ideas about why I see elk in spot 1 but not spot 2

[njdoxie]

So I found a spot 5 or 6 years ago, I've seen multiple legal bulls there every year since. It's really grazed hard and reeks of elk, but the grass is kind of sparse.

Spot 2 is 2 miles away, it also has water close by, but the grass is thick and untouched.

Neither spot gets much pressure. I can't understand why spot 2 has no elk, I watch it frequently and I've walked it, there's no smell of elk and the grass shows no sign of grazing and I've never seen an elk there.

I've wondered over the years why spot 2 not is not hit hard by the elk, at least at night. A bellyful of grass would come fast and easy.

Any ideas?

 

[Jeff Martin]

3 thoughts:
1. You are assuming they are not at spot 2 later (first frost, etc)
2. Have you considered wind and escape routes? Other factors besides the spot itself?
3. I had a guy tell me once - the elk are where the elk are. Don't over think it.
4. Maybe it's like very old local bar everyone loves while the fresh new bar goes out of business everyday 6 months.


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[Elite7]

I don't know much about elk, but my cattle always go to certain spots in each pasture and it's usually the most grazed part. It has to do with being close to the water and the regrowth of grass has better forage and higher nutrients. After the first couple hard freezes they will move into the thicker grass and areas with more feed.

I would say it could be something similar going on, but it could be 100 reasons that no one will ever know

 

[TexanSam]

As a soil scientist and life long cattle raiser my guess would be that the grass in spot two might be lacking the required nutrients coming from the soil to produce the amount of sugars and protein to make it palatable and satisfactory for the elk to want to graze it.

That being said elk are elk and they could not want it just because it looks funny

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