The forest cover also makes it more difficult for elk to be spotted and hunted. These slopes are cooler and are often more likely to have reliable water sources. In summer and autumn, elk will often seek out forested, north-facing slopes where they will bed for most of the day. Shelter and Bedding Locationsįinally, elk need a place to escape predation (or hunting pressure) and the elements. The clear-cut is near forested slopes where elk bed (in the background). A clear-cut where grasses and shrubs that elk use for forage. Shrubs are less palatable for elk, but are easily accessible above the snow and have live shoots and leaves that can be eaten year-round. Later in the fall and into the winter, elk will shift from foraging on grasses and forbs to eating shrubs like bitterbrush, mountain mahogany, and willow. This could be next to streams, springs, or ponds or in shaded areas and aspen stands where there is high soil moisture. You’ll often find elk following this greenline as the snow recedes and the grasses begin to grow.Īs grasses start to dry out in the late summer and fall the best forage will often be found near water sources. In the spring, elk will seek out the freshest green grass that has started to sprout. So you can bet they’re going to be experts at finding the best food sources.įood sources used by cow elk change seasonally. That means they need to get enough calories to support themselves and a calf (either live or unborn) through most of the year. Once they reach maturity, most cow elk will either be pregnant or nursing a calf for a good portion of their lives. Cow Elk Food SourcesĬow elk are always looking for the best food sources. There were small meadows along the stream with great elk forage, but the meadows or stream can’t be seen from above because of the thick forest. A small stream in a canyon where elk frequently bed. That night I found a herd of elk and was in elk the rest of the hunt. So I moved to an area I thought would have more reliable water. I noticed that the water sources in these areas were all dry. I’d scouted several good-looking areas on maps, but when I started hunting these areas I didn’t see a single elk in my first two days of hunting. On my most recent elk hunt, water was the key to finding the elk. If you find a reliable, unmarked water source be sure to mark where it is so that you can come back. Remember that not all water sources will be accurately mapped. If the streams, ponds, and springs are dry then move to another area where there is water. If you are not seeing elk in the area you are hunting start searching for water. Before getting to your hunting location, identify potential water sources. In most areas water is plentiful in the winter and spring (elk will eat snow to get water), but water can be a limiting factor for elk habitat during the late summer and autumn. Elk need to drink water every day ( see this article for more about elk water requirements) so if there is no water in an area there will not be elk in that area. Water is often a limiting factor for elk habitat, especially in late summer and autumn when most hunting seasons occur. You need to find areas where food, water, and shelter exist near each other to find where the elk are hanging out. Elk habitat is composed of three things: food, water, and shelter. Find the Right Habitatįinding elk is all about finding habitat. Over my last 10 years of elk hunting, I’ve found that the five most important tips to help you find cow elk are:įollowing these five tips will help you locate elk in any place you hunt. The good news is that if you learn a little bit about elk habitat and elk behavior and are willing to put in some miles you can find elk even when they seem to disappear. Elk are masters at disappearing in the nooks and crannies of big landscapes, especially when there’s a lot of hunting pressure. That doesn’t mean hunting cow elk is easy. Because cow elk are more abundant than bull elk they are often easier to find, and hunter success rates are usually higher. In the United States, there are a lot of opportunities to hunt cow elk.
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