solo bachelor bulls?!

[chemlite]

I have only been hunting elk for a couple years, and I am trying to pick up info whenever possible.  I found an area with a few different group of rubs within close proximity to eachother.  I put up this cam in a clearing between the groups and got a beautiful shot of this guy... he also spent about 5 minutes trying to eat my cam!  I am curious if bulls run around solo this time of year, or are they always in bachelor groups.  There may be more elk in this same clearing, I didn't put any feed out to try and capture all of them on the cam.  I wasn't even sure if the elk that left the rubs from last season would still be using this clearing.  I also got a few deer and a big old black bear on cam that have been using the same area.  Any pointers?!

[deerhunter_98520]

They run in bachelor groups this time of the year...sept they will start separating and herding up cows for themselves

[Big6bull]

I notice a lot of the rag horns stay in bachelor grps till rut starts but the bigger bulls tend to wanna be alone in a lot of cases.

[deerhunter_98520]

I think it depends on the bull...I've seen big bulls with a few raghorns in the summer

[Old Man Yager]

Good question, I've got about 40 pics of 1 bull, he was alone, and did the same thing with my camera. I got some good closeups of the inside of his nose

[cryder]

nice pictures ! I had two big bulls come right up to my turkey decoys a few weeks ago ,its like people say it just depends on the bull,well if there is any truth to that ,I guess I wont be putting my decoys away as soon as I thought !been tracking a big bull up north of Chewelah and he is always alone, it could be a good season again !!! ( 3 months !! )

[jackelope]

I notice a lot of the rag horns stay in bachelor grps till rut starts but the bigger bulls tend to wanna be alone in a lot of cases.

I had hundreds of pictures from all summer last year with a group of big bulls...all at least 6 point bulls...anywhere from 4-6 bulls who spent the entire summer together. Come the rut, they all split up. I also had them randomly with groups of cows and calves throughout the summer. I'll see if I can find some pics.

[jackelope]

Here's one of the pics of part of the group.

[dscubame]

They run in bachelor groups this time of the year...sept they will start separating and herding up cows for themselves

   Exactly.  And those that do not group cows will continue to be bachelors thru the seasonal rut.  It is not uncommon for a smaller bull to be the area herd bull and have a larger bull be a bachelor that never gathers the cows because the smaller bull is dominate in the area.  But give it time he will soon graduate to herd bull status, it is usually only for a year or two. 

A step further... usually when a elk hunter talk about calling in a big bull from afar it is a bachelor bull as the herd bulls typically will not stray far from his cows.  I had a 330 plus 6X6 bachelor come in from about 100 yards to within 2 yards of me last year in N. Idaho.  No shot opportunity.

[chemlite]

Thanks for all the great info everyone!  I am headed back out this weekend to reposition the camera. Hopefully I can get more pics of more animals using that area!

[cryder]

THATS IT !! Im heading out Friday to put my cams up ,ive been tracking a couple in a area ive been turkey hunting and you guys just convinced me im wasting good locateing time,stand by pics to follow, well I hope anyway ( 3 months !!! )

[chemlite]

You can ask my better half, she will vouch for me... It is never too early to start looking for elk!  I think she is tired of riding shotgun while I am driving and staring out the windows no matter where we go. LOL

[cryder]

well as I said before I really think I've got a couple nailed down on private land, I just hope they don't get migratory on me,i stopped by the farmers place that is on the flats before getting up higher to my area he showed me pictures of fifteen elk outside his back door three days into turkey season so I have decideD to set cams up ive got two in my area and one in hIS  the farmers land,stand by FILM AT ELEVEN 

[chemlite]

Set the cam back out this weekend and changed the angle a little bit.  I had some videos of animals setting the motion sensor off but not walking in front of the lens... Hopefully it works better!

[chemlite]

I have about 8 different bulls moving through this area!!!  I'm sure they are still in the area come the fall because of the rubs I found this last winter...  I can't wait for hunting season!!!