When do elk move back up to higher elevation?

[lifesupport4u]

I went up and did some scouting at around 11,000 ft. I hiked back into an area I have been curious about. Saw some older tracks and bumped a few does but didn’t see much elk sign.

At what point do elk move up to elevation? Is it as lower grasses start to dry up or is it before that?

It’s still really green at lower elevations. I know there are elk in the area from previous trips but guessing they are still lower than where I was.

Also, the search for a packout service begins because the hike was a little grueling without 4 trips with elk quarters.

 

[azelkhntr]

Life is tough at 11k. If there’s no grass available elk won’t have any interest. Deer are browsers. Those tender woody shoots are a huge draw. Too early for elks.

 

[diamond hitch]

Around my house, the elk seem to move as the grass gets tougher and drier but not necessarily up. They are more likely to move to the wet basins and north sides as the weather gets hotter. I've also seen them react to the bitting flys with lakes and wallows to escape the nasty little beasts.
My reaction to the situation is to list the options given the weather and hunt each of the potential spots in a process of elimonation. Also keep in mind that they travel in a pattern but not in a predictable pattern. At least that is what I have found.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

It depends on the year and the weather but generally around here it is around the end of June, right about now that the elk start showing up in their high elevation areas around here. I imagine it depends on how high of elevation we are talking and the area too. I know it greens up in Colorado well before it does in Montana so I am sure that is a factor also.

 

[SBAHunts]

right around hunting season

 

[JLS]

When they need to. Feed starts to dry up, bugs are bad, hot, water sources dwindle, you name it.

 

[Ben Long]

IMO the driver is green, lush feed. They will follow that up the slope and to the north side. In general. An irrigated hayfield may change their plans, but they follow their stomachs.

 

[2rocky]

I'd say the elk are moving up the South slopes a good month or two before they get to the North facing ones. I always base it on whether there is enough feed for my horses to graze and not pack feed in the summer. There were 4 ft high drifts across the trail still, but when I got up to 10,000 ft there were fresh elk tracks in the trail. These pictures are from First week of July about 6 years ago...

The Mosquito's hatched the next week. Those will move elk up into the snow and rocks too....

 

[AggieHunter]

Saw fresh tracks at almost 14k this weekend. Don't know what they were doing up there.

 

[Jake.]

Saw fresh tracks at almost 14k this weekend. Don't know what they were doing up there.

I’ve seen that a handful of times the last couple of years but only a lone set or two to three elk maybe.

 

[MattinCO]

These pics were taken this past weekend, about 12K feet in Colorado (OTC unit). About 50 elk in this area this past weekend, about 20 the weekend before, mostly cows & calfs.

They stay in this area until archery season starts, then disappear. Didn't figure out where they went last year, maybe will this year.

 

[Jake.]

These pics were taken this past weekend, about 12K feet in Colorado (OTC unit). About 50 elk in this area this past weekend, about 20 the weekend before, mostly cows & calfs.

They stay in this area until archery season starts, then disappear. Didn't figure out where they went last year, maybe will this year.
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That’s when I’ve found they go to higher elevation. Either that or the drop down into some thick timber.

 

[Bigjay73]

Only a percentage live at high elevation. They're gonna be anywhere there's food water and security. Co has elk from 4k to 14k feet

 

[Fremont15]

In the areas I hunt in Wyoming there’s very few elk at 11k feet, but it sounds like Colorado might be different. Around here I just don’t think there’s enough food, water, and cover up that high.