Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Swimming Elk

I did a combo deer scouting/see if repaired knee holds up/backpacking trip over the July 4th weekend. Traversed the Marble Mtn wilderness west to east. (Klamath Mtns, far N Cal). I saw something that I had never seen before. About 10 miles in, I stopped in a saddle for lunch with 2 sets of alpine lakes to my right and left. I noticed some tan blobs in the western set of lakes, a ways off, with no binoc and a dead camera battery, so little zoom capability. I reralized that the blobs were moving, and then realized they were elk! I have seen elk in the water before, but these critters were bascially frolicking in the water, wading and swimming, for more than an hour, some getting out and then back in. Kinda neat. I do have a photo, got my cell pnone out, but it is from way off- had a lot of miles to cover and it was hot, so I didn't venture closer. Sure hope I draw that tag someday... Has anyone seen this sort of thing?

Yep, I have watched Elk herds 'bathe' a couple of times. The calves were having a good time and some of the larger animals were playing with them. Both times it was in a rather shallow lake where the mature animals could easily stand. the first time it lasted over an hour, the second was closer to 30 minutes.

In the San Luis Valley I've had my duck decoys all set out and was waiting for shooting time and then had an elk herd wade right through the decoys dragging half of them up into the weeds as they left.

They'll even play in the mud like pigs. Elk also love ice skating. Seems like about every year, ya hear about a herd falling thru......

You got to see elk playing in the water, not an everyday opportunity and always fun to watch. My grandson and I watched a raghorn bull in velvet romp and splash water as high as he could, kicking his feet sideways and spinning in a shallow river. Some cows in the meadow beside him mostly would look at him as if they were rolling their eyes. One young cow briefly joined him in the splashing but she soon went with the cows, as if she needed to act more mature.

In the pic below, five elk were playing in and out of a river at a sandbar. Only a cow and two calves show in the photo.

Wyoming hot tub party!

They do have fun in the water!!

Yep, we hunt that area. Elk are frequently in the lakes. Several bulls were shot at lakes edge.Keep my contact info handy for when/if you're drawn

We lost about 80 some years ago north of Boise when they were crossing Mores Creek. They were fine as long as they were lined out but for some reason, they stopped and bunched up 1/2 way across. It was pretty ugly. At that point the creek is part of the backwaters of a dam so it's very wide and deep.