Too steep for elk?

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
Going on my first elk hunt this fall. I have a tag for 1st rifle unit 65 colorado. Spent a ton of hours with onx and on google earth and the little bit of info i can find on the unit sounds like its pretty nasty steep. I was just wondering from other peoples experiences is there terrain that is too steep for elk? I want to try and find some crazy nasty stuff so i can get away from other hunters but i dont wanna kill myself going into stuff that is so steep even elk will avoid it. I Have like 100 waypoints marked on my onx that look interesting to me (food, water, benches, etc...) and i need to narrow it down a little bit. My onx map is starting to look like a bowl of fruity pebbles.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Banned
  • #5
OP
bmf0713

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
Ok. Cool. Thanks. I kinda figured that’d be the answers I’d get. I figured they would handle anything steeper than I’d ever wanna tackle. Just wasn’t sure if they would avoid really steep as their “normal hangout” area. I’m looking at the steep timber and foraging looking areas.
 

OFFHNTN

WKR
Joined
Apr 10, 2015
Messages
472
Unless you're using climbing gear, it's probably not too steep for them. But are you talking the steep rocky open stuff or steep timber? I love steep timber, and so do elk.

Agreed. If it's rock cliffs, then it's probably too steep. If not, the elk probably don't mind.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Banned
  • #7
OP
bmf0713

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
I was also trying to plan some escape routes from other areas where hunter’s might push them from. Will they take the path of least resistance like a ridge or valley or will they just fly up or come barrelling down the side of these steep mountains?
 

Ross

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,674
Location
Liberty Lake, WA
As noted never too steep for elk they are safer in those areas if some feed and water can pretend to be mountain goats if one can live here they can live anywhere this guy was hold up late November in cliffs and I shot cliff to cliff let’s just say took awhile for all things elk on this remote canyon👍 He is a speck in the 2nd photo piled up71ABFB61-0639-4E19-9DA9-9B31C75CA802.jpeg232B0152-2DA1-41E0-A085-8960B511F5A2.jpeg
 
Last edited:

elkguide

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
4,606
Location
Vermont
Just because you can't go there, doesn't mean that the elk can't.

Way to many times I've had to peel off and try and find a different way up or down when tracking an elk. They definitely have some goat bred into them. Even if you can get where they are going and if you're lucky enough to harvest one, many times you're going to question your sanity when you try and break one down while it is tied to a tree to stop it from rolling into the deep, dark abyss below. Then when you're totally beat after getting it into game bags, you realize that you now have to pack it out!

Don't you just love elk hunting?!?!?
 
OP
bmf0713

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
Don’t forget, on the off chance you kill something you have to get it back to the truck..
Yeah. I’ve been marking routes that look good for me in and out on my onX map. A lot of the parking in that area in at the bottom of the mountains so I shouldn’t have to carry meat up hill too far. I should be able to take it down hill and follow a creek bottom back to the truck. Route might be a little farther but not as hard as straight up hill and over 2 ridges. I am going with a buddy so we can split load and split up to move truck where we need it. And hopefully it’s cold enough so I can take my time. I emphasize on the “ifs” and “shoulds” because this is all new to me. Maybe if it’s steep enough that if I do shoot an elk it will roll all the way down the mountain towards the truck! 🤔 haha!
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2017
Messages
76
I was mountain goat hunting and to my surprise, I saw 5 bulls in on top of a mountain in huge cliffs and rock slides. I would have never guessed anything would live there but a goat but I was wrong. Pretty cool to see though.
 
OP
bmf0713

bmf0713

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
319
Just because you can't go there, doesn't mean that the elk can't.

Way to many times I've had to peel off and try and find a different way up or down when tracking an elk. They definitely have some goat bred into them. Even if you can get where they are going and if you're lucky enough to harvest one, many times you're going to question your sanity when you try and break one down while it is tied to a tree to stop it from rolling into the deep, dark abyss below. Then when you're totally beat after getting it into game bags, you realize that you now have to pack it out!

Don't you just love elk hunting?!?!?
Yeah. I kinda had second thoughts after applying for that area because how steep it is. If it doesn’t kill me I’ll probably wish I was dead! It’s gonna be awesome! Haha.
 

Axlrod

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
1,122
Location
SW Montana
I was working in Yellowstone a few years ago, and came around a corner to see a cow elk standing in my lane. I braked but was very close to her, when she ran up a near vertical shale slope that was several hundred feet to some timber. I was very impressed as i thought for sure she was going to come tumbling back down.
 

Poser

WKR
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
5,033
Location
Durango CO
Definitely encountered elk and elk sign in terrain that is 5th class climbing for humans. Also, don’t buy into the idea of elk using the path of least resistance as they’ll go where they want to go when they want to go even if there is a comparatively mellow path just a few yards away.
 
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
1,623
Can’t speak to elk but I’ve seen white tails in the Ozarks literally climb up bluffs along highways...you know those cutouts where the road goes through the hill instead of over it. And just think, the deer aren’t even adapted to alpine terrain like an elk is.
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
1,104
Location
Pennsylvania
Can’t speak to elk but I’ve seen white tails in the Ozarks literally climb up bluffs along highways...you know those cutouts where the road goes through the hill instead of over it. And just think, the deer aren’t even adapted to alpine terrain like an elk is.
I second that. Just 3 weeks ago we were camping and a young buck came down a cliff then back up when he saw us. A cliff. Nothing would even grow on it. If a whitetail can do it then so can an elk.
 

njdoxie

WKR
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
623
I love to watch elk in super steep terrain, just amazing how it’s a walk in the park for them, seems like with long legs they would topple over but of course they don’t.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top