Elk have been popular with hunters since before America was a settled, civilized land. Their early native habitat was in mountainous areas. The fun attraction of hunting elk and the quality of elk meat, whether from a bull elk (male) or cow elk (female) makes the elk a popular animal to hunt. For hunters who know how to properly conduct a hunt, elk are pleasant to hunt. While they are not easy animals to hunt and take home, a hunter acquainted with the details involved with hunting elk can use that knowledge to improve the results of the hunt.
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Why there is a difference between hunting cow elk and bull elk
The factors affecting elk behavior and migration through the wild are typically availability of food, presence of a safe area to live and sleep without the fear of intrusion of predators, and the overpowering impact of the cow elk when these females are in their ruttung season. The rutting time affects the behavior and travel patterns of both bull elk and cow elk. It is important for individuals wishing to hunt elk to be aware of the months when the ruttung season usually takes place, as both genders will be affected by the hormonal impact that the reproductive impulse has on the herd. The breeding season usually reaches it’s peak in late September in most areas.
Tip 1: Know and observe the rules
Most elk hunting occurs in the western part of the U.S. Colorado Idaho, and Montana are states with significant elk hunts. Elk hunting is regulated much like the hunting of other game. The regulations vary by area. The number of elk that can be taken per hunter is set by each area.
Tip 2: Know the weight of the kill
Hunting can be a solitary experience unless the hunters team up and hunt together. One detail that many novice hunters fail to pay attention to is the size and weight of the elk they are going after. An elk is a large animal; bull elk are huge and even cow elk are large. They are usually half the size of bull elk, but still weigh in at well over 300 lbs. Thus, when attempting to secure and retrieve the elk that has just been killed, it is vital to prearrange details concerning retrieval even if the hunter is only holding tags, or authorizations for cow elk.
Tip 3: Know when “calling” is appropriate
Being able to “call” an elk can be a useful tool to catch the attention of a bull elk who might interpret the sound as a mating call. A elk call may also be used by a hunter to identify him/herself as another elk and part of the nearby herd.
Tip 4: Know where the usual food sources are
Knowing where food sources and regular feeding spots are can be a good way to find elk in the area. Elk are known to be creatures of habit, and have relatively predictable habits. Being aware of where the area elk eat is a sure way to track them.
Tip 5: Be careful where and how you go/hunt in the wild
Elk are notoriously noisy animals. That does nor mean that a hunter wishing to successfully hunt an elk can make lots of noise. Elk can be easily spooked by human noise. This is especially true for a cow elk in heat. It is important to be intentional when approaching and hunting elk.
Hunting cow elk is much like hunting bull elk. The size of cow elk is less substantial than the size of bull elk. Still, it is in the hunters best interest to make arrangements before killing an elk so that the hunter will be able to manage the retrieval of the animal. Typically, assistance will be required when retrieving a dead elk from the woods. It is important to have some sort of bugle to call elk in order to blend in with a local herd. Being mindful of the elk traffic patterns and the location of their feeding areas is also a helpful piece of information because that gives hunters an idea about where elk are likely to congregate.
