midday ,to lower checkerboard country with less elk . Also from where the scouters are.

 

[Slm864]

Not supposed to be any woofs there yet. Can’t really think of another predator in CO that would push a herd until 200 of them were running.
Any chance the nearest by outfitter is attempting to push them out of there towards private?

 

[Mallardsx2]

Any chance the nearest by outfitter is attempting to push them out of there towards private?

That’s my bet.


Don’t worry, the bulls will break that herd apart before long and they will be sprinkled across the landscape for a month before joining back up again. Lol

 

[DVCER]

I used to draw South Park with one point easy. Fair number of animals there and beautiful country.

Good luck !

 

[Bowmannate2000]

South Park you say...

 

[reallyoldman]

Years ago I saw the largest herd I have ever seen in South Park. There must have been 4-500. really cool when you get to see these large herds just being elk.

 

[Doublecluck]

I’ve found that elk are usually where they are, doing what they are doing, because they are elk. Hope that helps.

 

[perma]

I’d call the one-eyed game warden and get his opinion on the subject.

 

[elkduds]

My 1st suspicion was outfitter herding and driving.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Should have sat where those elk were for another hour n a half and seen what else comes by….

 

[Dsnow9]

My guess is an outfitter. It’s unfortunate but definitely happens enough that you can’t rule it out

 

[elkduds]

Should have sat where those elk were for another hour n a half and seen what else comes by….

In hindsight I wish I had. Discussed this w CPW warden for the area. We considered pressure from riders tending to grazing cattle, I haven't seen riders for a month and their cattle were a mile away from these elk. He said it is not uncommon for elk in the area to be in big herds in the summer and to move between the high peaks and valley floor private ground 5 miles away on a whim. So most likely just elk being elk. This is the best image I got of some of those waiting to cross the road. It was getting dark, so this is as clear as I can make it.

 

[Jake.]

I used to draw South Park with one point easy. Fair number of animals there and beautiful country.

Good luck !

View attachment 289305View attachment 289306View attachment 289308View attachment 289307

 

[FREAK]

We considered pressure from riders tending to grazing cattle, I haven't seen riders for a month and their cattle were a mile away from these elk. He said it is not uncommon for elk in the area to be in big herds in the summer and to move between the high peaks and valley floor private ground 5 miles away on a whim.

Reminds me of a time I saw something similar. Ended up being a sheep hearder that pushed them out of their area. Looked like a pile of ants coming out of the timber single file in the middle of the day.

 

[LuketheDog]

Tonight @ 8:15 (nearly dark) I interrupted a herd of 200+ elk who were crossing the forest service road I was on. Some of the herd crossed in front of me and stopped 100 yds up a low ridge with sparse ponderosa cover. The rest stayed in the meadow and the 2 groups called to each other. I drove past the crossing point and stopped, got out to see what came next. They kept hollering @ each other so I drove on. I can't figure out what they were doing.

It looked like a late season herd heading for the security of private land. Archery doesn't open here for a week. The nearest private property is 4 miles away, in the direction the main group was headed. There is rainstormy weather due in tomorrow so that should have them feeding tonight ahead of it. 60 degrees, monsoon shower @ dusk. The grass above 10K in the wilderness area is lush, still wildflowers blooming, still standing puddles and all the springs and creeks are flowing. The wilderness is surrounded by national forest for miles in every direction, big parks and rolling ponderosa hills around 9K elevation. They are moving in the direction of where most archers will be hunting. They came down out of the wilderness to congregate.

About 2 dozen cattle are summer grazing 2 miles away, shouldn't be a stressor. I have not seen scouting activity in the area and there are no camps near where the elk came down from, there will be an outfitter camp in the area likely next week. What would cause 200 cows and calves to congregate in the middle of unlimited lush habitat, and head downcountry en mass, in August over a week before any hunters take the field? High point limited entry unit in South Park CO Spare me requests for coordinates.

This herd lives year-round down in the dry lowlands, between subdivisions, industrial parks, cattle, and busy highways. They congregate, they move in big lines, they do the same things when the bulls show up in the fall, they get shot at. They're a mile or two from more remote country where they'd be less bothered, but they don't leave. They just do their thing, that's what elk do, they're weird.

 

[MonsterElk]

Tonight @ 8:15 (nearly dark) I interrupted a herd of 200+ elk who were crossing the forest service road I was on. Some of the herd crossed in front of me and stopped 100 yds up a low ridge with sparse ponderosa cover. The rest stayed in the meadow and the 2 groups called to each other. I drove past the crossing point and stopped, got out to see what came next. They kept hollering @ each other so I drove on. I can't figure out what they were doing.

It looked like a late season herd heading for the security of private land. Archery doesn't open here for a week. The nearest private property is 4 miles away, in the direction the main group was headed. There is rainstormy weather due in tomorrow so that should have them feeding tonight ahead of it. 60 degrees, monsoon shower @ dusk. The grass above 10K in the wilderness area is lush, still wildflowers blooming, still standing puddles and all the springs and creeks are flowing. The wilderness is surrounded by national forest for miles in every direction, big parks and rolling ponderosa hills around 9K elevation. They are moving in the direction of where most archers will be hunting. They came down out of the wilderness to congregate.

About 2 dozen cattle are summer grazing 2 miles away, shouldn't be a stressor. I have not seen scouting activity in the area and there are no camps near where the elk came down from, there will be an outfitter camp in the area likely next week. What would cause 200 cows and calves to congregate in the middle of unlimited lush habitat, and head downcountry en mass, in August over a week before any hunters take the field? High point limited entry unit in South Park CO Spare me requests for coordinates.

Sometimes just depends on where the heard cow wants to go