Anaconda's Question.....

[Deerslayer]

Dan asks......

"Hey, I'm asking everybody this question;
How much snow do you think it takes to push the main elk herds down to lower range ?
Temptures up on top have been low 40s down to high teens at night. No big storms yet, but lots of littel ones dropping three to ten inches that melts off in a few days.
Do ya think there still up there ?"
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[JASON LEE]

Well I would say that it takes atleast 8 feet of snow above 2000 feet to get the cows down the big bulls on the other had it takes atleast 1 whole year of snow with no temps above 8 degrees......but then again some people say I dont know anything about elk

 

[Deerslayer]

........uh, Dan....you spoke too soon!....shortly after you said "no big snow storms yet".....the bottom fell out! Total whiteout now at 6000 feet, you can only imagine what it's like above 10,000'. ...hhahhahah ...bad boys, bad boys...what cha gonna do, what cha gonna do when they come for you?.....bad boys.... bad boys!LOLLOLOOL...this is gonna be fun!.....I like Ithaca's plan....dig out the snow shoes! ...... or Cali's....just take pix of each other makin' snow angels .....I figure either way, we'll have loads of fun just being out playing in the snow for a week and a half!

 

[Deerslayer]

Um Jason.....I think your reading from the wrong elk manual.......the Indiana Elk Manual has little use out west ...it's mostly for farmers and flatlanders ......hey...throw some shit in your truck and let's go elk hunting Jason!....better than sittin' in the bars on the rain days!

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I am no expert, but what I saw in Montana in some bitterly cold weather was the elk bedding down in the snow, in the timber but feeding down in the valleys. There was perhaps 3 or 4 feet of snow on the hills, but the wind kept the plains below somewhat swept clear. Without horses, it was darn tough busting through the snow, the covered deadfalls, and the frozen crust to sneak up on the elk. (I never should have passed on that spike... ) The big bulls fed down low but went back up high at daybreak.

Just my 2 cents - but I've chased elk more than shot elk...I just try to learn from my mistakes.

 

[Elkhunter]

I would think that the 3-4 foot mark would get them to thinking about getting the hell out of there. When the Yellowstone elk are migrating they are busting through some pretty deep stuff. I know that when I was 2-3 feet of snow, it did not phase them in the least.

 

[tmsander]

I spoke to an elk biologist out of Hot Sulpher Springs about this once. I don't recall the exact figures he gave me, but I was surprised. He said the cows come out earlier and due to a lesser amount of snow... that I knew. But he also said the biger bulls stay up high for a long time. Again, I don't recall the exact figure, but it was something like six feet of total accumulation.

On the other hand, I heard from a DOW guy during the first season that this year (at least in that area... unit 371) due to the drought, the elk were already mostly on their winter range. The drought resulted in poor feed quality and quantity above timberline.

 

[Deerslayer]

So it's back to he same ol' riddle......
..."Elk are where you find 'em!"

...maybe we'll ride upon a big ol' 400 class bull all bogged down in the snow

 

[tmsander]

Yep... that's probably the best advice one can get... you find em where they are....

I talked to the DOW guys in Walden when I dropped off my head for CWD testing, and they said its been a screwy year all round. Elk aren't being found where they normally are in some areas and elk are being found where they are usually not in others.

Just gotta get out there and look. They gotta be somewhere!