Elk Watering Habits

[HighDesertSage]

I have noticed in my scouting this year that elk seem to prefer to drink from stagnant or standing water over flowing streams and river. Has anyone else made these observations? Why do the elk walk past streams and creeks to drink from lakes and ponds?

 

[MtnWest]

Noise is what I figure. I have watched them drink from muddy hoof prints many times when flowing cleaner water was a short distance down the trail.

 

[Muskeez]

Interesting observations. Possibly a noise factor? Not as easy to hear predators? Also not able to roll around in the streams and get muddy? We had some elk near the creeks last year, but I can't say for sure if they were there to water or to feed on the green vegetation on the shorelines.

 

[HighDesertSage]

In the unit I am hunting this year I have watched the elk come down 1500 ft to a reservoir and drink. I know there are creeks and springs very close to where they bed at the same elevation. I just thought it was weird.

The noise factor would definitely make sense.

 

[sturge]

simple answer. standing water is easier to catch, of course.

 

[Trigger50]

Ive read that bioligists think maybe deer & elk prefer standing water because it has more earth in it & therefore more minerals than flowing water. IDK

 

[Baerman]

I've also seen that they like the head of creeks or seeps where the water exits the ground. Anywhere in the mountains that I have found the head of a seep, there has been lots of elk sign.

 

[Ben Long]

Interesting thread.

 

[Stillhunterman]

Ive read that bioligists think maybe deer & elk prefer standing water because it has more earth in it & therefore more minerals than flowing water. IDK

Think micro nutrients--trace elements, selenium specifically. It persists in standing water in higher amounts than in flowing water. Here is a rather simple description of the selenium cycle in nature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_cycle

Here is one for those of you with a more technical mindset:
http://mofap07.in2p3.fr/18janvier/Seby.pdf

And here is what it can do for deer:

http://www.deerlab.org/Publ/pdfs/26.pdf

https://fp.auburn.edu/sfws/ditchkoff/Nutrition Class Papers/Flueck 1994.pdf