Why do elk hiss?

[JohnFitzgerald]

A few times in. My life I\'ve heard elk hiss. Why do they? What\'s your theories on why?

 

[Swede]

In the book Elk of North America, page 250 paragraph 2 under \"Threats\" it says \"a cow or bull will retract the upper lip as if exposing rudimentary canines, grind the teeth and utter a soft hissing sound\".

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

I believe both times I\'ve heard it was mid - late September.

One herd was on the move and couldn\'t see if it was a bull or cow. I was very close, ~ 30 yards in a reprod patch.

Second herd was foraging around, which had bull on the opposite end that I was on. Hiss came from his area but I couldnt tell who gave it. Don\'t recall how far but there was a small commotion before .

 

[WW]

Are you sure it was a hiss? I think maybe they were saying, \"Shhhuuu! I think JF is coming\"!

 

[Swede]

I think you are onto something WW. When they know I am coming they laugh, or is that a chuckle? Well at least I have never heard them hiss.

 

[bowhunter]

Swede, When you walk into the woods the Owls \"Hoot\" then the Elk know you are there and avoid your tree stands. Maybe John is onto something with the bear in your stand.
:idea: You need to carry a dummy into your stand then sneek off to one nearby to confuse the Owls. :haha:

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

Are you sure it was a hiss? I think maybe they were saying, \"Shhhuuu! I think JF is coming\"!

Maybe!

 

[Swede]

You need to carry a dummy into your stand then sneek off to one nearby to confuse the Owls.

I was giving Mtnmutt some trash, and I obviously should have been looking around more. So you think the wise old owl would be confused on which one of us was the real dummy. Hummmm!