So my only experience hunting elk is late season in low country on private land. As far as bulls were concerned, we saw them either in bachelor groups of 2-5 bulls, or we would see them mixed in with a herd of 200+ elk. As far as cows, we only saw them in the big herds.....never saw one or two stray cows off by themselves like we did the bulls.

For early season, say mid-Sept, up high in a Colorado OTC unit.....is it still the case where cows are going to be in big herds, or might they be traveling in small groups and spread out all over the place?

My goal is to shoot a cow with my bow, so just trying to get a better idea of their habits. I realize public land, especially OTC, is vastly different than unpressured private land, and imagine the time of year and rut are going to also play a role. So I basically know nothing and realize that.

The herds will generally be smaller, with cows being occasionally singles but up to 50ish, maybe 100 or so if conditions dictate but IME they'll number about 10-20 on a rough average that time of year. There will very possibly be a single bull with those smaller herds of cows, with some satellite bulls nearby too.

This is an average to upper sized September timeframe, public land general season herd of cows with a single bull in it. There are a few more to the right, out of the frame.
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One never knows though. I have seen huge herds in late August through September before.

Mid-Sept is the middle of the rut. The cows will be in herds as large as the bull is capable of keeping, anywhere from 5 to 20 normally.

They can be in a herd, alone or in small satellite groups. In areas of high pressure hunting they will get sneaky and nocturnal.

Natural saddles between high ridges can funnel travel, especially if those saddles have aspen meadows interspersed with pine, and adjacent escape routs of dark timber along the edges.

If they're trying to locate one another, sometimes they'll call out for audible location. Especially in the graying pre dawn hours. When not being sneaky, their steps make a definite sound. Smell can also preempt location in low visibility terrain.

This has mostly been my experience but I've also come across small groups of cows with calves, and no bull in the mix. From a single cow with or without calve(s) to eight or ten total. Of course, there could have been some more nearby that I didn't see, but they would've scattered after the shot.

I see larger herds on deeded properties where they experience few threats (they're not stupid), and during the Sept rut. At those times there can be a lot of country where one will not find elk.
Also, when heavy winters force them from historical ranges, one may encounter large herds. Balance of the year singles to groups of maybe 20.

Small portion of about 200+ in Sept rut.

Killing one with a bow is a very difficult undertaking, to be realistic give yourself several years. I have attempted that feat on and off for a number of years and came close several times, but could not get it done. If you love "hunting" elk use a bow, if you love "eating" elk use a muzzleloader or rifle.

and if you like being fed bullshit, lissen to elkmen and the elkslayer dude.....

Some years ago 2 of us were bowhunting in Sept. We saw a herd of about 15 or 16 cows come over a saddle toward us. Then a little 4x4 bull came after them. All we could say was how in the heck did that little guy get 15 cows? He probably stole them when the herd bull was busy fighting off another one. They went to one side and into black timber. We were still there 20 min later when they came back out and went back over the same saddle. This time, though, the bull was a big 6x6. Behind him was the little guy tagging along and bawling his head off. His stolen cows got stolen back.

Wow, another SPORTSMAN, with a potty mouth , it"s almost like being in high school again.

Not even close to accurate an ya I have killed a lot of elk with a bow.

Yup, bet you have. And I know several that have also, however that is not the usual. If you look at the data available for each state you will find (rough figures) that the rifle hunters success ratio is about twice that of archery hunters. At a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation gathering a few years, ago the number thrown around for "any" weapon success, was one elk every 7 years. I don't have the inclination to dig through a bunch of different states data and post it here, but I am pretty sure that my perspective is pretty close. My average is far better than most, but the new archer, in reality has a long wait before competency and consistent success.

Archery success in Colorado runs about 9-10%. Rifle about 18%.


Bulls in rut will somewhat keep cows bunched, but cows decide where the herd goes to go.

Some guys maybe shouldn't try bowhunting elk.

The meanest, raunchiest old bitch in the herd - the lead cow. She had to fight for the job.

My sporting pursuit with a recurve ended after I had a couple of elk steaks. Now it's usually a .270 Win., 6.5CM or a .308 Win.. My magnum years are over.
Good luck to the OP. Its the only thing I hunt in the lower 48.

The cows are the lookout for the big bulls.

You got a rut hunt? Just wait till you find a Bull holding one for you. I mean there is a reason it's one bull to multiple cows 😉

And while I have never seen this discussed on any hunting forum, in my last several years guiding in Colorado I started running into bedded elk using muleys as watchdogs. It was a hoot to be able to experience and I wish I had a gopro those many years ago! I would get down on one knee when I saw muleys (I am working on foot while my hunters are in a sit somewhere) and not only do you have to be wary of the muleys, but the bedded cows you are not looking for immediately! Freaking wild!

One time quite a few years ago I was hunting deer. A friend was with me who'd never hunted and wanted to see what it was like. He wasn't hunting, just following along. I spotted a deer across the draw, maybe 150 yds away. I shot it and it dropped. My friend let out a very loud WHOOOPPPEEEEE. Immediate several cows stood up in the sage between us and the deer. I'd just shot over their heads. Elk season wasn't open at the time but they'd have been gimmees. They stood there at about 75 yds for a lot more time than I'd have needed.

As best as I can recall, I’ve killed 8 elk the last 15 seasons, 3 of which were cows. All Colorado rifle hunts, so that would be 53% beating the averages. Lucky for the freezer my son got elk some of my tag soup years or I got a deer. None of my elk were trophy class, either. Happy Trails

I have freezer room for a cow elk, that's all.

out of elk meat too ! dang it !

You hunt behind a high fence and closed gate too? I know elk slayer does, he said it himself.

my advice is pick an area/unit and spend at least a week scouting it this summer. Get in great hiking shape. Be prepared to move if you're not seeing elk and or fresh sign. ID escape routes etc. No substitutes for a lot of time in elk country.

Elk don't always follow the rules. The last week of Nov last year we were hunting a wintering area. The elk had moved in the week before and there were some herds of hundreds. I got my cow that was out wandering around with only a solo bull, well away from any others that we could see.

Ask a novice question, you get an answer from a novice, me. I used to draw a branch antler bull tag in Desolation Unit in Central Oregon embarassingly often. On many occasions in November, I experienced very close, archery close, encounters with small groups of 8 to 10 cows,calves and spikes shortly after shooting light when they appeared to be traveling from feeding areas, almost always a burn or clearcut...headed, I guess, to bedding areas, usually steep, dark, rocky heavily timbered canyon slopes. One thing that seems to be irresistable to elk in the Cascades...is freshly fallen timber, they really go after the mosses on the bark and limbs on larch and lodgepole. On two occasions, groups of elk actually split around me to pass, within 25 yards, lead cow would stop and stare holes in me for almost a minute (that is a long time when you are locked up) and the proceed by me, after she passed the younger ones would relax enough to snatch a morsel as they worked by me. I was dressed as a novice should be, bright blue Filson coat, blue double front logger denims and a Christmassy colored stocking cap. Walnut rifle, gloss scope....but it didn't seem to spook the elk. Of course, I was locked up like the Statue of Liberty, barely breathing. I'm kinda glad now that I experienced that thrill without pulling a trigger, not so much at the time, with kids to feed.