Elk Reactions to Gun Shots

[cohunter14]

I was thinking about this the other day and figured I would post it here to see what everyone\'s thoughts and/or observations were in regard to this. How do you feel elk react when hearing gun shots? If someone shows up to their camp and sights in their rifle right there the day before the season, will it send the elk away? On the same note, if you go up scouting prior to the season and rip off some shots, will it have any affect? What if you are doing this once a week during the summer prior to the season? Will it change the overall patterns of elk?

As I am typing this, another thought just came to mind as well: what about chainsaws? If someone arrives to camp the day prior and rips up the chain saw to get a good stack of wood, will that affect the elk in the area?

 

[cnelk]

Derek
I think the elk get accustomed to gunshots/chainsaws/ATVs/Motorcycles throughout the summer.
Especially in the popular NF areas where camping is allowed.

What I have found what elk really react to is pre-season scouting a day or two before season starts.
Many times I have heard guys say \"I saw a bunch of elk here just the day before season\"
Well DUMMY, maybe you shouldnt have been tramping around your hunting area right before season!
If one group of guys do that in an area, you know many others are too. Pretty soon the elk have relocated.
Maybe not far, maybe 5 miles away.

I understand that some guys cant scout until they get to their hunting area. But if that happens, I would at least wait until
season starts and then scout with a weapon in hand.

I have some spots that arent that far from the road system or camps.
Hunted correctly, the elk are there

 

[Swede]

Elk aren\'t all that smart. They don\'t know the difference between your scouting and hunting. I agree with what Brad said al the way.

 

[cohunter14]

Interesting...so you guys don\'t think they have much influence, huh? I have heard people sighting in their rifles at camp the day before the season and I have never liked it, but maybe I am off with that. I will say that last year someone did just that and some elk that had been in the area completely disappeared before opening morning. But who knows if it was based on that or if someone decided to get some \'scouting\' in...

 

[Tdiesel]

I think what they are trying to say is if it happens all year long then it won\'t affect the elk much but if the elk haven\'t heard gun shots all year then someone sight in their rifle I think the elk will definetly get out of there. <If not I apologize for putting words in the previous posters mouth>. If you have a clay sporting range next to a riverway and deer get used to hearing the gunshots so they don\'t care much and first week of deer season alot of deer will probably be grazing in the open at 10:00 in the morning. Now if someone goes shooting say ten miles up river all the deer around flee that area. they are not used to the gunshots. Same as CNELK was talking about guys running everywhere a day before season in our area its mostly with ATV\'s. In the summer we go up and check and salt cows every so often maybe once every two weeks we\'ll almost see elk everytime right off the ATV. but right before season all of a sudden 30 ATV\'s are up and down the trail all day long guess what won\'t see elk around that trail till late in december. after the business has settled down at least thats my thoughts on it maybe different in other areas but I wouldn\'t be sighting in my rifle except several miles from where I plan on hunting. I prefer the elk didn\'t start hiding before i\'m actually hunting them.

 

[OldMan]

At our local range we have mule deer walk right in front of the targets all the time. It\'s usually a small group of 5-6 does just slowly walking by while looking at us.

I haven\'t seen elk do it, but elk are no more spooky than mule deer.