Dark Timber Bulls
2007
Of
all the photos we have we don’t have a really good photograph of a bull in dark
timber. There’s a good reason for that.
Dark timber is where big bulls feel safe. After all really big bulls don’t have a
partner to watch their back. They just
have keen senses and the trees to alert them and to hide behind.
Dark
timber doesn’t grow everywhere and it can be hard to find. Your best bet is to first locate dark timber
on a high quality aerial photograph of your hunting area. Terraserver
is one such place that allows you to scan over your hunting grounds looking for
patches of trees that grow so close together that the sun has little chance of
getting through. Even the aerial view
can’t penetrate the canopy of pine. Elk don’t go there to eat,
they go there to bed and rechew their food. It’s
where big bulls live.
In
2007 we’ll show you photos of dark timber with or without elk in them. What we will show you is the abundant evidence
that elk use these areas. The perfect
dark timber area will have thick cover of pine trees, a nearby water source and
a nearby food source. The pines create
the cover, their lower branches void of any green life except moss. The forest
floor is made of several layers of pine needles that have fallen for many years.
The walking is quiet when the pine needles are wet from rain. Grasses and other forbs don’t grow here – they
don’t get enough sun to even sprout. The
water source is a natural spring or even small pond. The slope of the hill can be facing west,
north or sometimes east (at the right elevation) but rarely south. Food is available
in nearby small open spaces. Too small to be called a meadow but open enough
for grasses to grow. A big bull lives
here from when the snow melts until the peak of the rut kicks in. The elevation of dark timber can be from 8,000
to 11,000 feet depending on the terrain. In
I
wrote this in February 2007 while anxiously awaiting the snow to melt. It’s not too late to get in shape for the
fall. I suggest looking at aerial
photographs online while the snow is still around. Then strap on your best hiking
boots and put in as many miles as your significant other will allow. Pack light, sleep out under the stars and
mark these pockets of gold on your GPS or maps.
About this photo. It came from our first DVD “Elk Heaven” in 2004. Half the reason this bull ended up here is
because our cow calling created a lot of attention from 3 other bulls in the
area. The other half is the cow in heat
scent my brother was wearing. Now I
understand the reason for the warning on the label!