Patterning Elk/Behaviors

[cjjcb]

So I'm brand new to elk hunting, behaviors and pattering. Disclaimer, been hunting whitetails since early 80's so not new there...
I've had 4-5 cams out since May 22nd, just checked today. I've got 4 different bulls in that time span, one nice looking 4x, all in early velvet. No cows... So a few questions...
1. Doesn't this seem to be a low rate of return?
2. If I'm seeing these guys in an area in May and June are they resident or transient?
3. I have an anterless archery tag for the unit. Should I expect cows to "show up" or do bulls go finds them?
How would the elk experts (you)  play this?
Appreciate all input!
Thanks.

[Caveman123]

On the east side here elk live in different places through the different seasons. The bulls will typically move to where the cows are in September. In one of my main elk spots I typically will not get pictures until mid august and they tend to stay there until end of October and move off to somewhere else. Cows focus right now is calving but come September it will be breading and food. Ton of great recourses out there such as elk 101 or the live wild podcast.

[cjjcb]

Thanks Caveman.

So am I understanding you correctly that you wouldn't expect to see cows til Aug based on calving? I'm targeting the eastern slopes of the central cascades...

Based on the very limited info I provided ( yes not much to go on), would you be concerned with these sets and would you move or hold pat? Don't worry. I won't hold you to it.

[Stein]

Cows will be where the best feed is pretty much all year.  That changes of course as the spring turns into summer, then fall.  If I had a cow tag I wouldn't care at all where the bulls are, no relation to where the cows will be today or the first day of your season.

Additionally, cams getting pics today won't give you any information about where cows will be in the fall.  They might be close or 15 miles away.

If you really want to use cams, you'll need to get in there much closer to the season and even then they can decide to up and move 5 miles one day for reasons only known to them.

[bkaech]

If you are hunting on the East side, and focusing on cows, I would scout by finding the most fresh sign and focusing on where likely food will be during the hunting season. I find that elk tend to move every few days to a week, and rotate between 3 or 4 spots depending on size of herd, amount of feed in spot, and pressures. Generally cows will move into "summering" feed areas by middle of July and rotate through a few spots until the rut is winding down. However, they can move dozens of miles on a whim, and might go back to that spot a month later??? who knows. But the more scouting you do finding sign and spots that elk are using through July and August, the more spots you know to check during the hunting season when you can't find the elk. I like and enjoy having cameras out, but I relay much more on looking for fresh sign on the ground when it comes to finding elk.

[cjjcb]

Thanks guys.
Appreciate you taking the time to respond.
Every little bit helps to pull the puzzle together.
👍