Just curious what all you elk hunters think. Ive never been out before elk hunting to WY but been there deer hunting before, last year while hunting muleys we found some elk poop and rubs on trees from im sure the rut. We are planning to go out next year to that same area as a pre hunt scouting trip with probably cow tags and maybe a deer tag too. My question is, in order to hunt elk post rut (rifle season) does a person need to find water holes in order to locate or find out if elk are in the area? We found ponds down low towards some pasture land but higher up didn't really find much, given we didn't make it back as far as we wanted to but next year 2019 when we go out for this pre trip should we focus more on that or not? Thanks for any tips. Luke
Is water a must?
- Thread starter mustang8
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Catahoula12
Very Active Member
JimP
Administrator
You don't need to find water, the elk will do that on their own. I have seen elk travel 3-5 miles a day to water from their feeding areas.
dirtclod Az.
Veteran member
Elk thrive in Az.;water is crutial and they will travel all day and back.Find travel patterns and good luck.Bed,Feed,Water.repeat.Oh yea Rut!
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Thanks guys for the info, that answered my question. I don't literally have to locate a water source in order to find the elk.
mallardsx2
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- Jul 8, 2015
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In one area I hunted I was very surprised how easily elk can find water.
Small seeps in the mountains must be able to support a pretty impressive amount of elk is all I have to say.
In another area I hunted the elk bed up really high on the mountain and travel several miles downhill to feed/water during the night...
Small seeps in the mountains must be able to support a pretty impressive amount of elk is all I have to say.
In another area I hunted the elk bed up really high on the mountain and travel several miles downhill to feed/water during the night...
True but the elk will be watering somewhere. You just have to find a place to intercept them.
Yep, from the aerials I can see water but its on private land, so to find an interception point from them coming from the public will be my task. Its a pretty remote piece of public land so I think its doable.