spooking an elk

[rudedawg1085]

So this year on the last day of our elk hunt we sat and watched a herd of 20 or so elk in a field feeding. 30 minutes go by and finally one of the cows wind us and the whole herd takes off. Since it was our last day we never went back to that spot to see if the elk would return, Question is if you spook elk do they usually return to the same spot? or they gone for good?...anyone ever experience one or the other

[Huntbear]

Unless they are pushed, they will be back by morning.  We have had elk back in a clearing less than 12 hrs. after dumping a bull there.

[markts]

I have seen elk pushed out of an area and circle back around within hours to the same spot.Mark

[MIKEXRAY]

I think it depends on where you are. I hunt the east side of the mountains and have a lot of hikers, fishermen walking along the river etc and the elk are not that spooked by seeing a person ( or winding) . They would return by the next day. If you are hunting private property & the elk have not seen a human all summer, then I think they would avoid that area for a while. The elk where I hunt don't seemed bothered by human scent left around at all but I've hunted down by Chehalis and watched an elk get to my foot steps about a hundred yards back ( wind in my face ) and he swapped ends & headed to the next county. I think it depends on the area, how much it is hunted, & temperament of the resident elk. Mike

[gasman]

I have seen elk pushed out of an area and circle back around within hours to the same spot.Mark

Knw of a guy that shot a cow in a clearing, whent to camp and get help to to get it out. On the way out with the last bit of meat the herd came back in to th clearing they filled two more cow tags  lucky *censored*s....

[markts]

I have seen elk pushed out of an area and circle back around within hours to the same spot.Mark

Knw of a guy that shot a cow in a clearing, whent to camp and get help to to get it out. On the way out with the last bit of meat the herd came back in to th clearing they filled two more cow tags  lucky *censored*s....

This reminds me of last year, we drug two elk one at a time about 350 yards to the riverbank. While waiting for a sled we went back up the hill and the herd was within 200 yards of the gut piles. Mark

[hunterofelk]

My experience in this state is if the elk return, it would be at night.  After three days of the season the elk are gone.  My guess is the elk you see in the clearing where an elk was killed that morning are elk from another drainage