Elk and Water

[AzRaised08]

7 hours ago, trphyhntr said:

The herds I chase in September move 2-3 miles from where they water to where they bed. 

So in your experience, elk tend to stay within the same 2-3 mile radius? 

[trphyhntr]

10 minutes ago, afirsttimer08 said:

So in your experience, elk tend to stay within the same 2-3 mile radius? 

I straight up don’t know anything about late season bulls. But the cows I watch are habitual as heck from summer through September, 2-3 miles.  Not really a radius, cuz they move mostly in one direction 

[maximus]

i have seen elk water on schultz tank and bed high on the peaks, that is 2-3 miles a list.

[AZ513]

3 hours ago, afirsttimer08 said:

Unit 27. We hunted up here last year and saw quite a few elk, but again they don’t seem to be in the same places as last year. At least that’s been our experience scouting. We also hunt the northern half of the unit so I would think it would be less affected by the warmer temps/less water but maybe not? I appreciate all the insight! Just trying to get an idea for how much closer to water we need to look/set up at

Its tough to say how far away they actually are because "our" far is nothing compared to their far. They can cover ground like it's nothing. I'd imagine though they're probably not far from where you're scouting if you've seen them in the past in those locations. Are you scouting near water sources?

[knothead]

I have chased elk in September that we start out within a few hundred yards of water source, walked more than 7 miles only to end up 1/2 mile from where we originally started. 

 

I am not a rifle elk hunter but I have taken people in the past and I found that elk like to be relatively close (less than 1-2 miles away) to water but they will be away from roads and will be in darker draws and canyons.  They do not like to move much during gun hunts.  If I see them moving past 9 or 10 in the morning it has been because they were pushed by another hunter.

[AzRaised08]

15 hours ago, AZ513 said:

Its tough to say how far away they actually are because "our" far is nothing compared to their far. They can cover ground like it's nothing. I'd imagine though they're probably not far from where you're scouting if you've seen them in the past in those locations. Are you scouting near water sources?

Yes, we’re usually within 2-3 miles of a water source. However I think some of the tanks that normally have had water in past years are dry. And also there has been snow so there have been small runoff streams here and there that they likely could have been using in past years

[206]

Elk need water but also need food and cover. Have to find all three.

[idgaf]

They still need water when it's cold and snowy

[Outdoor Writer]

9 hours ago, idgaf said:

They still need water when it's cold and snowy

That is one BIG bunch of elk! The only place I've ever seen that many together was the elk refuge near Jackson. 

[knothead]

1 hour ago, Outdoor Writer said:

That is one BIG bunch of elk! The only place I've ever seen that many together was the elk refuge near Jackson. 

You need to check out Mormon lake.

[G_E_E]

On 11/21/2020 at 11:24 PM, maximus said:

i have seen elk water on schultz tank and bed high on the peaks, that is 2-3 miles a list.

You talking about 7e right?  I have been out here scouting and not one dirt tank has water.  There's barely any water in the catchment/trick tanks.  Nice not to have 2 feet of snow like year, but dang, I wish it wasn't this dry.  Still trying to find some bulls, hopefully we'll get on some this weekend.  Good luck to everyone on this late, dry hunt.

[idgaf]

Hitting water yesterday

 

[Jazz]

53 minutes ago, G_E_E said:

You talking about 7e right?  I have been out here scouting and not one dirt tank has water.  There's barely any water in the catchment/trick tanks.  Nice not to have 2 feet of snow like year, but dang, I wish it wasn't this dry.  Still trying to find some bulls, hopefully we'll get on some this weekend.  Good luck to everyone on this late, dry hunt.

They’re pretty nocturnal right now. When they do come out during daylight I’m finding they tend to favor the early AM. There’s some water in the tricks in the center of the unit. Haven’t checked the cams in a few weeks but I have no doubt the areas that had water then still do today.

Cant wait to get this show started next week!