Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elevation gain

Their fur coats are very efficient at retaining heat and what’s cool for you is scorching for them. North facing slopes are always cooler so keep in mind that’s where they’ll be headed early to mid morning after feeding at night. Late afternoon they’ll be coming out of their midday, cool resting areas toward feeding areas.

Where I live at (1200)ft, is lower than any place I elk hunt, but I am blessed that can leave the house for a 1,000 foot climb every day if I choose. I actually focus on elevation, more than distance, averaging 3.1 miles a day over the year. I have a couple of 2000 foot climbs not far from the house which I hit frequently before the season starts. First trip this year is Wyoming, second is Oregon. I do adapt fast to the change but my age is making that harder every year. Its also hotter than hell right now , which also makes it challenging. Elk hunting is my religion, and I will stay at it as long as possible.

I have never noticed a "sanctuary effect" with any elevation change. I've found them on measured 45 degree slopes to flat land in the valley. Don't over think it, they are far from that predictable. However, bedding areas tend to be flat, but a flat area the size of a two-car garage is plenty for a small herd even if it's surrounded by 45 degree slopes. And a flat area that small won't show up on any topo or even google earth images. Your feet are the only way you'll find it.

A buddy's son just scouted this weekend and saw 70 elk at 12,500' way above the tree line. They are where you find them, though tend to move lower as fall progresses. 1000' elevation change is nothing for an elk, in an old spot we hunted they'd feed in a valley at night and sleep 2500' higher during the day - and that's a daily thing for them - until the season started.

In my experience hunting pressure far outweighs any natural tendencies of elk. Hunting today is not like in the old Primos movies. Hunt escape routes or the border to private land. Every flatlander that comes to CO talks about "oh, them elk is higher, or them elk is lower" like they are some walleye school right above the thermocline. Nope, elk are where the hunter isn't and that has nothing to do with elevation.

A few years ago we were in Albuquerque for Christmas with our daughter. Our SIL wanted to show me some elk in a place he'd hunted, over 11k. On the way up, I started seeing trails in the snow coming down and crossing the road. I said I thought they'd moved down and when we got up there, there was nothing but tracks. This was well after the season and there were no car tracks so they hadn't been moved by people. We finally found them about 2000' lower. A couple days later a major storm moved in. They'd just moved out ahead of it.

Elk will do what they want, or at least what the lead cow wants. Her job is to decide when and where they go. Early scouting is better called 'learning the terrain' rather than looking for elk. Even if you find them, don't put your bets on them staying there. They're highly mobile in the late season before winter. These elk moved ahead of the storm but I've also seen them wait until there's deep snow before moving.

If they’re not where you’re looking, they’re somewhere else. 😁

FrozenTexan: Forget elevation strata locations - afix more attention on water, feed and cover - along with fresh sign!
High elevations will "tire" you for sure - but you will regain energy shortly and after a few days you will notice your lungs are now supplying oxygen to your muscles more uniformly/quickly!
I have always tried to Hunt the Rifle opener for Elk - and then Hunt as often as possible after that, if I am not tagged out.
Good luck and enjoy your hopefully safe and successful Hunt.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: Keep an eye out for Grizz!

I like to classify elk in three groups.

1. Reservation elk.

These have sold out to farmland and hope the low private land they are in doesn’t allow hunting.

2. Scavenger elk

These elk drop down to crop land but scatter back up to hide in the timber. ( usually no more than 2000 feet above the crops)

3. Wilderness elk.

These deal with wolves and soon become a #1 or #2 if given the chance. Usually elk are between 5000 and 8000 feet IMO.


So my advice is to look for #2 s. Then find the nasty escape route benchy areas. They seek hell holes to escape from bedding areas. Use thermals for approaches and posting. Don’t blow em out their beds unless u be ready to shoot.


#1s u just need permission.


# 3 s listen to others as I don’t hunt them much.

As I've said before, if you bust one out of a bed, you'd better put him down because you won't get another chance. He won't quit running for 5 miles and he's not coming back.

Rock Chuck

I totally agree.

If you find elk you should be very careful about ruining the deal.

But other hunters can also screw the pooch…..

So urgency and dispatch may be in order.

Just stay out of bedding areas. Hunt around them early and late but never go in. 1 man trying to sneak through will sterilize it for weeks.

Can't do it now, but up until about 2018 I camped at about 9,000 feet and killed elk from 10,000-12000 feet. Rode my mule 3-7 miles in and probably climbed another 500 feet.

Now I camp about 8500 feet and don't hunt much above 9500 feet. I live at7600 feet.

IMO, elk don't care about elevation.They go where it is safe. They can and do move a couple miles to feed and water. During rut, they frequent breeding grounds where the cows gather. After rut, the bulls will find some hidey hole with food and water where thy won't be disturbs. Later they gather in bachelor groups and later yet, all they all herd up. All rules change if there is private land and they get driven to by hunting pressure.

This photo was taken in 2018, I was about 12,500, elk was close to 13,000, shot was about 300yards. The next year I missed one about where the snow begins in the photo (Up higher in the rocks). The two previous years, I killed two bulls at about the same elevation I was. My lungs don't work very good at those altitudes now.





Previous two years I killed two bulls at about the same elevation as I was.





Now I shoot cows at about 9000 feet.

You ought to try living at 300’ and hunting at 9000-11,000’. 😳😁

My first elk hunt was outside Leadville at +11,000' and I lived on the Sacramento delta at 26". Brutal as we set up camp the day before the season started. Thankfully my bull was down at 8 AM opening day. After that, we would arrive two days prior.

My last 3 elk were in a late hunt in a wintering area. The average elevation was 3500'. I live at 4000.

Some good times at treeline.

Those pictures are great and tell a story better than any topo map. I'm planning on re-reading the thread multiple times to make sure what was shared makes it into my brain for hunting. I know I'll screw it up and make mistakes, but i sure appreciate all the advice offered on here. A great forum!

Texan have a blast you don’t make great stories sitting on the couch. My hunting partner struggles with elevation- he is as goofy as 3/4 drunk when we get to 8-9000 scouting. We’ve been using Altitude Advantage from Wilderness Athlete -available on Amazon the past few years & it seems to help. Can’t tell you if it is functioning or fooling me into believing but it makes at least a full day difference in acclimating.

I use the 40lb weight vest & treadmill at the gym at work & can wear my pack & rifle doing hills on my place in the dark. The rougher the conditions & poorer the footing the better. Adrenaline on the hunt will help but it’s hard to explain the level of fatigue after 3 miles packing out elk after dark above 8,000’ for an old fat guy who doesn’t live at elevation. It’s an exhilarating feeling for the first 1/2 mile & the last 100 yards - just pure exhaustion in between.

Hunted elk in 21 for over 25 years so I will give you the low down on the unit.

1- Opening day is good but know that our kids get a two day head start in the unit so the elk will already be a little wound up by the time you get to hunt.
2- Day 1 is usually a complete circus in the majority of the unit. This year opens on a Sunday so the crowds will be down a wee bit.
3- I prefer around day 3-4. The party crowd has burnt out and went home and the elk will usually return to normal behavior.
4- Get set to see the most road hunting pig fuggers you’ve ever seen. They are mostly harmless to the elk population. Where we set up our main tent camp, we will have a minimum of 50 atv’s come ripping by our tents that day. This is in probably the most remote part of the unit that you can get vehicles into. Prepare yourself for the madness.

The good news….
1- You can find and kill elk just about anywhere in the unit.
2- Get your boots on and get away from the roads. 1000 feet of altitude is great but not necessary to find elk. Get away from the atv’s and you will find elk.
3- Get comfy with long romantic walks in the dark to do the above. Be where you want to be in the dark and stay until it’s dark.
4- Around the wilderness is just as good as in it.
5- Booze, flat landers and altitude don’t mix. The party crowd can’t repeatedly leave camp at 5am and chase elk until dark for many days. Elk love the party guys.
6- Get as far away from 70 as you can. This isnt say you can’t kill elk near it but you will have a much more enjoyable time.

Have fun. It really is a great unit to chase elk.