Elk and The Wind

[ORelksniper]

I\'ve heard, and read, that elk move with their nose into the wind. Is this generally true?
If yes, then I have these questions: #1 Early morning elk feeding on a south slope. Thermals going down slope. When they head to bed will they ever move down slope to get to a bedding area on adjacent north facing slope? #2. Same scenario except elk moving up hill into the wind to bed over the ridge on north slope. Will they wait near the ridge line for thermals to change before they crest the ridge and drop down on the north slope beds?

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Thermals and bedding theories should actually be considered general guidelines. The areas I hunt don\'t hold true to any of these theories. So I choose to find the beds by lots of scouting, documenting, and locate bugling bulls to bed. Thermals, I play hour to hour and day by day.

My 2-cents.

 

[Swede]

Frank, I don\'t think it is a very true statement. I can say with certainty they don\'t always or near always travel into the wind. I would say they take the easiest safest route to their location. They are good at using terrain and cover to its full advantage.
Often in the late afternoon and evening they travel down slope with the wind at their back, to get to their night feeding area.
I have set up, in the late morning or afternoon, with my back to a bluff calling, so the elk below could not get my scent. The elk were ok with that arrangement.
Most of the time when I sit in my stand in the evening, the elk come in from the side or from above. That is because I set at water near a bedding area.

 

[ORelksniper]

Thanks, JF and Swede. Been thinking about this particular theory and how it relates to my encounters and sightings in the elk woods. Didn\'t seem to hold true often enough to plan strategies around but thought I\'d get some other observations.

 

[iccyman001]

I\'ve also had encounters where I know they should have winded me or ran, but didn\'t.


Most of these were younger elk though. None of the older ones stuck around.

When I hunt whitetail, if they smell something new, they bolt (more often than not)

It was not the same case with some of these elk.