Say you're an elk, and one morning you wake up to find one of your antlers fell off while you slept. Now, how do you spend the rest of your day? Traversing the mountain-side? Or, doing vertical work up and down the mountain? Does losing just a single horn make them want to go for some crazed run or what?
To traverse or not?
- Thread starter Dawgs
- Start date
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Huntemup
Guest
I think it depends on how many horn-hunters, coyotes, wolves, grizzlies, etc. are in the area. The elk out here don't have chance once they drop a side...chances are, somebody's watching.
I often wonder the same thing as you, but with bucks. I watch bucks often and will see them with one side or no sides eventually. When I go in later (so not to spook them) to find their sheds I either find boot tracks, or find that their sheds are nowhere close to where I watched the buck. I think when it's time for them to shed, they run for about a mile or two away, shed them, then come back to their spot!!
Hmmmm...
Huntemup
I often wonder the same thing as you, but with bucks. I watch bucks often and will see them with one side or no sides eventually. When I go in later (so not to spook them) to find their sheds I either find boot tracks, or find that their sheds are nowhere close to where I watched the buck. I think when it's time for them to shed, they run for about a mile or two away, shed them, then come back to their spot!!
Hmmmm...
Huntemup
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basinboy
Guest
I don't find to many elk sheds but with deer on steep slopes I go lateral in both directions first then go up and down if I have no luck. I also believe that if a big buck drops early the horns have a better chance of being spread far apart. If he drops late they are closer. I looked for a nice four point for two weeks last year with no luck on my first trip out this year I found his horns two canyons from were I thought he dropped last year. They were five feet apart go figure. So I have a nice set of chalks. BasinBoy
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Lowedog
Guest
huh huh huh BuckSnort, you said HEADGEAR, huh huh huh....
I haven't found many elk sheds but I did find a set off a 350 class bull last year and they were about 10 yds apart. Looked like he dropped one in his bed then got up and walked a trail and dropped the other. And that was real early for elk. It was on Feb 26th.
-Lowedog
I haven't found many elk sheds but I did find a set off a 350 class bull last year and they were about 10 yds apart. Looked like he dropped one in his bed then got up and walked a trail and dropped the other. And that was real early for elk. It was on Feb 26th.
-Lowedog
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shedhunter777
Guest
I might sound like I am saying the exact opposite of everyone else but here is my Elk shed advise and experience...
1- More often than not if i find and elk bone that is 300 class or larger the other is right under your nose. you may not find it right away it may take a week or a year, but if you keep the same area it is there somewhere close. That isn't the case of course if someone took a run through your spot and found the other side to yours.
2- more than half of the big bull sheds I have foun have been within 10 - 20 feet of the other. I found two sets last year that well... might as well have been all on top of eachother. found the first laid out like you would if you were taking a picture and the next was a right side ten feet away and his left side was 5 feet away from that. Finding two bulls one 340 'ISH the other 370 'ISH in like five minutes... WOW what a thrill that was!!!
3- so in conclusion if it is a big bull and no one has been in your spot... stick around the other side is there. BUT a small bull will carry one side for a lot longer.. hours maybe days.
4- but like anything else, there is allways exceptions to the rule. Like they say... "They are were you find them."
:7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7
1- More often than not if i find and elk bone that is 300 class or larger the other is right under your nose. you may not find it right away it may take a week or a year, but if you keep the same area it is there somewhere close. That isn't the case of course if someone took a run through your spot and found the other side to yours.
2- more than half of the big bull sheds I have foun have been within 10 - 20 feet of the other. I found two sets last year that well... might as well have been all on top of eachother. found the first laid out like you would if you were taking a picture and the next was a right side ten feet away and his left side was 5 feet away from that. Finding two bulls one 340 'ISH the other 370 'ISH in like five minutes... WOW what a thrill that was!!!
3- so in conclusion if it is a big bull and no one has been in your spot... stick around the other side is there. BUT a small bull will carry one side for a lot longer.. hours maybe days.
4- but like anything else, there is allways exceptions to the rule. Like they say... "They are were you find them."
:7 :7 :7 :7 :7 :7
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groundhog
Guest
I agree with shed777. More often than not if it is an older Bull, say over 320 the match is generally within a couple hundred yards. A lot of times they are on top of each other. They usually stay in a relatively small area unless they are getting pressured by other horn hunters. An old bull will take it easy until they are ready to shed and then shake em both off. Remember they have gone through this process many times and they don't like carrying just one side.
Of course there are exceptions to every rule. One time I watched a big bull drop one antler and then proceed to walk about 3/4 a mile to get a drink from a creek and then he dropped the other side. It helps if you know what their daily pattern is. Elk are creatures of habit. We try to watch from a distance without disturbing their natural moovement. If they are undisturbed they will use the same trails on a daily basis. best of luck to you, Groundog
Of course there are exceptions to every rule. One time I watched a big bull drop one antler and then proceed to walk about 3/4 a mile to get a drink from a creek and then he dropped the other side. It helps if you know what their daily pattern is. Elk are creatures of habit. We try to watch from a distance without disturbing their natural moovement. If they are undisturbed they will use the same trails on a daily basis. best of luck to you, Groundog
