Straight Forward Elk Question

[Buck-eye]

Can you pattern an elk?

 

[sdbowyer]

I think you can. But differently from deer and for shorter time periods. It also depends on whether it's Pre-rut, Rut, or Post rut. I think you can pattern elk that fancy a certain area for a certain amount of time, before they up and move for whatever reason. Clear as mud?

 

[Buck-eye]

Clear as mud. We tried to pattern the muleys last season, and it proved to be impossible. I wasnt sure if elk would lean more toward the muley or whitetail side of the species.

 

[MNTNMAN]

Originally posted by sdbowyer@May 17 2004, 08:48 AM
I think you can pattern elk that fancy a certain area for a certain amount of time, before they up and move for whatever reason.

That is exactly how it works, most of the time. Most herds will hang out in an area for an unspecified length of time, they never will tell yeah, but they always move to a different area the night before opening day.

 

[Idaelk]

The elk in my avatar was captured over a small seep by a trail cam I built from jesses instructions. My hunting buddy killed it 5-6 weeks later on the archery hunt within 200yards of that seep. Having said that elk are where they are and only they know why they want to be there. I think you can pattern them in general terms. Like they tend to like to bed on that ridge and feed on those meadows ect. but good luck convincing the elk to follow your plan once you have them all figured out. Ha Ha Ha!

 

[Ridgewalker]

We spotted a nice 6by7 one time, the day before a Nov. opener in N. Arizona and then jumped him in the pinions 3 different times over the next three days..We never saw him on day 4 or 5..then we moved almost 5 miles west and saw him on the 6th day..We know it was the same bull because of a distinct extra point off his left antler..He was probably in the 325 range...I think he would have stayed in his original area if we hadn't pushed him out of there... Then, unlike most mule deer I know of, he packed up and moved 5 miles away..We were lucky to ever see him again. If they aren't pressured after the rut is over and they have plenty of feed and water, I think you may be able to pattern them.

 

[Buck-eye]

Very Interesting.

 

[Kensco]

I think Ridgewalker touched on it. The key is don't bust them. The first time I hunted with a guide he showed me what patience was all about.

Day One we called a couple of small bulls from a herd of fifteen elk. The big one wouldn't cooperate. We snuck back out of the trees.

Day Two at daylight we got within a quarter mile of a herd of 50 or so in a meadow, with four good bulls. We started a stalk up a ravine until we found a small bull and a cow bedded in the same ravine; end of stalk. We snuck back out and just watched the herd feed into the trees.

Day Three we went back to check on herd #1 and found them within a half mile of where we left them. We stalked within 150 yards of three bulls bedded down and got a good look at the herd bull (6 x 5). We backed out without disturbing them.

In the afternoon we waited in a long finger of trees that extended into the meadow where the big herd had disappeared the day before. About the time the shadows were getting long a cow came out of the trees, followed by another cow, followed by a 6 x 6 bull. We let them feed our way. At about 100 yards I knocked him down and finished him as he tried to come back up.

On Day Five another hunter shot a bull from the same tree line.

Had I been on my own I suspect I would have chased those elk all over northeastern New Mexico and probably never gotten a shot.

 

[Huntnlady]

OMG, you make me miss elk hunting soooo much. I can almost smell the pine trees. To see those majestic creatures again. To have that big bull in my sights. To gently squeeze the trigger

and then the pictures and the butchering starts.


And yes, I agree you can pattern them up to a point.