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Cows calving out at lower elevation

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Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 05 18, 2017 •  [Post 1]

Ok so this is a question of what do you guys think will happen this year in Idaho with the snow sticking around longer. From what I have read in my biology book. When a cow has their calf that where they will stay for a while. I always wondered if the cows will still move up the hill to the higher elevation or will they stay lower. In Weiser there are elk in the lower elevations still. I have never seen them stick around this long. This is just a subject I have not read about and just wanted to see what you guys think.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Swede » 05 18, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I would expect the cows to have their calves within an area of plentiful good forage. Cover can be important too. The green fresh forage may be lower this year than in past years.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 3]

I was thinking early scouting and putting up cams was going to have to be a little later in the season this year. I like to find the groups of cows and where they hang out for hunting season. But i wonder if it it will a little different this year.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby saddlesore » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Unless it is totally under snow,I would say cows will migrate to their usual calving grounds
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Swede » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Working for the Forest Service we had places identified as "calving areas". These were their normal calving areas, but sometimes they were not used. It was not that these places were still inudated with snow. Sometimes late snow melt meant the Spring vegetation had just not recovered enough. The elk follow after the snow, but they are going to be far enough behind to utilize lush forage.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Saddlesore. I do agree they will eventually migrate to the higher elevations. I do think early scouting is not going to be as good in my area this year. I have seen cows come back to the same grounds every year for calving. But this year they are not in the same places because of low snow, and high rivers that cannot be crossed.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby cohunter » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 7]

One of the calving areas I know of has well over 3 feet of snow right now. I haven't been up there, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't see any calving elk. Of course, Estes Park just got 30+ inches yesterday!
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 05 19, 2017 •  [Post 8]

Comensenc in my book Trump's book smart. But others may see it different. The biology books say where the cows have their calvs is their summer grounds. So as elk hunters. We always look for were the cows are. Because we know the big bull will move down to gather his Herm. In a year with lots of snow hanging around and cows not moving up. Should we hunt lower.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lefty » 05 21, 2017 •  [Post 9]

Well in my area the cows that calve higher were not there yesterday,
Plenty of ground under 7500 that is available ( south slopes) they will just trek up as the snow melts
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Swede » 05 21, 2017 •  [Post 10]

Lonnie asks: Should we hunt elk lower this coming season. I doubt it. I would expect the elk to move up as the snow melts and the lower forage dries up. Expect the late Summer forage to be about the same location it always is. You water hole hunters may have a more difficult time with more water available for the elk. Places that were dry before may be producing abundantly this Summer and Fall. Water may be in places it has not been for years.
Considering, the high country may have significantly more water this hunting season than last, maybe water hole hunters should look lower than usual.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby >>>---WW----> » 05 22, 2017 •  [Post 11]

Swede's quote: ( Should we hunt elk lower this coming season. I doubt it. I would expect the elk to move up as the snow melts )

Around these parts, we call it following the green up the mountain. ;)
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 07 01, 2017 •  [Post 12]

Ok so this post is to follow up on my first post. Yes the bulls will follow the snow line as it melts. The cows will eventually work this way back up the mountains. If they don't then the bulls will come down and gather their Herm and take them back to the bulls area. So if you are scouting in July and don't see cows don't get discureged. They will be there come August.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Swede » 07 01, 2017 •  [Post 13]

Lonnie: The elk will be where they always are in August and September unless something has changed drastically. I have seen elk leave their previously used summer range and breeding area, but never due to the past winter snow.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Roosiebull » 07 02, 2017 •  [Post 14]

Swede wrote:Lonnie: The elk will be where they always are in August and September unless something has changed drastically. I have seen elk leave their previously used summer range and breeding area, but never due to the past winter snow.

winters seem to effect spring, and into mid summer....you are right, by late august, things are always pretty close to the same every year. it's amazing how landscape can change this time of year with 2 solid weeks of warm sun. it has been a strange weather year all through the west, but I think everything will be stable, and fairly normal by opening day, other than what you mentioned, ground water.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby ElkNut1 » 07 02, 2017 •  [Post 15]

I was out spotting/scouting this week & the elk with calves (15 of them) were where they are every year on the mountain this time of year. The snowfall wasn't much different this year as it any other year here. It's melting off as usual.

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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 07 02, 2017 •  [Post 16]

Elknut1. That is good to here in your area that you are seeing lots of elk up high. I have other friends who are out this weekend​ in your area scouting. I will pm you with what they find. Or call you. Lol
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby ElkNut1 » 07 02, 2017 •  [Post 17]

Lonnie, no sweat man, give me a shout this evening anytime after 7 pm.

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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 07 02, 2017 •  [Post 18]

Elknut1. Thanks for the elk talk tonight. Always a pleasure to talk with you.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby ElkNut1 » 07 03, 2017 •  [Post 19]

Lonnie, the pleasure was all mine sir! Good luck this year!

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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby ElkNut1 » 07 04, 2017 •  [Post 20]

Lonnie, the bugle we talked about that you referred to as a Display Bugle is what is called the Round Up Bugle on the APP. Just a heads up is all. Thanks!

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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 08 21, 2017 •  [Post 21]

Ok so everyone has had plenty of time for scouting and setting up game cams. So is everyone seeing lots of cows in their game cam pics. So back to the biology book. With the bad winter we just had. Cows calfved out at lower elevations. Which is topicaly their summer range. So are you guys seeing cows back in the higher elevations. I would be willing to bet it will be later in the season that they are up in the elevations. What are you guys seeing.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby cohunter » 08 23, 2017 •  [Post 22]

They're up there now... In Colorado we had a VERY hot and dry June and July which means the grass is in less-than-stellar condition. If anything, they seem to be a little high at this point.
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby one_elk » 08 24, 2017 •  [Post 23]

cohunter wrote:They're up there now... In Colorado we had a VERY hot and dry June and July which means the grass is in less-than-stellar condition. If anything, they seem to be a little high at this point.


Interesting variability across the state, vegetation in the 8500 to 10500 elevation range is a lush as I have seen it many 30+? years. and you know what they say about years of above normal precipitation and antler growth, in short they are pretty correlated. Why I just saw a bull last weekend up whose antlers were soooo big it was hard for him to stand up, ok maybe not ;) , but from everything I have seen the high in at least part of the state is in great condition
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Re: Cows calving out at lower elevation

Postby Lonnie » 08 25, 2017 •  [Post 24]

I'm hearing good things in Idaho. It has been a good wet spring but dry summer. The tops of the mountains have plenty of green feed. I'm hearing there are lots of bulls with big horns.
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