Vanishing Elk

[Wallcrawler]

Just wanted to share my amazement with the creature we all love known as the elk, or wapiti.  Last Friday I tracked a herd of 6 elk all morning through the snow and cold for the better part of 3 hours, I moved slowly knowing I moved them from their night bedding.  They were kind enough to sleep within 300 yards of my car camp while a fresh 8-10" of snow fell along with the mercury dipping into the single digits.
I have hunted this area for 10 years now and these elk took me to an area I have never tracked an elk to, nor have I found sign of bedding down there either.  Mind you, I have killed a number of elk in the meadow adjacent to this knoll and seen elk spend all day in the tight timber on the north side of this spot.  But this time the elk, I believe knowing I was following them, wound around the hill to bed on it's flat top just out of line of site from the meadow.
I slowly graded around the hill staying uphill of the path the elk had taken looking downhill and ahead of me expecting to see the herd bedded down.  When I found myself turning uphill and back on my previous direction I knew I had lost my advantage.  I came to 5 fresh beds, just impressions in the snow without a sign of melt in them yet, I was mere minutes behind them and they watched me come to their trap.  The sixth bed was unaccounted for so I looked for the track of the missing elk.  I found it to the east of the others just browsing the local foliage.  This lone bull worked back away from the other 5 and towards my initial track.  After 3-4 minutes tracking time I had him in view throught the trees at 25 yards quartered away and "sneaking" from the area.  My gaze went to my arrow and a quick confirmation of my nock point before setting up for the moment that has eluded me this year.  Much to my suprise, upon returning my gaze to the spot the animal had stood less than a second before I found only vacant forest.  I started moving in the direction the elk had moved shocked that this magnificent animal could vanish silently before me at such close range.  A scant 20 steps took me to his trail travelling from right to left across my field of view.  The track showed no urgency or reckless movement as it returned to join the other 5 exiting the meadow on the other side of the hill.
I forever find amazement in the skills of these animals and their uncanny ability to vanish from virtually right under your nose.  This same group had me pinned down exactly one week prior at a closest of 12 yards and farthest of 18 yards.  Do you think the surroundings offered me even one high percentage shot?  Not even remotely, and I saw the elk on the move as they approached me.  Just reliving these moments makes me respect these animals and love this sport that much more.  Thanks for your time and letting me share.

[Goke]

I have experienced the very same thing while trying to track elk in the snow. How they know you are there is a mystery to me. However, they clearly circle and bed where they can watch their trail when they suspect something. As far as the vanishing, I have often wondered whether they have tunnels. If it were not for the tracks proving they walked in the exact spot were I did not see them, I would be seriously convinced of the the tunnel theory. The only thing I know for sure, however, is that it is encounters just like this one that keep us all coming back to the woods day after day and year after year. Thanks for sharing.

[highcountry]

Here in Arizona, I have had these critters "shape-shift" into ATVs     On numerous stalks they have turned into Yamahas, Hondas and Polars!  Have yet to see one turn into a Harley .  Montana elk are just much smarter then our Arizona elk.

[Al Kidner]

Both myself and the MO Sherpa have seen first hand these 'Vanishing Elk'.... and I too wonder just how an animal so big can vanish into thin air.


ak.

[Brian Krebs]

the elk around my place certainly did a vanishing act this year... as did most of the deer.

 funny though; there are always plenty of wolf tracks.........

[Wallcrawler]

Originally posted by Brian Krebs:
the elk around my place certainly did a vanishing act this year... as did most of the deer.

 funny though; there are always plenty of wolf tracks.........

Always wondered how wolf would eat....?

[Brian Krebs]

I intend on answering that question.

[twitchstick]

Elk have always baffled me. They can be so noisy when feeding but vanish in the thickest deadfall with no noise.

[Steven Russell]

Amazing aren't they.  I had one do almost the same bedding trick a couple of years ago.  

I was following the meandering tracks in the snow through the forest until they came to a hill side opening.  At that point they straightened out, angled up and across the opening, then switched back and angled up and across again, thus returning the orignal side.  The tracks then turned back and across the top of the opening and lead to a still warm bed about 5 yards back in the cover where the elk could watch its back trail down the hill but still have cover for an escape.  

I never did see that elk, but I learned quite a bit from its trail.

[Wallcrawler]

Always good to have the reminder that no matter what we think we know we need to learn more.