Elk elevation along the eastern slopes
 

Hey folks,

Am a rookie elk hunter planning my first serious rifle elk hunt for mid - end of September. I am planning on hunting the eastern slopes, from 0 - 5km from the BC/Alberta border. I have had hunters tell me that they have continuously shot elk at a certain elevation and that I should focus on being at a certain elevation when hunting elk in the type of area I am going into and I wanted to confirm that here on AO. Can anyone comment on this? Should I be planning my hunt to focus on finding elk within a certain elevation range? and if so, what is that elevation?! Thanks!

Get your boots on the ground. I dont think the elevation plays near as much a factor in that time frame as were the pressure has pushed them. I find elk in that time frame in the places no one wants to go and get them. Figure out where the food the water and the bedding is and you'll find the elk. Check out a topo map vs google earth and find the ****iest draw you can imagine and that's where you'll probably find them.
Good luck😀

Stole this from an article

“Locate combinations of water sources, vegetation and thick cover on topographical maps and aerial photos of where you plan to hunt. Take particular note of saddles (low crossing areas over ridges) and funnels (thin areas of cover or low effort travel routes) between heavy cover, water, and feeding areas.’

If it’s hot the water source is key to finding them imo.

Elk are where you find them, never sell them short. They live about anywhere from semi dessert to Boreal forest and mountain valleys.

Grizz

This right here, I’ve seen elk higher on the mountain then the sheep.

And lower than you can imagine at times. Any pressure and their goin deep and dark. Wind is critical.

Wanna find elk? Learn to really use your binoculars

No truer words can be spoken where I hunt in the foothills. Elk never move with a strong west wind blowing. They hold in the heavy timber until the wind settles.

X2

Probably the odd bull going above the tree line too.

(not my pic)

Lots of good advice here, as mentioned I’ve seen them above the tree lines in goat country and in the lowest river bottoms. Pressured elk get pushed to deep dark places. Keep a couple things in mind the moon plays a role in the rut if its full they rut longer into the evenings which slows them down for daylight hunting as they are tuckered out. Also, just because you don’t hear them doesn’t mean there not there. Bull elk can mate from the time there horns get hard and drop the velvet biologically speaking but, it’s a cow in heat ready to mate that gets them really going which is usually middle of September give or take. A cow elk goes into estrus only for so long so the bulls are all waiting around or searching for each cow to be fertilized. Find fresh sign or keep moving!

Which zone did you get drawn in? If you say, someone here maybe able to help you out with more specifics as well. The elk get pretty shy after the bowhunters push them around for a few weeks before the rifle opener.

No draws for this guy this year. This is a public land elk hunt.

I’d guess whoever told you elk are at a certain elevation at a certain time of year has very limited experience with elk....or maybe he has a fair amount of experience with a particular herd that reliably use a higher elevation summer range then move down as fall/winter sets in,but that is hardly a rule set in stone.
Elk live from the treeline to SK border and beyond and everywhere in between,as posted previously,elk are where you find them.
My go to foothills elk honey hole is a good 30 miles east of the rocks and 3-4000’ below the treeline.They live there 12 months of the year.

elk
 

Fresh, agreed with most of your advice until it came to the moon. It is only young bucks trying to get young ladies interest in rut when parked by lake that the moon might make some difference on success on Saturday night. Elk rut all day or all night when ladies are ready.

I've seen Elk change 1,000 feet in elevation in two shakes of an Elks tail. Just spook them and you will see.

BW

Agreed, more meant that you may find it a bit harder to get some action going if they have been rutting all night under the moonlight opposed to a long dark night. Ive listened to them screaming sleeping under the full moon and come early morning not a peep already bedded for the day. Lots of different situations though I guess that’s what makes it so much fun you never know what to really expect

Find the cows and see what comes round to see them, the bulls will either be with them or not far away. Just because you saw them on one hill in the AM or evening doesn't mean they'll be there next day, could move across a valley or over to the next drainage overnite. Bulls will push their cows if they get pressured too much by other bulls. Spot, look for sign, try a cow call and a lost elk locating call, see what happens, and they may come without answering you. Had them answer and come to cow moose calling as well.