What are these elk eating?

[hillbillyhunting]

We made a big loop and were walking out this old abandoned road last weekend and we noticed the elk were "grubbing" for somthing.  None of the three of us had ever seen this.  I figure it is elk because there was elk sign all over the road, and because there were so many areas like this that I dont know what other animal could have done it.  It would take A LOT of animals to make this big of a footprint.  We walked about 3 miles out on this road, and they were throughout the entire 3 miles.  The only thing I can think is they were after some kind of root?     Has anyone else ever seen this?

[Boss .300 winmag]

shroooms 

[pianoman9701]

shroooms 

That's what i was thinking. Is their poop all loose and indistinct? If so, shrooms.

[rock]

Or turkey's? cann't tell well from the pics.

[sirmissalot]

Can't see much in the pics but turkeys is a good guess. Do elk eat muchrooms? Never knew that.

[Goldeneye]

Yes elk eat mushrooms.  They can eat ones that will kill us...

[AKBowman]

Seen that a bunch. I see it this time of year, I think they are eating clover roots. I've taken a really close look at it w few times. It's amazing how much elk sign you can find sometimes and not see any elk!

[buglebuster]

One time i was following a herd of elk down a ridge in the timber and the ground was completely torn up, they had dug up all of these big mushrooms and ate them. There were chunks of mushrooms everywhere.

[pianoman9701]

They like porcini (cepes) the most. When I can find porcini during the early season, I usually see some elk or at least sign. You can see where they walk along and eat the caps off of them, leaving the stem.

[hillbillyhunting]

Their poop looked normal.  I think the clover roots makes the most sense to me.  There is no way there are enough turkeys in the area for it to be them.  I saw a couple roots that were laying in the grubbed area. 

[hillbillyhunting]

Seen that a bunch. I see it this time of year, I think they are eating clover roots. I've taken a really close look at it w few times. It's amazing how much elk sign you can find sometimes and not see any elk!

Yeah the only elk we jumped that day had a blood trail to go with it.  Didnt see any elk down on that particular road.  Pretty frustrating... a lot of it was fresh too.

[hillbillyhunting]

Can't see much in the pics but turkeys is a good guess. Do elk eat muchrooms? Never knew that.

I figured that elk ate mushrooms, because one time I came up on a mule deer doe at about 15 yards, and she was so intent on finishing her mushroom that she would not run from me.