Elk and cattle? Yes or no

[Davebuech]

Today on a scouting trip in one of my spots i found a boatload of cattle grazing. Not too far away lots of elk sign but hard to find much where all the cattle were. Will Elk and cattle cohabitant in the same area if there is good grazing?

 

[Poser]

Today on a scouting trip in one of my spots i found a boatload of cattle grazing. Not too far away lots of elk sign but hard to find much where all the cattle were. Will Elk and cattle cohabitant in the same area if there is good grazing?

From what I have seen, not really. I'm not sure why.

 

[Swede]

Where I hunt in central Oregon, the elk will stay near the cattle for awhile, then they move away. They do not come back in significant numbers for the remainder of the year. Part of the reason is; the cattle are allowed to badly overgraze the available forage the elk need to live on. I have found niches, where the cattle don't go, that will hold elk for a few days longer than the surrounding area.

 

[Davebuech]

Yeah, I am not sure how long the cattle have been there but there seemed to be ample forage. A couple drainages over there were more cattle and a lot of Elk sign in between. Jumped a couple of Muley's in a drainage with cattle.

Where I hunt in central Oregon, the elk will stay near the cattle for awhile, then they move away. They do not come back in significant numbers for the remainder of the year. Part of the reason is; the cattle are allowed to badly overgraze the available forage the elk need to live on. I have found niches, where the cattle don't go, that will hold elk for a few days longer than the surrounding area.

 

[hobbes]

If you are finding fresh sign, there are elk there. I prefer to not have the cattle around and believe the elk prefer that also, but ive been into elk with cattle close by. Sheep are another story.

 

[danarnold]

A couple years ago in Colorado I came across about 20 elk bedded within 50 yards of cattle in a drainage, it was cool and wet with shade in that area.

 

[oldgoat]

If you are finding fresh sign, there are elk there. I prefer to not have the cattle around and believe the elk prefer that also, but ive been into elk with cattle close by. Sheep are another story.

This is spot on from what I've seen

 

[ElkNut1]

They will hang around cattle but the sheep not so much for sure, I don't blame them either! (grin)

ElkNut/Paul

 

[d3ntalbliss]

Last year I had to move through about twenty cows to get up a timbered Ridgeline to where I was going to glass. Bumped some cows and they tore off into the timber and they were loud. Ran into a herd of elk (could hear them in the timber) not a few minutes later up the trail. I saw a cow elk come to the edge of the trees to trail and work up away from me. So I cow called and a bull started screaming back, he couldn't have been more than 30yds, only problem was timber was so thick I couldn't see more than 10 yards through these little picket fence pines.

I got down on my hands and knees trying to peek below the boughs with no luck. I had another cow elk and a calf come out of the trees 8yds away on the trail and try to figure out what I was, just couldn't coax the bull to come out. Eventually the bull gathered up his cows and they moved off.

IMO if the cattle are always there it's a non issue. This was in eastern Oregon.

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[Swede]

Certainly different areas on public land are managed differently. Where I hunt on the Malheur N.F. much of the land is heavily over grazed, and the elk leave for better pastures on private land. I don't see this where I hunt on the W-W or even the Umatilla N.F. The attached picture is just one example of an over grazed area that is devoid of elk by the time I took the snap shot.

 

[Davebuech]

Well now I have been worrying about some stupid cow wondering into my camp and trampling my tent.

 

[5MilesBack]

Cattle and elk have no problem with each other. However, I will say that the cattle WILL give your presence away.

 

[danarnold]

Well now I have been worrying about some stupid cow wondering into my camp and trampling my tent.

Ha! in MT 2015 we came back to camp to find cows had gone into the wall tent (was left open to air out) but at least they didnt shit inside, only about every 10' outside the tent...
one the guys in camp sprained his ankle trying to chase them outta there, it was quite an ordeal

 

[Gr8bawana]

I have seen elk in unit 1, 27 and 2B and 2C in AZ on the same ridges at the same time near waterholes and the elk don't seem to care about them. They do seem to prefer to water when the cows are not at the waterhole.
Same thing in NV east and west of the Jarbidge Wilderness and in the Ruby Valley the elk pay no attention to them because they see them all the time.
If you find fresh elk sign the elk are there somewhere nearby.

 

[Davebuech]

Yeah, they were carrying on yesterday mooing and whining when I went through. Not to mention busting down through the brush.
Yep, kinda disappointed but think Ive still gotta give it a try. Too much fresh elk sign not to.

Cattle and elk have no problem with each other. However, I will say that the cattle WILL give your presence away.

 

[wytx]

The cattle were there for a reason , good grazing. Push them out then hunt it the next day. Elk like good grazing too.

 

[1760yds]

I've seen elk and cattle grazing together regularly here in Idaho. Quite common especially on private ground. If the elk want to be there I don't think the cattle really make any difference.

 

[tttoadman]

Cattle and elk have no problem with each other. However, I will say that the cattle WILL give your presence away.

My Dad's cows were like pets. If you were near them, they felt like they should hang out with you. I was trying to sneak around a ridge on my hands and knees. The cows wouldn't leave me alone. As I moved, they were constantly standing 10ft behind me. No harm that time as there were no bulls in the herd that time, but it was pretty comical.

One of the best opportunities I had at a bull with my bow years ago was in a heavily used cattle area. This was in timbered NE Oregon. The elk were thick in there along with the cattle. Perhaps the more timbered or patchy it is the more elk are willing to be there with cattle around.

 

[gbflyer]

The most elk I've ever seen on heavily pressured, overgrazed public land is when the cowboys are moving the cattle. When things settle down, the elk are nowhere near a beef cow. At least where I go.

 

[Coveyleader]

I've found they avoid them when they can. As noted above, nothing worse then having cattle between you and the elk. They will spook and stampede and alert everything around.

Ah.... there is something worse. When you're walking back to camp and cattle are in front of you shitting all over not only do you get to smell the freshest aroma, you get to watch it dry all over your pant legs.