Will wounded Elk travel uphill?

[WardDawg7]

To my amazement yes they do.  How is it possible for a mortally wounded animal to head straight up the mountain?  All logical thinking is that they would want to take the easier route?  I have seen first hand that they will travel up hill from were they have been hit.  A good thing to keep in mind if you think you have lost an animal.

 

[Jared Bloomgren]

Generally they won't but like you said. Never rule it out as I have seen it before as well.

 

[MT_mulies]

I've only experienced that once in my hunting "career." Most of the time theyhead towards water. Whenever I hear of a wounded animal I tell people to look wherever the closest body of water is.

 

[ROYCE1967]

That depends on how critical they are hit...so dont bet against it...

 

[Fullabull]

To start they will go whatever direction they think is away from the danger. If not hit hard they will go up or down until they start feeling week then it's down or level travel. It they are hit hard, they are not going far no matter which direction they head!

 

[nclonghunter]

The one I shot went down hill at an angle, then up an embankment for 50 yards, went another 100 yards before turning down hill. He went another 100 yards into some aspens were he laid down for good. Nice he went down hill because it made the carry a little shorter.

 

[turbo1967]

I have found they will go what ever direction is to where they feel safe,does depend on the type of terrain.Have seen them go up hill many time,where I hunt the roads are most of the time down in the gulch and they will usually head away from the roads.when not around roads most of the time they will side hill at a slight uphill angle.however if you did it right they dont ever go far.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I'm not sure they actually think about what they are doing. I have shot them and had them run directly at me before, as well as uphill, even had a few just stand there.

 

[jenbickel]

Mine last year ran waaaay uphill.. I remember thinking, how in the heck can he do that?!! Then he circled back around and went downhill to a creek.

 

[huntnmuleys]

I've seen em do some crazy stuff after being hit. Never have understood how something can have such a will to live.

 

[Garrett Weaver]

Really depends where they are hit, but yes they will go uphill. Usually they will side hill or take the easiest path especially with a shoulder shot. 

 

[Bullhunter]

I have seen it before even after a perfect shot.

 

[Jimbow65]

I think their first reaction is to escape the danger. If they know where the threat is, their survival instinct is to get away from the danger as quickly and surely as possible even if they are mortally wounded.

 

[kikinhorse]

I have seen them go cool damp areas.

 

[Nimrod]

I have seen it a few times but generally in my experience they go down hill.

Jeff

 

[ghost]

Same experience here. Seen a few go uphill but most have gone downhill.

 

[Kglacken]

Never seen an elk do it, but I know deer will. If they are hit good enough they usually dont.

 

[Alder]

Seems like they always just follow the herd. Wherever the herd went - they go.

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Have seen a few. My archery bull this last season I shot at 16 yds, took out both lungs. He took off and I waited the longest hour we hunters wait and about 15 minutes into the wait I heard something uphill and maybe 50 yds away. I had separated him from his cows so I thought it was a cow. After the hour I started following his tracks and  I then lost his track and took a line I thought he would take. Nothing, normally I would have started the next line down hill, but I thought lets go uphill 20 yds and come back. Sure enough he had gone 10-15 yds uphill after the shot and traveled about 70 yds in all sliding dowhill. The sound I heard was him sliding into a tree.  I dont think it is the norm, but sitting and listening paid off as he had a limited blood trail and was mortally hit.