curious

[yajsab]

I have not had much experience elk hunting, and I had a question.  Do elks travel to drink in the middle of the day?  I've found a small lake about 1/2 mile from a clear cut.  Was wondering if this is a good spot to sit tight and wait.  This is during archery.  Thanks for any info.

[MIKEXRAY]

My experience says no, in my area they are done moving by 10am and all bedded up for the day. I have sat all day plenty during the middle of the day and have not seen anything. Before 10am and after three pm is moving time. I don't go into their bedding area (archery) and stir them up in the middle of the day, better to let them to their routine. I setup between bedding (in the timber, shaded) and feeding area. Closer to the bedding so they are to me when it is light. The animals I hunt are away from the meadows & water before first light and on their way up the ridge.

[boneaddict]

Correct.
for the most part that is.  There are overcast days that you can have active elk throughoutthe day. 

[MIKEXRAY]

Your right bone it is during over cast days and stormy days that I see them moving in funny places and times other than normal activities. I've sat by water during plenty of hot days thinking a mid day drink was in order and I was the only one drinking, everything else was bedded up.

[yajsab]

Hmm...  In that case I might spook them early in the morning trying to sneak in.  Thanks for the info.  Back to the drawing board.

[shanevg]

When I was hunting in NM, we had a huge thunder storm come through early one afternoon.  All of a sudden all the elk were out of their beds and walking around.  We ended up seeing about a third of the elk we saw the whole trip on that one afternoon.  It was really cool hearing some bulls fighting in the distance and then sprinting their direction during the thunder claps!  But yeah, overcast, dark clouds, and rain tends to keep the elk moving around at weird times of the day. 

[Elknut1]

  Wow!! Guys, I find your comments interesting to say the least! (grin) I have found the exact opposite to be true personally. I've never seen elk not get up & move around midday. They re-position their bedding areas all the time, this is especially so on hot days as the sun shows itself on them or near them. They'll get up & nibble around & head to bed once again. Rare is the case they bed right back in the same exact spot. The same holds true  on real bad insect days/years, as the sun warms things up elk will re-position once again generally either higher up or in more open areas where wind can offer resistance to flying critters!

  Too, elk will come to wallows/water sources at this time very regularly! I could go on & on here easily Don't forget about full moon times & the rut, elk will move continuously around midday.  I have noticed these habits in several States we've hunted!

  ElkNut1

[boneaddict]

Funny thing is I agree with what you are saying too.   but I think I was responding to a different thought that crossed my mind when I read the question.  Mostly I was thinking of big movement to water or other locals.  I guess I would say that first of all I don't hunt off of water, not saying that it is bad, but I make my action usually, and I don't sit on water expecting it to come to me during the heat of the day.  A big wallow or something like that is a different story......    when the rut is on and the moon and weather is right, the bull will keep things pretty stirred up, but I still don't think the lead cow goes for the big move until those special hours.  I could be way wrong.  I'm just going off my experience.

[MountainWalk]

in montana, i regularly see elk movement till about noon, barring very hot weather... the last bull we killed last year was in a smallish herd of 12 and they were on the move, not milling around or getting up an stretching.. but single file and bulls towards the back.. it was 10 30 or so in the am.

[Alchase]

Just to add a note, depending on hunting pressure as well. Allot of the elk I see during the midday are usually trying to escape hunting pressure and moving quickly.

[Crunchy]

All chase is correct.  Probably whereever you hunt, elk will be moved by pressure.  Unless you get back in 5 or more miles.