Where do you find your ELK
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Polishrifleman
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Interesting, 
I'll take a whack at the first pitch I guess.
Elk were originally a hearding plains animal that was forced into the altitude by over hunting etc... They are now primarily found in higher areas but still migrate along a range from low to high altitude depending on the season. Strong heards are found stateside by starting in the West Central US from New Mexico to Montana to the West Coast including an island off of California. There are also many game farms that keep heards for trophy hunts outside this area but not really wild IMHO. If you are talking a specific type of Elk or area I suggest going to that States Dept. of Fish and Game or whatever term they use and search around. They will typically have maps of the ranges.
To be more specific to my area as asked, from about 200ft above sea level to 5,000ft, pretty rugged terrain with good water and food sources early in the year they are higher up and move down to wintering areas in late November and December.
I'll take a whack at the first pitch I guess. Elk were originally a hearding plains animal that was forced into the altitude by over hunting etc... They are now primarily found in higher areas but still migrate along a range from low to high altitude depending on the season. Strong heards are found stateside by starting in the West Central US from New Mexico to Montana to the West Coast including an island off of California. There are also many game farms that keep heards for trophy hunts outside this area but not really wild IMHO. If you are talking a specific type of Elk or area I suggest going to that States Dept. of Fish and Game or whatever term they use and search around. They will typically have maps of the ranges.
To be more specific to my area as asked, from about 200ft above sea level to 5,000ft, pretty rugged terrain with good water and food sources early in the year they are higher up and move down to wintering areas in late November and December.
There is one rule in elk hunting: you will find the elk where the elk are.
Not trying to be a smartalec. Elk cover a lot of ground, especially when under pressure from hunters. Where you find them today might be 15 miles or more from where they were yesterday.
The biggest help you can do for yourself is try to hunt away from other hunters or on the fringes of where the elk are being pressured. When the elk aren't pressured they are a lot easier to hunt.
Not trying to be a smartalec. Elk cover a lot of ground, especially when under pressure from hunters. Where you find them today might be 15 miles or more from where they were yesterday.
The biggest help you can do for yourself is try to hunt away from other hunters or on the fringes of where the elk are being pressured. When the elk aren't pressured they are a lot easier to hunt.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Where you find elk depends on the season and the weather. Elk don't like hot weather and can be found above 11,000 feet through most of the year. When the snows come, they are driven down to lower altitudes.
For early season elk, look high, for later seasons, look low.
Elk will often feed in fields at night, then head back up the mountains when it begins to get light. If you can drive to the top of the mountains, and then find a route the elk follow, sit down at around 11,000 feet in the early morning and wait for them to come to you.
For early season elk, look high, for later seasons, look low.
Elk will often feed in fields at night, then head back up the mountains when it begins to get light. If you can drive to the top of the mountains, and then find a route the elk follow, sit down at around 11,000 feet in the early morning and wait for them to come to you.
CowboyEngr
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An elk savvy hunter once said, "Elk are where you find them." I have found that to be true. On opening morning, the rancher's hay field is a good place to try! After they have been alerted that hunting season is on, try the thickest, steepest, north-facing slope in the area. They are very hot-natured and prefer the cool side of the mountain if un-molested. They will move to lower ground in VERY deep snow and VERY cold weather, but that is just a generality. Otherwise, elk are where you find them.
After they have been alerted that hunting season is on, try the thickest, steepest, north-facing slope in the area. They are very hot-natured and prefer the cool side of the mountain if un-molested. They will move to lower ground in VERY deep snow and VERY cold weather, but that is just a generality. Otherwise, elk are where you find them. 
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As cowboy said....
Here is my technique on elk hunting in Colorado on public land. I climb up as high as I can. I look around to see where the easiest road access is.
I hunt as late in the season as possible in the worst weather and the deepest snow I can find.
I find where the majority of the road hunters are.
I then look two steep ridge lines over from that. Then I go to that second ridge line.
I look for the steepest darkest hell hole in the area and I go down there and usually kill an elk. I haven't come home empty handed in over 10 years. Either in NM or CO.
The only problem with this method is you need to be about two rounds short of a full magazine to do it.
You must be prepared to sleep out in the freezing weather. You must be prepared to do a pack out from the 7th ring of elk hunting hell. You must have a hunting partner that you can trust to break his back for you if needed. And having GOOD mountain horses is almost manditory.
If you don't have good horses/mules DO NOT SHOOT an elk in the bottom of the canyon unless you can do a downhill pack out. I mean this as it can become an impossible task to pack out an elk up very steep country in deep snow, on your back.
Here is my technique on elk hunting in Colorado on public land. I climb up as high as I can. I look around to see where the easiest road access is.
I hunt as late in the season as possible in the worst weather and the deepest snow I can find.
I find where the majority of the road hunters are.
I then look two steep ridge lines over from that. Then I go to that second ridge line.
I look for the steepest darkest hell hole in the area and I go down there and usually kill an elk. I haven't come home empty handed in over 10 years. Either in NM or CO.
The only problem with this method is you need to be about two rounds short of a full magazine to do it.
You must be prepared to sleep out in the freezing weather. You must be prepared to do a pack out from the 7th ring of elk hunting hell. You must have a hunting partner that you can trust to break his back for you if needed. And having GOOD mountain horses is almost manditory.
If you don't have good horses/mules DO NOT SHOOT an elk in the bottom of the canyon unless you can do a downhill pack out. I mean this as it can become an impossible task to pack out an elk up very steep country in deep snow, on your back.
MeadsJN
Member
Where would I go?
Where would I go? I'd go to my personal 20-acre, mountain-top spot in Unit-1 of North Idaho, where there are elk, moose, deer, black bear, and who knows what else. It's one mile off the paved road, a quarter mile from National Forest, but has electric for the camper and a good flat camping spot with gentle to medium slope to the top. Too bad I'm stuck working most of the season hundreds of miles away. I'm so PO'd, I'm tempted to sell the place, or at least rent it out for the season.
Where would I go? I'd go to my personal 20-acre, mountain-top spot in Unit-1 of North Idaho, where there are elk, moose, deer, black bear, and who knows what else. It's one mile off the paved road, a quarter mile from National Forest, but has electric for the camper and a good flat camping spot with gentle to medium slope to the top. Too bad I'm stuck working most of the season hundreds of miles away. I'm so PO'd, I'm tempted to sell the place, or at least rent it out for the season.
CowboyEngr
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Mead, don't sell it! You will regret it (or your kids will, at least )! Just try to find more ways to get there more often.
H&Hhunter, at one time, I managed a fair sized ranch just south of Eagle. More than once (at dusk), some successful, but disilusioned hunter would show up and beg for help getting out his elk. It would always be at the bottom of one of those cedar canyons. He and his buddy would look like they've been to hell and back (cause they had! )! I'd normally try to help them, unless I just had too much other stuff going on. It would involve a pickup, trailer, 2 good horses, and about 3 hrs. I think the most I ever got was a $50 gift certificate to Cabela's! But, I always thought, "This may be the only time this poor guy ever has this much fun!" At the time, I'd cuss 'em under my breath, but now I kinda miss doing stuff like that! (There's one born every minute. )
)! Just try to find more ways to get there more often.H&Hhunter, at one time, I managed a fair sized ranch just south of Eagle. More than once (at dusk), some successful, but disilusioned hunter would show up and beg for help getting out his elk. It would always be at the bottom of one of those cedar canyons. He and his buddy would look like they've been to hell and back (cause they had!
)! I'd normally try to help them, unless I just had too much other stuff going on. It would involve a pickup, trailer, 2 good horses, and about 3 hrs. I think the most I ever got was a $50 gift certificate to Cabela's! But, I always thought, "This may be the only time this poor guy ever has this much fun!" At the time, I'd cuss 'em under my breath, but now I kinda miss doing stuff like that! (There's one born every minute. )They're usually in the isle with the potato chips at Walmart.
This time of year, they're not under much pressure (bow hunting only) and it's dry so you'll find them near water. When rifle season opens they'll move away from pressure and become difficult to find.
This time of year, they're not under much pressure (bow hunting only) and it's dry so you'll find them near water. When rifle season opens they'll move away from pressure and become difficult to find.
rwc
Member
I know a camp ground where you can wake up with them nibbling the grass around your tent. Until the season opens...
ArdisK
Member
Where in N. Idaho
Hey, Mead,
Where abouts in Idaho (general location OK). I used to live on an 800 acre cattle ranch west of Priest Lake when I was in high school.
ArdisK
Hey, Mead,
Where abouts in Idaho (general location OK). I used to live on an 800 acre cattle ranch west of Priest Lake when I was in high school.
ArdisK
MeadsJN
Member
ArdisK : Where in N. Idaho?
It's up Rapid Lightning Creek, about 18 miles NE of Sandpoint. That's the east half of Unit 1, about 8 or 10 miles from MT as the snow flies.
I haven't yet seen the Priest Lake area, but hear it's great. I don't know why, but the limits and season dates seem to be tighter in that west side of Unit 1.
Our home is down in Unit 3, a little closer to civilization, but one could still fill a tag from the porch. Last year's deer was gotten in long-johns and sock-feet with a .223. Shameful I know, but the kids have to eat. My main hunting arm is a Rem 7600 in 30-06. Lightweight, but very rough on scopes and mounts.
It's up Rapid Lightning Creek, about 18 miles NE of Sandpoint. That's the east half of Unit 1, about 8 or 10 miles from MT as the snow flies.
I haven't yet seen the Priest Lake area, but hear it's great. I don't know why, but the limits and season dates seem to be tighter in that west side of Unit 1.
Our home is down in Unit 3, a little closer to civilization, but one could still fill a tag from the porch. Last year's deer was gotten in long-johns and sock-feet with a .223. Shameful I know, but the kids have to eat. My main hunting arm is a Rem 7600 in 30-06. Lightweight, but very rough on scopes and mounts.
Bottom Gun
Member
Look for grass and water. They will always be around grass and water.
Bob R
Member
When I want elk, I walk out to the freezer and dig through the buffalo to get to it. 
Then when that is done, I head uphill a little and over to the left, always works for me.
Next year, I want to add antelope to the freezer.
You just have to love living in Montana.
bob
Then when that is done, I head uphill a little and over to the left, always works for me.
Next year, I want to add antelope to the freezer.
You just have to love living in Montana.
bob
Northslope Nimrod
Member
My dad also often says "elk are where you find them." I hunt in elevations of 8500 feet to 1100 feet. I like to hunt in the highest of that elevation. I find that during October, the elk "hang out" in that elevation. I find that in the lower elevations they are just "passing though." BUT it totally depends on your area. My area recieves a lot of pressure. There are lower private lands where herds & herds hang out all year.
I like to hunt right at the tree line in the cliffs.
I like to hunt right at the tree line in the cliffs.
rwc
Member
Killzone-
Check out the Teanaway valley off 970. A bit East of Cle Elum, WA head back North towards Mt. Stuart. Up near the end of the road (El Dorado creek?) there are some campgrounds. The private land up there is all posted and most of what isn't private is in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area. I've also woken up to deer in the campground out on teh Penninsula, near the Sol Duc hot Springs. The funky backcountry ones, not the resort.
If you want to drive out to the Wallawas in NE OR you can see a bunch of elk. A friend's family have a fair amount of farm land out there. He has a picture in his office of a herd of at least a hundred elk in a big mass.
Check out the Teanaway valley off 970. A bit East of Cle Elum, WA head back North towards Mt. Stuart. Up near the end of the road (El Dorado creek?) there are some campgrounds. The private land up there is all posted and most of what isn't private is in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area. I've also woken up to deer in the campground out on teh Penninsula, near the Sol Duc hot Springs. The funky backcountry ones, not the resort.
If you want to drive out to the Wallawas in NE OR you can see a bunch of elk. A friend's family have a fair amount of farm land out there. He has a picture in his office of a herd of at least a hundred elk in a big mass.
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