Where do elk go to satisfy their needs? This question will help you pinpoint where in your unit the elk are during the season you are hunting. That is the point of Randy’s e-scouting video series which I highly recommend.
First, let’s list elk’s primary needs:
Food
Water
Sanctuary (Security and Survival) Randy’s three Ss.
Breeding (Seasonal)
Add to their needs Randy Newberg’s 5 elk seasons
All dates are approximate
Early Season August 1st - August 31st
Pre Rut September 1st - September 10th
Peak Rut September 11th - October 10th
Post Rut October 11th - October 31st
Late Season November 1st - end of hunting season
To fill an elk tag you need to know where the elk are. And the elk’s needs for the season you are hunting dictate where the elk are.
Understanding where the elk are is seasonal. Elk are migratory animals. Elk hunters know that scouting for elk in June when you have a November tag is really just an excuse to get away from the wife to go camping with the guys.
Let’s dive deeper into elk’s primary needs
#1 Need Food
Great food sources: burns, timber cuts, (canopy disruptions). Satellite images can help locate them. But there are other services that will actually have burns and timber cuts as a layer that you can place over a satellite image.
Elk graze on forbs and grasses. Elk are picky eaters. They will travel to get to the best food. They are not going to McDonald’s because it is right down the road, they will travel some distance to Le Meilleur Restaurant to get the best food. Focus on the best food in the area, not just a food source.
A forb is a herbaceous (not woody) broadleaf flowering plant that is not a graminoid (grass, sedge, or rush). The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory. Imagine wildflowers in a field. A sunflower is a large forb.
However, Elk can throw a curve and snack on a different type of vegetation, ie juniper berries, for a primary food source. Talk to a local biologist for the best information.
#2 Need Water
All life depends on water. Water is a little easier question when it comes to Elk. During the hot early bow season of August when the elk are up high, water (wallows) is an excellent magnet for elk. Especially in the lower states of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and Utah. But later in the season water is not as much an issue. Also, in the Northern Rockies and west of the Cascades, water isn’t scarce. It is abundant and the elk can pick and choose locations. However, in the lower states, lower canyons may even hold elk in the early season if it is the only source of water.
Satellite images will show water, but some services will highlight water sources to make them easier to find.
#3 Need Sanctuary, Survival, Security
While always a need, sanctuary becomes the overwhelming primary need once the rut is over during the post rut and late season. Elk have been shot at and endured humans tramping through their living rooms for August, September, and the first part of October. Now is the time to hole up near some food and water and disappear. Eventually, depending on the weather, they will migrate to their winter range and meet up in bachelor groups.
When considering sanctuary on a satellite map, find where there are no roads. Again, there are services that will have “backcountry” filters or something of the kind.
#4 Breeding
Breeding is all about the cows. Find the cows, you’ll find the bulls. Where are the cows? Where the best food and water sources are. They are getting ready to go through the harsh winter while pregnant. So this need circles back to the first two needs.
Translating needs into seasons
Early Season August 1st - August 31st
Primary Need Food and Water
Pre Rut September 1st - September 10th
Primary Need Food and Water
Peak Rut September 11th - October 10th
Primary Need Food and Water
Post Rut October 11th - October 31st
Primary Need Sanctuary
Late Season November 1st - end of hunting season
Primary Need Sanctuary
Conclusion. What you need to focus on when hunting your season.
August 1st - October 10th: food and water
October 11th - end of hunting season: sanctuary
Comments