any tips or hints on elk hunting in the spring

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medvedqc

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with the opening the 1st of April in Yukon on a zone where there are only in few numbers scattered.

was wondering if any had any tips or hints on a spring or end of winter hunt.

thanks in advance.

Phil
 
If it is for antlered, April 1 will not have a lot of growth yet.

If for antlerless, the cows will be visibly pregnant.

Interesting dilemma, wonder who decided that hunt?

Dave.
 
Low snowfall areas. Looks like the Yukon has an "Elk Exclusion Zone" similar to the open Alberta Bison Zones.

The big bulls will have dropped their horns by April 1, but smaller bulls will be packing horns possibly until the end of April.
 
medvedqc said:
with the opening the 1st of April in Yukon on a zone where there are only in few numbers scattered.

was wondering if any had any tips or hints on a spring or end of winter hunt.

thanks in advance.

Phil
Click to expand...
If there are only a few numbers of them, then stay home and let the herd populate...............or would that make to much sense?
 
track said:
If there are only a few numbers of them, then stay home and let the herd populate...............or would that make to much sense?
Click to expand...

The idea of the exclusion areas is to keep them from spreading and negatively impacting other ungulates that have not historically had elk in their range......that makes sense!
 
Being you're in the Yukon not sure if this will help, but to me elk are just big whitetails; a little smarter and even more shy.

They tend to spend their day, "just inside" cover. If you can spot 10' into the cover you may see them midday. Other than that, find tracks you'll likely find the tracks go between their beds and their current feeding area.
 
yes this is in the exclusion zone. year open season. very hard to hunt few animals but doable.

i'm after meat not eating antler anyway.

but will see thanks for your answers.

Phil
 
Look for green grass/forbs or find an area that has some good carry-over grass and forbs. In the spring I see elk out in the open well into morning daylight hours. A winter of not eating a whole lot seems to make them throw caution to the wind a bit when there are some goods available again....Observations from northern Alberta anyways...

I'd be a bit concerned about meat quality myself but only one way to find out. Good luck.
 
If you get a cow that is carrying, save the fetus, apparently it was quite the delicacy when there was still a spring hunt, pre 1910ish.
 
The big, open south-facing grass slopes in that area are going to be key early in the season. Look for tracks in the snow and the elk aren't likely to be too far away.
 
sheephunter said:
The idea of the exclusion areas is to keep them from spreading and negatively impacting other ungulates that have not historically had elk in their range......that makes sense!
Click to expand...
The OP did not mention anything about an exclusion area. I'll assume that the government did not want disease spreading, etc.?
 
sorry I wasn't clear.

the exclusion area is an area where they don't want anymore an elk seen. they re less and less but still.

there is too agriculture land and of course other animals.

black and grizzly bears and wolves are in love with calves too ...
 
The meat might be very bad tasting. Elk like deer only brouse starting in november december and they start living off the bone. They will drop from one third to half of their body weight through out the winter. I'm quite sure you will disappointed.
 
Billdik,

what month will you suggest to start the hunting in the spring?

we were hunting red deer up to February in Europe and never had issues with the quality but the weather and grassing was not as bas as here.

thank you for that feedback.
 
To properly feed a beef they need good feed for a minimum of 120 days. If there is no season ending date like the guys were talking in their posts I would try and wait until they have at least 45 days of green grass or something to replenish their bodies and muscle. I would target a bull for sure too as they haven't been caring for a fetus.
 
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