How FAR can Elk see?

[NevadaZielmeister]

I am very new to hunting in general, but Elk in particular. A good friend of mine mentioned that you need to be as hidden as possible while approaching your Elk. He was saying that even from hundreds of yards away, the Elk can see you. So my stalk a couple of days ago was a very difficult one and my entry points into the stream ravine were limited. Long story short, I was outed by a couple of Muley's and when I got in position, finally, I found no Elk. So it gets me to thinking, how far can Elk see? Do I have to be sneaking around behind trees from hundreds of yards away or should I think that at about 100 yards plus, I am invisible.

I only ask this since from my long range shooting practices, I could be 200 yards away from someone with semi-decent camouflage and they would NEVER see me. I gotta think that Elk with 20/60 vision would have a hard time discerning a walking hunter in camouflage past 100 yards.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Bar]

They don't see you. They see your movement. Don't move and you can be 10yds away and they won't spook if they don't smell you. It's my style of hunting, so I know this is true.

 

[twall13]

I agree with what Bar said. Movement is what they pick up on. That said, you can often, though not always, get away with them seeing or hearing you but if they smell you they are gone.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[307]

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but, Bar is right. It's the movement, of you or of the deer that spooked the elk IF they spooked. They could have just moved in the time it took you to get there and had no idea you were anywhere in the area...

But in general, it's the movement that they will see. Movement is actually pretty easy to see when you are standing still, even with somewhat poor vision.

 

[Bar]

LOL...made you say it.

 

[PF_JM]

Just to try to add some details, what is the range that movement will spook elk? If you are spotting or walking from a hillside several hundred yards away, what distance will your presence and movement blow them out? What is an elk's safety bubble? I feel I generally know the answer to this and it varies from early to late season but I'm curious what others may have to say.

 

[wyosteve]

I've had elk move off when they saw me riding a horse at about 1200 yds.

 

[5MilesBack]

I think it's funny when I see TV hunters talking to each other, or the proverbial "Do you have him" to the cameraman, and then when the elk runs away he says "the wind must have shifted".

I know that's not sight related, but here's an example of how keen elk are to their surroundings. Several years ago I took a buddy to an area I had hunted before. We were on a trail that had a big right bend in it with solid timber and a hillside to our right. Before making the turn I stopped and was whispering to my buddy that when we make the turn it will open up into a large box canyon and I had always found elk near the end of that feeding on the ridge sides. This was in early August for a scouting trip. We went off the trail into the timber to be able to see the box canyon. When we had a view of it, there they were.......15 elk 900 yards away (via RF) all staring right at our location. The wind was in our faces.

They hear everything, they see every movement, and they smell everything if the wind is wrong.

 

[Wileycoyote]

I agree with picking up on movement, but they are also very aware of their surroundings like no other animal. I was scouting last year and glassing a 5 point bull from a mile away. He ate for a couple minutes, looked over and just saw my vehicle and got nervous enough he went back into the trees. This was at the last hour of light and not even hunting season yet. No wind he just didn't like that object that wasn't there a few minutes before. They are also the only animal I've had tear my cameras off a tree or at least come right to it and investigate. Even have pictures although blurry of a small bull chewing and pulling on a python lock cable trying to rip it off the tree I guess. Never had deer, moose, cows, coyotes, mt lion, bobcat or the lone bear I've got pics of even give em a second glance. I guess if you're baiting bear they will rip em down, but it just has been weird to me that the elk always come over to them and smell them or something. I've hunted them long enough that at times I swore they had telekinesis powers or something, they always were a step ahead, or went the opposite way, again.. just as you describe they disappear. About all you can do is analyze each encounter and question what the *$^# just happened? Then pretty soon you grow to love the challenge of hunting these yellow pricks and realize they are true survivors. So yes you do have to move out of their sight and keep the wind close to perfect and finally they make mistakes! Persistence and testing mental and physical toughness = ELK

 

[Bar]

Elk aren't that bright and are easy to fool. Just don't move and you can do crazy stuff with them. I consider hunting for bear and mature muley buck much more of a challenge.

Elk hunting 1 yard with a bow. - YouTube

 

[Bill V]

You can get away with more in heavy cover. If you are silhouetted on a ridge, they can spot you from a mile a way and leave the basin.

 

[paleraider]

You can get away with more in heavy cover. If you are silhouetted on a ridge, they can spot you from a mile a way and leave the basin.

I agree with this. I was busted by a large herd over winter. Only approach was in the open. I was betting on their poor eyesight to let me get within 600 yards. At about 1000 yards I took a header down a small depression. Out of the few hundred there it got the attention of a few cows who jumped up and stared me down. They were eventually agitated enough to get the whole herd to move off, that was heart breaking.

 

[DEHusker]

I've had elk bust me by seeing me many times but unless they smell me they'll often calm down as they don't know exactly what they are seeing or if it is a threat. All bets are off for this tactic at less than 30 yards, however. LOL...

 

[Bar]

I've had elk bust me by seeing me many times but unless they smell me they'll often calm down as they don't know exactly what they are seeing or if it is a threat. All bets are off for this tactic at less than 30 yards, however. LOL...

Even though I showed an elk video at 1 yd not being spooked?

 

[LostArra]

I agree with this. I was busted by a large herd over winter. Only approach was in the open. I was betting on their poor eyesight to let me get within 600 yards. At about 1000 yards I took a header down a small depression. Out of the few hundred there it got the attention of a few cows who jumped up and stared me down. They were eventually agitated enough to get the whole herd to move off, that was heart breaking.

there are always a few eagle-eye cows that spoil everything

 

[307]

I had a 5 minute stare down with a cow last fall. I held absolutely still. She knew I was something, and that whatever I was it was something to be aware of, but eventually went back to feeding/moving slowly. They circled downwind of me and once that happened, there was no hesitation and the 2 cows and a calf exploded through the forest.

Same thing happened with a doe mule deer. She saw me at about 80 yards and I held still. She stared and walked straight at me, never breaking her gaze the entire time all the way to about 15 yards. Then, not wanting to get smacked by a doe, I moved a tiny bit and she took off.

Movement or smell seem to be what will get you busted.

 

[DEHusker]

Even though I showed an elk video at 1 yd not being spooked?

Didn't see your vid but don't imagine you were moving immediately prior to your encounter at 1 yrd.

I had a buddy literally get nuzzled on his elbow by a curious young cow a couple years ago. Boy did she bust outta there when she finally smelled him...

 

[maninthemaze]

Same is true with whitetails. It's the movement and smell that will bust you. Several years ago, I had 5 does walk past my tree stand, about 10 yards from the tree. There had been two squirrels playing behind me so I was ignoring the sounds. Then as the noise approached the side of me, I slowly turned my head and had 5 does looking up at me. This is archery season, full camo, with mask. Anyways, I froze. They eyeballed me for several minutes and then walked on. I was hoping for a buck to follow, but it was a little early in the season.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[kalielkslayer]

One thing I think gives up hunters at a distance is when we move through timber with sunlight as a background. Our movement is magnified as not only are we moving, our shadow is moving and we are highlighted because of the sunlit background.

 

[tttoadman]

push the lost calf call and you can approach in plain sight. This was in scattered trees and I was not skylined. If they aren't sure, and they the haven't winded you, you can buy a minute or two doing this. Again I am a rifle hunter, and I am talking about 100-200yds that can get you a shot opportunity. likely won't get you a herd bull, but you can pick off a younger bull.

There is nothing better than the stare down. I never win.

My Dad was calling for my Mom who was about 50yds down. Dad said he could hear an elk walking in behind him which was obviously not the plan. Then he said he could see a foot on the ground about 5ft to his right. What fun that must have been.