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When elk shut up..........

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When elk shut up..........

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 08 18, 2017 •  [Post 1]

Every had this happen, seemingly right in the middle of the rut, and, when they were formerly screaming their heads off then...... nothing, zilch, silence, zipped lips, double secret probation pact of nobody makes a sound, for a matter of a few days. I have and it seems to happen almost every single year at some point between the second/third week of the rut. I have my own concept of why this phenomenon occurs but would like to hear everybody else's. RJ
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Re: When elk shut up..........

Postby Swede » 08 18, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I too have seen this happen. At the time it goes silent where I am, I hear reports the elk are screaming their heads off in another area. I am not sure why, but speculate there are no cows coming into estrus nearby so the party is on hold. I guess when the cows start to come back into estrus, the celebration will continue again.
This I am sure of. The elk are often still around. They did not go anywhere.
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Re: When elk shut up..........

Postby saddlesore » 08 18, 2017 •  [Post 3]

I don't know,but they get quiet when you get those warm nights/mornings.Get a cold front and frosty mornings and they sing out again
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Re: When elk shut up..........

Postby Lonnie » 08 18, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Ha ha Swede you would have to get out of your tree stand to see.

If you listen to the birds and the sounds that the forest make. If the birds are chirping and the forest is making noise. Then the elk are talking.

If you can hear your self breathing, no birds chirping, no sounds from the forest. Then the elk are going to be quite.

They will make noise, when darkness comes. I do agree with you on elk in estrus Swede. The elk will start making noise. But if all is so quiet in the day that you hear a pin drop. They will make there noises at night more than day.

Elk rely on there ears and eyes in the day time. Before smell. If the forest is quite. Then they will be listening and not giving away their location to preditors.
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Re: When elk shut up..........

Postby Swede » 08 18, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Here is a list of the times I have heard no sound in the forest. Maybe some other can think of some other times.

1. There is at least several inches of snow, or it is snowing. In the winter the forest can be real quiet.
2. Parts of the night when there is no wind, or night critters making noise.
3. For a short while after a long soaker rain.
4. A predator is moving around. If the forest get quiet for no known reason, this is a good possibility.

Usually during warm weather, in the day time the forest is fairly noisy.

Sitting in a tree stand I have had a surprised squirrel come to renewed life upon seeing me and start chattering like crazy. It is amazing how they can carry on, when they climb up your tree and are nearly eyeball to eyeball with you. All of a sudden they realize you are just not a part of the tree. Sometimes a hawk or other bird takes notice of me, but for the most part, as a tree stand hunter, I observe nature pretty much undisturbed.
It is amazing what a person will see if they put well over 3,000 hours in a tree stand in remote forest. It is amazing what they will learn, if they are paying fairly close attention. It is interesting what over 60 years hunting and working in the forest will do to your perspective. You never learn it all, and some things remain a mystery. I freely admit I am still a student and have a lot to learn.
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