PEAX Equipment

Seeing lots of elk just no big bulls go higher?

freu1chr

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Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Messages
157
Location
Jordan, Minnesota
We are hunting at 7600 feet and have seen around 200 elk but all cows and spikes. would you guys go higher up the mountain to find the big bulls or stay with the herds?
 
Where’s the snow level where you are? When we were there a few weeks ago, bulls were above the snow line. Saw cows about the level you are seeing them, but the bulls were about 1000’ higher
 
Saw recent pics of a 360" bull at 4300 feet. Bulls don't grow big antlers and suddenly think to themselves "better get up to 12000 ft". Big bulls are wherever any other elk are
 
Saw recent pics of a 360" bull at 4300 feet. Bulls don't grow big antlers and suddenly think to themselves "better get up to 12000 ft". Big bulls are wherever any other elk are
Big bulls that summer and rut at 8500-10,000’ don’t follow the cows down to lower elevations until snow levels force them down. There’s less than a foot of snow at 9500 this year. Bulls are gonna be where they feel secure this time of year.
 
The only 10k peaks here are 30 miles away. They don't all move that far or high. And I don't think it will snow anytime soon. Present time,NM.
Some just know how to hide. In plain sight even.
Yes they will go into full seclusion. They still need some food & water to get by.
 
Man post rut BIG bulls are so tough, but a true trophy. I can’t dial it in. I got lucky and shot a big one a couple years ago, in low country, 4K. Meanwhile a friend of a friend fairly routinely tags 300+ bulls between 9-10k in Nov. Like an alpine backpack Muley hunt up high, but in miserable conditions. Needle in a haystack gig. Everybody says it because it’s true, they are where you find them. Although I can easily tag a meat bull every year, I have not honed in sanctuaries for good bulls yet.
 
If you’re talking big bull sign in the form of rubs, that’s not an indicator of big bull presence post rut.

Nice work on the cow!
I've noticed lots of rubs near a winter feedground which really puzzled me, because the rutting area is 5-10 miles further back up in the mountains. What I may have seen is where they were eating bark off the trees though.....
 
I've noticed lots of rubs near a winter feedground which really puzzled me, because the rutting area is 5-10 miles further back up in the mountains. What I may have seen is where they were eating bark off the trees though.....
Bulls can rub a lot in the spring also
 
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