Highest elevation you’ve killed elk at

prm

WKR
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
2,144
Location
No. VA
11,500’. He was up at 12k bugling but there was no way I was going up there after all I’d already climbed. Packing out solo one has to know one’s own limitations... conveniently he and his cows came down to me.
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
5,615
Location
Lenexa, KS
10,000 ft in WY, just below the rocks and cliffs at the very top.

In CO we chased bulls over a saddle at 12,000 for several days, shot a bull at 11,400 but he lived.
 

Poser

WKR
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
5,033
Location
Durango CO
11,200-11,600 is common for me. I do routinely see elk at 12k+ and as high as 13k, but actually hunting them at that elevation becomes increasingly difficult the higher you get. The alpine has less cover, super complex thermals and talus fields which are loud to navigate. Also, the elk are able to move fast efficiently at that elevation where you will be very slow and moving in a very cumbersome manner, up, down, sidehill... makes no difference. You’re just not going to be able to move on them.

If you are new to elk hunting and you are purposely intending to hunt at 12k+, I’m going to say that chances are you won’t actually make it to that elevation and, if you do, your chances of success at that elevation are less than 1%. There is an aesthetic for it similar to a climbing based aesthetic: “I want to climb that feature and kill an elk up there.” I get it and much of my elk hunting is a similar approach, but it’s way hard, you’re exposed to brutal winds, you stick out like a sore thumb and they can see you from a 1/2 a way.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
4,979
Location
oregon coast
About 300' until a few years ago haha.
12k ft is impressive, living at 10ft I would be sucking air for sure
haha... sounds like me. sub 1k feet for me.... of my 15 roosies, i don't think more than 2 were above 500ft.... possibly none.

my buddy drew a good tag 3 yrs ago in the NE corner of the state... not high, high elevation, but 8k-ish, we could certainly tell the difference climbing through those 1k-1500' deep canyons all day every day. we did adjust after a couple days, but it was very noticeable for a couple days.

that country is the only thing (in this state) that would get me off the coast in Sept
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
375
Location
Oklahoma
I get it and much of my elk hunting is a similar approach, but it’s way hard, you’re exposed to brutal winds, you stick out like a sore thumb and they can see you from a 1/2 a way.

You are right about the winds being brutal. I’m usually sitting behind rocks on my fold out pad wearing 3 to 4 layers including a full down parka under an army goretex jacket or an orange shell, with a balaclava and two stocking caps under my hood. If I get to shivering, time to move on.

I killed a small raghorn right after this selfie as the sun dipped over the horizon.

BE025B6B-012C-43BE-82B8-1CA538D83CF0.jpeg
 

J78

FNG
Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
25
I’ve killed only two elk out of a total of five elk hunting trips. First one killed at 11,000 ft. The 2nd one was killed at 11,300 ft. Six years later and approximately 400 yards away from where the first one laid 6 years earlier. Pic of packing my first bull of the mountain.916B5B5A-B185-496F-9EA4-C86640165062.jpeg
 

AGPank

WKR
Joined
Jan 16, 2013
Messages
978
9,000 feet, highest part of the mountain I hunt is 9,100


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

bummer7580

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
128
Location
minnesota
I've been lucky enough to kill accouple around 11,000', more at about 8,000' and one at 6,000'. Luckily I've had horses on most hunts to haul them in. Hard for a flatlander to find much oxygen above 8000'.
 

Redwing

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
238
Location
Oregon
Let's take a minute to appreciate these critters. I was visiting friends and duck hunting last year and saw elk below the high tide line on a bay in Washington. So, -3 feet. Just got back last night from my elk camp at 5500 feet. I'll be hunting with my brother this fall in the Rockies at 10-11,500 feet. The same animal! It's crazy.
 
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