What! No Deer?

[the nikster]

I took my daughter and son in law out yesterday looking for a deer for her to harvest.
Last week we were out about 10 miles to the east and saw about 100 deer, 100+ elk, 10 moose and 1.3 billion hunters.
Yesterday we were alone, we saw MAYBE 4 other hunters.
Totals counts:
Deer: 4/5 in profile about 2 miles away-that was it for deer.
Antelope: Close to 100. 1 herd alone was over 70 animals with 1 truely big buck.
Elk: 2 separate herds in excess of 100 animals and some smaller herds, call it 300+
Moose: 0
Below is a couple of photos of the last herd of elk we caught out on a flat. 117 elk-39 bulls counting spikes

 

[sweetnectar]

Why are the elk so balled up? Are there wolves harrassing them? They sure seem like they are very tight together...stressed.

 

[the nikster]

These elk are savvy!
Yesterday was the opener in this unit. Every year I find a similar herd in this general area on opening day.
They are enroute from national forest to the desert where there is no open season.
Except for an old homestead site, there is not a tree within 1 mile of these elk, They are out in the open but, if they stay right in the bottom they are on private(although nearly abandoned) land. I suppose most people never even know they are there.
Stressed, yah, I bet they are. That's why I stayed so far away...

 

[Wally Dog]

Nikster,
Sounds like the "Elkalope" I hunt in Eastern Oregon. Getting on them is the challenge/thrill.
WD