Seeing lots of elk just no big bulls go higher?

[freu1chr]

We are hunting at 7600 feet and have seen around 200 elk but all cows and spikes. would you guys go higher up the mountain to find the big bulls or stay with the herds?

 

[Gerald Martin]

We are hunting at 7600 feet and have seen around 200 elk but all cows and spikes. would you guys go higher up the mountain to find the big bulls or stay with the herds?

Go higher. Bigger bulls aren’t with the cow herds this time of year.

 

[CUElk]

Where’s the snow level where you are? When we were there a few weeks ago, bulls were above the snow line. Saw cows about the level you are seeing them, but the bulls were about 1000’ higher

 

[trb]

I saw a herd of 20+ including bulls at 11,800 ft yesterday in CO. I also saw bulls at 8k ft 2 weeks ago in a similar area. They are across the whole spectrum of the range.

 

[Doublecluck]

I know of people who are killing bulls in Montana right now north or 9k.. big ones.

 

[Bigjay73]

Saw recent pics of a 360" bull at 4300 feet. Bulls don't grow big antlers and suddenly think to themselves "better get up to 12000 ft". Big bulls are wherever any other elk are

 

[Gerald Martin]

Saw recent pics of a 360" bull at 4300 feet. Bulls don't grow big antlers and suddenly think to themselves "better get up to 12000 ft". Big bulls are wherever any other elk are

Big bulls that summer and rut at 8500-10,000’ don’t follow the cows down to lower elevations until snow levels force them down. There’s less than a foot of snow at 9500 this year. Bulls are gonna be where they feel secure this time of year.

 

[hank4elk]

The only 10k peaks here are 30 miles away. They don't all move that far or high. And I don't think it will snow anytime soon. Present time,NM.
Some just know how to hide. In plain sight even.
Yes they will go into full seclusion. They still need some food & water to get by.

 

[Bigjay73]

Bulls are gonna be where they feel secure this time of year.

Couldn't agree more

 

[ida homer]

Man post rut BIG bulls are so tough, but a true trophy. I can’t dial it in. I got lucky and shot a big one a couple years ago, in low country, 4K. Meanwhile a friend of a friend fairly routinely tags 300+ bulls between 9-10k in Nov. Like an alpine backpack Muley hunt up high, but in miserable conditions. Needle in a haystack gig. Everybody says it because it’s true, they are where you find them. Although I can easily tag a meat bull every year, I have not honed in sanctuaries for good bulls yet.

 

[Ridgerunner6901]

May not need to change elevation much but you should seek out the nastiest, thickest, steepest, hardest to hunt areas nearby. That's where the bulls go

 

[Luke_with_a_lab]

I wouldn't say you HAVE to go up or down. Ive seen plenty of bulls at the same elevation as the cows, just off by themselves. They are just much harder to find. Its alot easier to glass up a big herd of cows than a lone bull bedded behind a tree.

 

[freu1chr]

Found a good area with lots of big bull sign but my father messed up his knee on the climb and we decided to shoot a cow. But will defiantly check the area out harder next year.

 

[JLS]

If you’re talking big bull sign in the form of rubs, that’s not an indicator of big bull presence post rut.

Nice work on the cow!

 

[BoulderBulls]

If u get to the top of the mountain and you can't find the big bulls....get a ladder and GO HIGHER!

 

[freu1chr]

No found lots of huge tracks but I’m a Minnesotan so every track looks huge. We were up at 9000 ft just above the snow line. Found beds of single large elk in timber.

 

[2rocky]

If you’re talking big bull sign in the form of rubs, that’s not an indicator of big bull presence post rut.

Nice work on the cow!

I've noticed lots of rubs near a winter feedground which really puzzled me, because the rutting area is 5-10 miles further back up in the mountains. What I may have seen is where they were eating bark off the trees though.....

 

[Elkmagnet]

I've noticed lots of rubs near a winter feedground which really puzzled me, because the rutting area is 5-10 miles further back up in the mountains. What I may have seen is where they were eating bark off the trees though.....

Bulls can rub a lot in the spring also