Migrating elk

[Jasher]

Are the bulls normally way behind the cows? Should I still be looking for them in their security areas?

 

[Epfd217]

I'm assuming you're talking about late season when the elk actually start to migrate down due to weather. If that is not the case then please clarify.

My experience has been the bulls will typically stay higher as long as they possibly can. The bulls will lock down in good security cover post rut and stay in close proximity to food/water/shelter as long as possible due to depleting themselves during the rut. Regional weather and food availability will dictate where and how early they begin to move.

 

[rammac]

If they even migrate, not all elk will.

 

[Jasher]

I'm looking at an area where the elk migrate. Going 3rd season in northern Colorado. I was told by the biologist by the time I am going normally there a lot of snow in the national forest and the cows area already migrating to the winter range. I know last season was totally different and most of it depends on the weather. I have tons of places picked out to hunt but didn't want to be looking 15 miles from the cows if the bulls could be a couple miles behind.

 

[Millsworks]

I see questions like this alot about western animals.

I'm going after elk for the first time this fall and I strongly believe that as soon as a person thinks he knows what an animal is going to do , they pull a 180.

I have heard that elk are where you find them.

All anyone can do is try to look where that is. That's likely true of all wild animal for the most part.

No offence intended because I sure understand trying to get info or advice as much as you can. But in reality it's a tuff question to answer with any degree of accuracy by any honest person.

Good luck. I hope you see the one you are after before he sees you!

 

[wytex]

For wintering herds we rarely find big bulls with the large cow herds. Usually smaller bulls , maybe a mature one or two, but usually herds of hundreds of cows and spikes. Once the big boys get their work done they leave the cows for winter, at least in the area we hunt cows.
You can get rut activity well into Oct and we've heard bugles into Nov, maybe the leftover rut, after that the big bulls go their own way so to speak.

 

[El Jason]

For wintering herds we rarely find big bulls with the large cow herds. Usually smaller bulls , maybe a mature one or two, but usually herds of hundreds of cows and spikes. Once the big boys get their work done they leave the cows for winter, at least in the area we hunt cows.
You can get rut activity well into Oct and we've heard bugles into Nov, maybe the leftover rut, after that the big bulls go their own way so to speak.

This.

The bigger bulls will be by themselves, or in twos and threes. They will also be in a secluded shit hole somewhere where people can't see them and won't want to go. It can take a lot (several feet) of snow to push big bulls down.

 

[Elkdog]

It's amazing how deep the snow has to get to push some bulls down. I don't know about 15 miles but it's not uncommon to have the bigger Bulls 2K -3K feet higher than the cows.

 

[rammac]

Normally it takes snow to be up to an elk's belly before the really big boys start moving downhill. Most bulls will start to move when they have to drag their legs through snow all the time, if you see tracks that show drag marks then the average bull is going to start working his way downhill in to less snow. If the snow is only a few inches deep then I doubt if any respectable bull is going to bother moving downhill if he has good feed and security.

 

[Jasher]

Thanks for the info. I'm getting the same kind of info from locals. I have no problem putting in the work finding them just trying to rule out some areas