Post by: jmscon on December 14, 2024, 02:57:01 PM
Post by: emac on December 14, 2024, 03:17:32 PM
So I have some bulls on cam in August and then again in November. I don’t think they go far and just didn’t go where the cam is but does anyone have any insight into how far they might go? I’ll be in there in September to try to locate them.They can travel a long ways. I have had bulls on 1 cam in August and the same bulls on different cams 3 to 10 miles away during the rut.
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Post by: Dark2Dark on December 14, 2024, 03:50:24 PM
One thing that can happen with bulls and cows is the elk being heavily consolidated into one breeding area. One of the main places I hunt Roosevelts, it's really common to see single bulls, small groups of cows, etc. spread out in a five square mile area. Come rut time, it seems like they all disappear. However, what has really happened is all of them are hanging in one much smaller area and if you don't find the mega breeding herd they have created, you don't see any elk, at all. They do often use the same breeding areas every year, so once you learn them that can be a major advantage.
The bulls I get on camera tend to be roaming in that square a lot outside of rut and then can still be found there during pre-rut and peak-rut, somewhere.
Once the rut starts to wind down and the majority of the cows have been bred, that's when I really start to notice them covering ground looking for the last cows in heat. I have had lots of bulls show up on camera late September and early October that I didn't have in "inventory" yet. I'm sure that is when they are definitely leaving their herds and cruising 5-10 miles.
For breeding grounds, it seems like they gravitate to little more open areas (even if it's old growth timber) that tend to be flatter- whether those are saddles, long ridges, humps on ridges, bottoms, etc. But like always, they are where you find them!
Sorry if this is all really obvious stuff to you!
Post by: branches on December 14, 2024, 07:59:33 PM
Post by: Stein on December 14, 2024, 09:46:56 PM
That said, they do like to be where they like to be so I would be pretty optimistic especially if it was where people aren't come the opening weekend.
Post by: Roslyn Rambler on December 14, 2024, 10:03:30 PM
So I have some bulls on cam in August and then again in November. I don’t think they go far and just didn’t go where the cam is but does anyone have any insight into how far they might go? I’ll be in there in September to try to locate them.
As the crow flies. 17 miles.
You mention you, "have some bulls on cam in August and again in November"
Did you relocate this camera? Was this camera in the same spot when you captured them on camera in August & November?
2 years ago, I caught 1 particular bull in a wallow during the rut ( September ). I unintentionally found him in his wintering grounds. He remained there from late November to early March.
I mapped his rutting grounds & his wintering grounds. In a straight line, 17 miles.
This year, he showed up in the same wallow. A week ago I poked around where I found him wintering. Sure enough!
I did place cameras in a few spots along, what I assumed, would be a obvious migration path for this bull. He never crossed in front of my cameras.
Post by: jmscon on December 14, 2024, 10:29:50 PM
Yes, same camera same spot. Hard to tell if it is one bull or multiple.So I have some bulls on cam in August and then again in November. I don’t think they go far and just didn’t go where the cam is but does anyone have any insight into how far they might go? I’ll be in there in September to try to locate them.
As the crow flies. 17 miles.
You mention you, "have some bulls on cam in August and again in November"
Did you relocate this camera? Was this camera in the same spot when you captured them on camera in August & November?
2 years ago, I caught 1 particular bull in a wallow during the rut ( September ). I unintentionally found him in his wintering grounds. He remained there from late November to early March.
I mapped his rutting grounds & his wintering grounds. In a straight line, 17 miles.
This year, he showed up in the same wallow. A week ago I poked around where I found him wintering. Sure enough!
I did place cameras in a few spots along, what I assumed, would be a obvious migration path for this bull. He never crossed in front of my cameras.
Post by: jmscon on December 14, 2024, 10:30:29 PM
The real gold before and after the rut is getting cows on camera. Much less exciting, but a lot more indicative of where you are likely to find the bulls during the rut.Thanks for the response, great info!
One thing that can happen with bulls and cows is the elk being heavily consolidated into one breeding area. One of the main places I hunt Roosevelts, it's really common to see single bulls, small groups of cows, etc. spread out in a five square mile area. Come rut time, it seems like they all disappear. However, what has really happened is all of them are hanging in one much smaller area and if you don't find the mega breeding herd they have created, you don't see any elk, at all. They do often use the same breeding areas every year, so once you learn them that can be a major advantage.
The bulls I get on camera tend to be roaming in that square a lot outside of rut and then can still be found there during pre-rut and peak-rut, somewhere.
Once the rut starts to wind down and the majority of the cows have been bred, that's when I really start to notice them covering ground looking for the last cows in heat. I have had lots of bulls show up on camera late September and early October that I didn't have in "inventory" yet. I'm sure that is when they are definitely leaving their herds and cruising 5-10 miles.
For breeding grounds, it seems like they gravitate to little more open areas (even if it's old growth timber) that tend to be flatter- whether those are saddles, long ridges, humps on ridges, bottoms, etc. But like always, they are where you find them!
Sorry if this is all really obvious stuff to you!
Post by: time2hunt on December 15, 2024, 05:17:34 PM
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Post by: emac on December 17, 2024, 07:01:25 PM
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