How far will elk move over night?

[Bgriffith]

Just wondering how far they will move over night? Sitting in this guy... found him right about at dark was too far to try to make it tonight. He does have cows with him and as of Friday they were still bugling and with cows.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Doubt they will move far if they aren't buggered by anything

 

[diamond hitch]

In my country, 1-3 miles without weather or pressure.

 

[Irishman]

A friend of mine, who wasn't a hunter, but worked on projects where they radio collared elk, was amused by the idea that people scouted for elk before season. He said that they would track elk that would be at a lake one night, and the next morning be several miles away and 3,000 feet higher. Typically though, during the rut, I would expect them to be pretty close in the morning to where you saw them at dark.

 

[Werty]

Found a bull on my last day of hunting 3 weeks ago, went back this weekend. He was in the same area.

 

[Fremont15]

It all depends. A snow storm can push them several miles over night. But with minimal pressure and no weather, they will likely be in the same vicinity.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

1 or 100 miles thats where I would be starting my day in the morning.

 

[Bgriffith]

Well hopefully they stay put, it’s suppose to start raining after midnight but they should be use to that lol it blew us off the mountain Saturday, tacoed our tent with us in it and all... the anticipation is the hardest part I think... sitting here freezing in the truck just waiting for sun up...

 

[Sytes]

Best with your hunt! If not spooked and reasonable feed w/ water source odds would be not far.
I'd imagine your prepping or close to prepping for your insertion back to the general area.
Great part about rain, brings much less noise with each step.
Look forward to the outcome! Best to ya!

 

[TransplantHunter]

I'd say "it depends".

I have seen animals move miles away and I have also seen them stay in the same spot until the next day. It all depends on the situation they are in.

 

[Bgriffith]

Little update... well the rain did move in over night as was predicted but brought with it 40-60mph winds. We slept in the truck at the trail head, it was kind of a wild ride. Woke up and recheck to see if they had left the area due to the storm... nope they were still there just maybe 100yds up from the meadow in some alders. Looked like a fairly simple hike down around the point to meet up with them. Well 45mins later after being “cliffed” out a few times we got to a spot within range to where they were. But alas they weren’t there. I cow called a few times but the wind was so strong I couldn’t hear a thing, the rain coming down off and on in sheets, my boots working a buckets. My guess is they winded us long before we got there as the wind from the storm was switching really bad. I think more preseason scouting was due on my part on how to successfully access some of these areas. I found the biggest bull I’ve ever see outside of say, Yellowstone, but could get no closer then 800yrds due to cliffs and a different storm tacoing our tent soaking everything and sending us into a hasty retreat. In hindsight I am kind of glad I didn’t get a shot as when I got back to the truck I found my bolt had opened in my gun, probably snagged on a branch, and the nipple was all wet. Once home I broke everything down and found the powder was completely soaked...

 

[Bgriffith]

Our hike in, if we had been goat hunting we might have gotten it done, this was one of about 15 we saw in one sitting

 

[MITCHMO]

Wow you guys were in some gnarly country!