Because It Looks Like A Great Place

Because it looks like a great place…

Its true elk are where you find them and nowhere else but you can increase your chances if you find great elk habitat and some patience. I’ll try to explain what I mean in a series of photos of Colorado elk country. This article is geared toward finding big bulls in great elk country.

This elk trail is used to go up and down a steep hill during certain times of the year. This photo was taken in April and this is the South side of the mountain. Thanks to spring snow and rain this side of the hill was first to sprout new grasses. In September it may be too warm and dry on this side of the hill. You can cut your scouting down by 50% if you concentrate on North and West ridges in the summer and fall. In winter and spring South and East facing slopes are preferred for their browse. One thing you can’t see in the photo is the nice creek than runs through the trees. I found a nice mixture of aspen, Douglas fir and pine trees. Also, willows lined the creek. Willows are a favorite places for elk because of the rich grasses that grow around their base. Plus the nearby water is always nice. Anywhere you can find leaf bearing trees you will find rich black soil and high quality food. That’s why willows and aspens are like elk magnets.

This hill was especially steep. Look for steep slopes on topographical maps. What maps don’t always tell you are the type of trees and amount of openness. There’s no substitute for seeing it for yourself. Notice the tall pines in the middle of this photo? The area around them leveled out and it was dark and cool. It’s a great place for a nice bull to bed. He can overlook the area or he can rest peacefully under the canopy of pines branches where it’s cooler. Plenty of grasses grew near the creek to the left of the pines. There’s something else you may not see in this photo. You’re near the top of this ridge where a natural saddle forms. Saddles are great places to sit and wait for elk. They love these mildly rounded hilltops. They serve as transition areas from steep hills to cool forests in this example.

If you are in great shape and get up early enough you can beat elk to their midmorning favorite places. Shelves are small, flat areas scattered on ridges. I’d be surprised if you could find them on maps because they are so small. It’s like Mother Nature put them there so elk would have high places they could overlook on steep slopes. The shelf in this photo is a profile, a side view of the shelf. I was impressed how green it was nearby. Evidence of elk beds was found on the shelf. A series of trails were found near the creek and in the pines in the background. I must have found over 50 shelves along this ridge alone. Every single one had elk beds in them of varying ages. Just as I was leaving this area for higher ground along came 3 bulls I had seen the week before. All the elk were spooky today. I guess the weakness that comes with winter is gone as they were climbing hills and eager to run at the littlest things. After all they’ve been feeding on new grasses for a couple of weeks now.

Where aspen and pine are found mixed together are yet another great place to find elk. They will feed on the grasses in the aspens and bed in the open or under a pine tree. Elk like these places because they find food, safety and water. If an area meets the needs of food, comfort, safety and water then it’s a great place to find elk. Some places only provide one of the four. If you find an area that provides for all four-survival requirements then you’ll surely see elk there. Beware when you are approaching these areas. You may smell bull elk before you see them. Move very slowly, using your binoculars to look ahead and don’t make a sound. There is another resident of thick, old pine tree areas. It is the dreaded squirrel . Know thy enemy! He can’t wait to give you away by chirping as loud and as quickly as he can. This one busted me before I could sneak out of there. Mature bull elk will hear the squirrel as a warning that something is near and slowly slip away unnoticed. On the other hand squirrels can also give away elk. Squirrels have been known to chirp at elk too. If you hear a squirrel chirping aggressively in the distance check it out. You might find a big bull bedded under the squirrels tree. Some birds also give away warnings by chirping or flying away.

Elk love meadows in the early morning and later afternoons. Meadows can be found on maps at all elevations here in Colorado. Make note of meadows that are located between steep, remote ridges. There is a rather large meadow called Shipman Park in Northern Colorado. It lies between two ridges and runs North to South. It’s very wet with creeks, ponds and marshes. The Eastern border of the meadow is at the base of a tall ridge that climbs to around 10,000 feet. It has a West-facing slope, which is something I love to see. Access is limited, that’s another one of my favorite attributes of great elk country. If you’re out to see Colorado’s backcountry bring a trusty horse or mule. They’ll love the exercise and you’ll appreciate the ride.

I took these photos in April during a light snowfall. I like to be rewarded for all the difficult walking I do up and down steep hills. Finally, near the end of my trek, I was. I found this thick five point antler shed. Since the land is just now waking up it is often void of vibrant colors. What caught my eye was the reddish color of this elk antler. There were plenty of pines in the area that matched the antler perfectly.

I spend hours over topographical maps in print and online. It does help to familiarize myself with new country but there really is no substitute for walking the land for yourself. I highly recommend you take your next vacation to Colorado’s backcountry. The fishing is incredible, the views amazing and if you walk far enough you’ll find great elk country. Get off the beaten path and leave worries of everyday behind. Leave your tent at home and sleep out under the stars. Forget a campfire and stay up late watching falling stars cross the night sky.