Bulls Stay With Similar Aged Bulls?

Joined
Nov 7, 2018
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Last year a buddy and I set 6 cameras in a very remote, high country area. And to our surprise over the course of the summer we found a total of 13 bulls on our cameras. When we pulled our cameras right before archery season, all bulls were variations of small to medium sized 5x5s except one 3” tall spike. Unfortunately things didn’t pan out and we were only able to hunt 2 days and only saw a cow and calf.

I’ve never been in an area where all the bulls were approx the same age. Have you guys seen areas where bulls only spend time with like aged bulls? Does anyone know what it means?


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Joined
Nov 16, 2017
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Central Oregon
Pretty common actually. I've heard and seen it alot.
Besides breeding season.
Young bulls are are willing to do higher risk things.
Old big bulls get that way because they have similar habits.
 
OP
T
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
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Pretty common actually. I've heard and seen it alot.
Besides breeding season.
Young bulls are are willing to do higher risk things.
Old big bulls get that way because they have similar habits.

Good point, didn’t think about that area being a possible safe place for the elk


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ElkNut1

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Feb 25, 2012
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Idaho
Yes, fairly common to see bachelor groups as you noticed on your cameras during Summer & early stages of the rut. Even when the rut is in full swing it's not uncommon for many of these younger bulls to still be hanging together. Some will split off & some don't! -- Over the years I've called to a bull that I'd heard & next thing you know 2-4 have showed when all I thought was there was a single bull, heck you never know!

I will add not to put much stock into your cameras thinking the only elk around are what you see on them. There could be many other elk in the area you're not seeing on camera bur are right there or will show up in short order! I love calling in these areas to locate bulls that were never on film! (camera shy-grin)

ElkNut/Paul
 
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Boise, ID
Had a camera on a wallow last summer with a lot of bull action. Mostly saw rag horns and small fives that hung out in pairs of two and three. Had a nice six who always came in by himself.


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Wapiti1

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Sep 18, 2017
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Indiana
Consider the management plan of the area. How many 5+ year old bulls are there? In MT, where I hunt most of the time, most units are managed for opportunity, so the bull age structure is highly biased to younger age class bulls. There are a few older bulls there, but access and management makes them scarce.

Jeremy
 
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