I few weeks ago I started scouting and saw alot of bulls and cows, i went back up this weekend and didnt see a thing but saw alot of cattle where the elk were. When the ranchers move the cattle to an area do the elk move out?
Cattle and elk movement...
- Thread starter kiddwinner
- Start date
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
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The areas I have always hunted have Cattle in them every so often when I am hunting. It may shuffle the elk around a little but have found that they dont move far and most of the time they dont move at all.
jjenness
Very Active Member
In my experience the cattle will more often than not move the elk out of an area. Especially when the cattle are using the same water, elk often will look for an alternate water source. If water in limited then the elk will stick around a little closer. Good thing is though, when the ranchers gather in late Sept. then the elk will usually move right back in. I would suggest putting up some trail cameras to verify whether or not the elk are gone. Good luck.
tdub24
Veteran member
Just like the other posts, in my experiences the elk don't fully move out but they definitely get away from the cattle. Same goes for sheep, we had a bull closing in on us last year during archery. 150 yards...........100..........80.........73..........then we hear baaaa baaaaaa. All the elk stop and stare in the direction. Soon as the sheep crested the ridge the elk took off at full speed, down the canyon and out of our lives. Very disappointing but that is what happens when you hunt public land.
Thanks for all the info, ive never really hunted elk where cattle are, it was just very strange that there were elk all over and now nothing. The only thing I could think of was there were no cattle before and alot this time.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
Kidd, where I hunt...when the ranchers on horseback move the cattle, they move the elk out of the area as well. They do come back, sometimes it takes quite a few days, sometimes overnight. Do you have any of our "Fuzzy little Friends" (Wolves) in your elk area? That'll sure do it! Also, what's the water situation like there? It's been hot all over the state as you know. Stock ponds & creeks are drying up.
Im hunting the Big Horns Specifically to avoid the 100's of wolves and bears...
wolftalonID
Very Active Member
Well sheep come with dogs, then men. Elk are not stupid. Cattle...well they free graze all over here in Idaho. Your camp is more in danger than your elk. Wall tents and cows dont mix well. However that said, I have never seen elk leave because of cows.
Tag stew
New Member
Had this same convo on another forum recently mostly about sheep. We ran sheep for many years in the mountains, and no doubt sheep n cattle and all that come with them, dogs, hearders, horses, we ran deer off. But they ALMOST always come back, we kept the sheep moving, and several years we went back in the fall and harvested those same bucks in the same areas or nearby. If you can find and talk to the herders/wranglers talk to them and ask them about the animals they have seen and you will be surprised the amount of info they will give you. They come across stuff you may not have seen, game trails, springs, bedding areas.
Tag stew
New Member
Also must add, we did not run sheep where there are elk only deer(out here in N.Cal) so maybe my whole post was moot?!?
trophyhill
Member
I've seen cattle in a few basins I've hunted in CO. I've seen elk in those same basins too. I think humans are more pestered by cattle than elk are.
jjenness
Very Active Member
I just checked my trail camera's today, and I have a ton of elk pictures every day until the cows moved in. I went from getting probably average of 50 elk pictures a day to less than five a day once the cows moved in. It is amazing how much the elk change their patterns due to cattle. Also on the day I started to get pictures of cattle, I don't have a single picture of elk in daylight. All the elk pictures from that day on have only been night pictures. Just one of those things.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
What's really frustrating, is when cattle are on BLM ground AFTER the deadline to remove them. Seems BLM officials don't care about enforcing regulations, unless it involves a hunter. Just my 2 cents.
I found the elk this last weekend, they are now 2 miles into wilderness country where its mostly rocks and big valleys with no timber, thank God I have horses!!!