justhuntitall

To all you life long elk hunters out there . Ive been elk hunting for 10yrs now. I hunt in the Yampa river valley Co. I have a question for you? A bout 5yrs ago I found a natrual funnle its a steep clif that runs for miles. On the down side of it aspens top side pines I see lots of elk come to the end of the clift where it is alot less steep the elk go up there and bed.

Sounds good right ? It is have Killed sevral elk there ( all with bow) the only thing is it seems to be all young rag horn bulls and they hang out in groups of two to four. It is at alot lower elev. and I rarely see any cows .

My question is whats going on here ? Do the bigger bulls have them pushed down there or somthing eles?

It also seems that I only see elk in the moring there. Why?

I go to hire elv. And I see more cows and mature bulls But its hard not to stay at the honey hole and see bulls almost every time and close. Just not the big ones and did I tell you how hard it is not to shoot one of those tasty young bulls.

last year I took a friend to my spot and gave him his first chance at a bull it would of been his first, but he missed got it on video thoe. And I passed up shots at smaller bulls last year and came home with nothing for the freezer first time in 4 years sure miss the elk meat.


But I did get close to a 300 class bull in a diffrent spot 10yds close just couldnt get the clear shot .

What would you guys do go high hunt the big one or stay low get the just about sure thing?

bigbulls

Ok, You are seeing these young bulls in the mornings with no cows right?

Here is what I think is going on. The mature bulls didn't get that way by being stupid. They know where the majority or the hunters are and get well above you before day light and have most of the cows up there with them. They are keeping the cows away from those young rag horns too. The rag horns that you are seeing are heading up later in the morning than the mature bulls in hopes to catch a cow lagging behind the main harems. They have not lived long enough to learn to get up as high as they can and put distance between themselves and hunters early in the morning.

Personally I go after the larger bulls but I will not turn down a shot at a young and tender bull if the chance presents itself. That's not to say that I am successful at it though. It's a long leaning process bow hunting these elk.

elknut1

It sounds like you're hunting this area early season, before any rut of any signifigance. It's common at this time to have groups of bachelor bulls like you're referring to. I don't think the ones you're seeing are being pushed out by the herd bull or dominant bull, it's their choice to be on their own. When cows aren't in an estrus cycle a herd bull will tolerate other bulls within the herd, big and small. I'm sure a main herd isn't far off, as elk like hanging around other elk. These raggys or sattelites will pester that herd bull to no end as soon as cows start showing signs of pre-estrus. until that time there pretty much carefree roamers. From what you described it doesn't sound like a screaming match going on between the raggys and the herd bull so this would be my guess. All will change once the cows advance towards their estrus cycle, (dripping, leaking fluids) this will get things wound up a little more.

As far as the bulls being gone from their bedding areas, there's many reasons that could happen. A couple are--you hunting them and spooked them off---the sun gets to a spot in early afternoon and it's now to warm so they readjust their positions on the mountain to a cooler shadier area---as the day warms, mosquitoes, gnats, horse flies and other insects can bug them to no end so they go higher up the mountain, many times close to the top to where it's windier or breezier for some relief from them. And so on!

Have you tried to get the herd bull to respond to calling to give away his position so you knew about where the main herd is? I don't mean with just classic bugles, I mean the type where it demands a response from him if he's within earshot?---To do this you may have to go around the smaller bulls or wade through them to get to the herd.
Try hunting this area a little later in Sept. when closer to peak-rut, then you'll know where the dominant bull is. <grin> elknut1

Wolf killer

justhuntitall You have a good problem. You know where raghorns travel in the morning. You also know where the herd bulls go.
Could you maybe hunt the raghorns in the morning & the herd bulls in the evening? I myself will not pass on shooting a raghorn. The only elk I will not shoot is a calf or a cow with a calf.

justhuntitall

Yeah we go elk hunting the first week of season to beat the rush we stay for about 9 10 days . This year we are going later we just dont want to have to try and bow hunt during black powder season.


Wolf killer thats what I did last year but I pass up a couple of small raghorns at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Sitting here with out an elk steak sucks.

Thanks guys for your wisdom.

windriverhunter

I'd say hunt for the big ones at the beginning of your trip, then if you arent having any luck, head for the honey hole so that you can bring home the bacon.

Elkshed

I hunt the high dark timber for the big bulls and leave the raghorns for seed.I like the challenge of hunting a smart seasoned old bull.Even if I don't fill my tag at least I am having fun and learning,and know I could have killed an elk.If you just want the meat shoot the first legal elk.

BareBack Jack

Well this would be my best guess,they are there,some where.The big bulls are probaly moving at night or early dusk,from feed and water.If it is as busy as you say it is,look for beds in the grass early in the morning,this might give you a indication as to wich way the elk are moving.
If you think they are moving at night coming down from the high ground,get as high as you can by mid after-noon and try and spot them coming down,try to find a travle route they take and try to ambush them as they come through,if they are responding to calls try to call them to you.
Try a altrenate route in the morrning and try to get above your honey hole befor daylight,and see if you can't find them.
Take elknut's addvice and try it during the rut,or if it's hot,hunt the timber just below treeline,or the water source.
I'm usaly not one to sit and wait for the elk to come to me,I try to take it to them.
BBJ

dbcooper

I've got a little different take. 85% of 2 1/2 year old bulls are killed every year in over the counter units. My guess is that you are seeing the biggest bulls. There may not be any 300 point bulls in your area in any given year.