--- title: "Tips from an Elk Guide: Learn to Pattern the Herd and You’ll Find Big Bulls" description: "Unpressured elk can be predictable, here's how to figure out a herd's daily pattern and ambush the herd bull." date: "2026-08-15" modified: "2026-08-15" authors: - name: "Duncan Dobie" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/authors/duncan-dobie/" url: "https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/how-to-pattern-elk/" categories: - "Big Game Hunting" - "Elk Hunting" - "Hunting" --- # Tips from an Elk Guide: Learn to Pattern the Herd and You’ll Find Big Bulls ![Two bull elk stand on a grassy hillside on the Flathead Indian Reservation.]() *F&J McGinn / Adobe Stock* Darkness gave way to daylight in slow, begrudging increments as our hunting party neared the top of the mountain. The driving snow had made the long uphill climb on horseback much tougher than usual. It had been falling steadily throughout the night and later would be remembered as the season's first full-scale blizzard. Already, 12 inches of snow covered the ground in some places, and between the constant wind, the falling temperature and the biting snowflakes, the upcoming day promised to present a grueling test of endurance. Our group consisted of four discouraged hunters and one frustrated guide—me. For the previous few days we had been pursuing a large herd of elk, some 200 animals strong, that was known to contain several extremely good bulls. Miserable weather and bad luck, however, had prevented us from getting even the slightest opportunity to try for any of the herd bulls. Now, we were about to begin our fifth and final day of the hunt, and time was not on our side. Anyone who hunted elk in Colorado during opening week of the 1984 rifle season will no doubt remember the awful weather that raged throughout most of the state. Our first four days of hunting had been marked by heavy rains, then snow accompanied by high winds and dropping temperatures. Local weather reports predicted more snow on the way. Two days earlier, my hopes for success had risen when I managed to get within 100 yards of the oversize herd as it was bedded for the day in a steep bowl on the mountainside. As is often the case in such situations, however, all of the big bulls were insulated by guard cows on the outer flanks of the bedded herd, and I knew that sneaking in with a hunter for a possible shot would be out of the question. Doing the next best thing, I tried to gauge which way the herd would move to begin feeding later that afternoon and then set up two hunters in key positions for an ambush. After a long wait, just as the elk began feeding toward our hidden positions an hour before dark, something up on the mountain suddenly made several cows extremely uneasy, and the entire herd moved off toward heavy cover without offering us a shot. ![bull elk]() *Outdoor Life* Now, on this final day of hunting, I was hoping that our luck would see a change for the better. The day had already started out on bad footing, though. Normally, one guide was with every two hunters, but on this morning our second guide had become ill and had stayed at the ranch, so I now had the burden of looking after four hunters instead of two. We tied the horses in an aspen grove and began walking the last half-mile toward a prominent vantage point from which we intended to start our morning vigil. The snow began falling even harder, and visibility was greatly impaired. The faint but unmistakable shrill notes of a bugling bull suddenly echoed across the high meadow ahead. Instinctively, we all stopped dead in our tracks to listen. It could only mean one thing. At last, the herd was on the move under the cover of this worsening storm, and knowing the land well, I had an excellent idea of where they would go. The saddle just ahead was known to be a natural funnel, and if the elk did move through the area, they would probably move through the funnel and take a very predictable path around the side of the mountain. I knew that if positioned correctly, all four of the now-excited hunters would stand a good chance at getting a shot. We instantly moved into action. I sent two of the hunters scrambling back down the mountain on foot to precise positions where I thought the elk might cross. Then, signaling the other two, we quickly began moving toward the herd. I left the third hunter on a high ridge overlooking a small meadow that I felt certain the moving herd would pass through. Skirting around and below this ridge, I snuck ahead with the fourth and last man. By now, we were within 200 yards of the main body of this highly vocal elk herd. They were making no attempt to keep quiet. Between the bugling bulls and the cows and calves [calling loudly]() back and forth, this huge conglomeration of elk sounded more like a traveling herd of elephants. As we reached the edge of a clearing, I looked out and saw what appeared to be a superb six-point bull ghosting dreamily across the opening less than 150 yards ahead. I immediately signaled for my hunter to prop his rifle against a tree and attempt to shoot the bull, but in the poor light he failed to find the animal in his scope. Sadly, the trophy bull faded away into the mist. We had missed our chance, as we soon realized that this bull was the last of the herd to cross that particular opening. Within seconds, however, a rifle cracked loudly on the ridgetop above us, and I could plainly hear the smack of a bullet striking home. Upon hearing the shot, the herd stampeded madly down the mountainside, and a few moments later another shot rang out far below. After the smoke had cleared, two fine bulls lay dead on the ground. I had strongly hoped that all four hunters would score, but two out of four was certainly not a bad average, especially for less than one hour of actual hunting in a raging blizzard at daybreak. These four previously discouraged hunters were now elated at their sudden change of fortune. What's more, they were hailing me as some kind of elk hunting genius because even the two unsuccessful hunters had come very close to getting a shot. As much as I would have liked to take credit for being some kind of "super" guide, there was little genius involved. It was a cut-and-dried situation. Once on the move, the elk herd had followed a very predictable course around the mountain. Having studied the lay of the land very carefully, making an educated guess as to which way they would go was relatively easy. In the final analysis, we had simply taken advantage of an outstanding opportunity. Elk have a gregarious nature and usually travel in numbers of a dozen or more animals. Therefore, once a herd is located, its movements through an area can often be predicted with highly favorable results. To the elk hunter going into an area for the first time, or to the man who returns to the same general locale each year, knowing what to look for can save hours of what could be wasted scouting efforts, and thus make each minute of valuable hunting time much more productive. Whether you are a [novice]() or [veteran elk hunter](), being able to predict and pattern elk movements accurately is a skill that can greatly increase the chances of success. This can be of particular benefit to mid and late-season hunters who hunt long after the September rut is over, when bugling is no longer effective and after the elk have been subjected to several weeks or more of continuous hunting pressure. To be able to pattern elk accurately, we must first understand their habits. Generally speaking, elk display the same behavioral characteristics wherever they are found, but specific daily routines and specialized habits often vary in each place. Factors such as terrain, cover, food and water availability and hunting pressure all play important roles in dictating an elk herd's daily routine. For instance, the Rocky Mountain elk that I have hunted in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana are highly mobile; they tend to cover large distances, especially when pressured by hunters. Roosevelt elk in western Oregon and Washington, however, appear to be completely different. According to well-known author and elk hunter Dwight Schuh, formerly of Klamath Falls, Oregon, "Roosevelt elk seem to take up residence in certain areas more commonly than do Rocky Mountain elk. They often have a much smaller home range, and once spooked out of an area by hunters, they seem to be willing to come back more readily. On the other hand, Rocky Mountain elk may travel five to 10 miles after being alarmed, and they may never return to an area after being pushed out, at least during hunting season." ![A herd of elk in the sagebrush.]() *Photo by Doug Dance / USFWS* There are exceptions to every rule, however. Last year, while bowhunting for elk in the Charles Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which surrounds Fort Peck Lake in northeastern Montana, I talked to several hunters who told me that they had jumped the same bull in the same general area three or four times during the course of one day. Recognizing that this bull was apparently reluctant to leave his familiar home range, these hunters set up a carefully executed drive. Late that afternoon, one of the lucky bowhunters finally shot the elusive bull after playing a game of cat and mouse. For the elk hunter who plans to go into an area for the first time, there are a number of good ways to size up that area in an attempt to establish whether there are any elk in the immediate area, and what the patterns of those elk may be. With hunting pressure increasing by leaps and bounds each season, trying to find a fairly undisturbed area not frequented by hordes of hunters is getting to be an increasingly difficult task. With proper planning, though, you can find a good place to hunt and pinpoint the elk within that area. One of the first orders of business is to obtain any available maps of the area you plan to hunt. Most national forests offer detailed maps of the entire area, and topographic maps are an absolute must. Study these maps diligently, and make a careful note of prominent land features such as high points, open meadows, ridgetops, heavily wooded draws or bowls and natural saddles between high ridges. Pay particular attention to the saddles because they may serve as funnels from feeding areas to strongholds in the timber of other cover along the mountainsides. Of utmost importance is making every effort to find out where the elk are getting their water. Water is in short supply in many arid areas of prime elk range throughout the central and southern Rockies, particularly during the first week or two of the regular rifle season, before the annual snows begin in earnest. Both elk and deer must often travel long distances to satisfy their daily water needs. I have seen elk routinely travel from three to five miles in each direction on almost a daily basis to reach their favorite watering hole; unpressured animals will frequently use the same trails day in and day out. Those elk subjected to heavy hunting pressure will often go to water under the cover of darkness, then return to their bedding grounds at daybreak. Once these watering patterns are recognized through map study and actual scouting, plans for intercepting the traveling elk herd can be made accordingly. Before you attempt to set foot in the actual area to be hunted, talk to ranch owners, cowboys, game wardens, state wildlife personnel or any other area residents who may be in the know as to what the local elk are doing. I once talked to an elderly lady who lived in a small ranch house in a valley that stood in the shadow of a 9,000-foot mountain I was hunting. In a mere 20 minutes, she told me more about the feeding habits of the elk on her side of the mountain than I could have learned in several days of hard scouting. Her husband owned a good pair of binoculars, and she frequently watched the elk through her living-room window at various times during the day. People such as this can be a tremendous asset to good planning. Ranch owners and cowhands often know the exact movement patterns of the elk in their working areas. Make a point to talk with these people. Although some local residents may be reluctant to share information, others, such as the little old lady, may supply you with invaluable tips. Be sure to thoroughly glass any suspected elk strongholds from a prominent vantage point in the general vicinity. Note all important land features, such as saddles and large blocks of green timber, that may serve as bedding strongholds, and mark them on your map. In fairly open country, much can be accomplished by driving county roads in a vehicle and stopping often to glass surrounding mountains. Failure to take the necessary time to thoroughly study an area through a good pair of binoculars is a common mistake made by hunters. Be patient. Even if you fail to see game right away, a promising area may still warrant further investigation. Once you have studied your maps, talked to the local folk, and located a potential hotspot where the elk are believed to be concentrating on a regular basis, get in there and do some serious scouting. This is best accomplished during midday, when both elk and deer are not as apt to be moving around. Go directly to those spots noted on your map and look for fresh sign—droppings, tracks, feeding areas, and well-used trails connecting feeding, watering and bedding sites. Try to determine the favored routes taken by these animals as they travel from nighttime feeding grounds to daytime bedding strongholds. Often, the best stand locations are interception points between these areas. It may take several days of patient trail watching to hunt such a spot effectively, but the odds are good that sooner or later the elk will move through, especially in areas of heavy activity. One big advantage to hunting this way is that shots can be set up at fairly close distances, often at less than 100 yards. ![elk hunting rifle]() *Tess Rousey* Productive scouting should verify your guesses as to what the elk are doing in a specific locale, and by staying alert and observant you should begin to see a distinct pattern in the elk's daily routines. Unpressured elk will often stick to the same movement patterns for an indefinite period of time—provided, of course, that adequate food, water and cover exist in a preferred area. This includes both resident elk, which may well have spent the entire summer in such a place, and elk that have recently migrated into the area. If conditions are right, migrating elk will often stop over on a prime piece of range and take up temporary residence for a stretch of three or four days. These elk will commonly be seen feeding on the same slopes during the morning and evening, and they will retreat to the same bedding strongholds during the day. If severe hunting pressure pushes them out, they will seek refuge in the first safe place they can find—in a remote drainage far from the spot where they were pressured. Remember, though, that elk that have been temporarily pushed out of a choice area may return several days later and resume their old habits if things appear to be safe. **Read Next: [Elk Hunting With the Crowds: Expert Tips for Punching a Tag During the General Elk Season]()** One word of caution: Whenever scouting, be careful not to spook the local game, especially any deer or elk that may be frequenting the area. To the hunter fortunate enough to have hunted the same area more than once, familiarity is certainly a great asset. Elk patterns often remain the same each year. By knowing these patterns, stand hunting from proven hideouts can be highly effective. The keys here are strategy and patience. You may see a nice bull one day that is too far away for a shot, but if you go after him in his green timber stronghold, the chances of your being detected and running him out of the territory are very high. It is sometimes far better to wait the elk out, and ambush him through predictable, natural movement. Take several days, if need be, and wait patiently for him to make that one mistake that will put him close enough for a certain shot. Once I see a herd of elk go into their bedding area for the day, I try not to disturb them in any way until they begin to feed late in the afternoon. Although stalking bedded elk is sometimes practical, elk usually bed in the most rugged, secluded spots they can find—that offer a high degree of safety because of the cover and topography of the land. Trying to get close to these animals, especially the herd bulls, without being seen is extremely difficult. Guard cows are usually strategically positioned around the herd's perimeters, making the bulls virtually impossible to reach. Hunting through natural movement is therefore often far wiser and much more productive. Resident elk—animals that have summered in a particular area and remain there until heavy winter snows force them out—are usually more predictable in their daily habits than a body of elk that has already been on the move for an indefinite period of time. As mentioned, migrating elk may stay over in an area for several days, but they are also capable of leaving the country without a trace on the spur of the moment. Attempting to second-guess a herd of resident elk may provide fewer hair-pulling frustrations, and once a definite pattern of movement has been established, plans for hunting these elk usually will not be thwarted as easily. This is not to say that the older, mature herd bulls are going to be a piece of cake to hunt. Quite the contrary. Unlike the younger, less experienced bulls in the herd, mature trophy-class bulls will often stay back in heavy cover, refusing to expose one hair of their thick hides to any potential danger. Larger bulls must often be hunted on their own terms. This could mean ignoring what the rest of the herd is doing and zeroing in on patterns unique to these big bulls. ![A bull elk emerges from the timber.]() *Photo by Dakota R. Kuhlman / Adobe St* Being a lifelong avid whitetail hunter as well as a hopelessly addicted elk hunter, I have frequently noticed many similarities between mature bucks and mature bulls. The younger bulls—spikes and, occasionally, even 2½-year-old four-point bulls—make errors in judgment that can prove to be fatal if a lucky hunter is near. These kinds of mistakes are seldom committed by the old herd monarch. For instance, time and again I have seen entire elk herds travel through a particular area. Often, they will cross large openings that may be in the direct line of travel. In a high percentage of these sightings, though, the large, dominant herd bulls will be noticeably absent from the main body of elk. Invariably, however, within 30 minutes or so I'll finally see them coming—two or three fine bulls together, perhaps—completely around the opening, slinking through the spruces or quakes, never showing themselves in the open, and always taking advantage of every single smattering of available cover. By defining the pattern of herd movement and attempting to make an educated guess as to where an elk herd may feed during an afternoon, which trails they probably will use and where they will be hanging their hats the following morning, bagging that cantankerous old herd bull can become a reality. Ultimate success often lies in being able to predict what a particular herd of elk will do, then waiting in the right spot at the right time when opportunity comes knocking. This can be both challenging and tricky; you may have to use an ambush point very close to where the entire herd will pass, and that big bull may well be the last elk to make an appearance. But when he does show himself, and the hair on the back of your neck begins to stand straight up, there is no other feeling quite like it in the world. *This story was originally published in the October 1988 issue of Outdoor Life.*