Fact or Myth of Moose pushing out Elk?

smchop

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I have only hunted a few seasons of Elk here in Colorado. I have heard it multiple times that Moose in an area will generally mean no elk in the area. Any truth to that? Where I hunted last week, I could have tagged out 10x over on moose, lots of fresh elk sign, but no elk in the area. So will elk be pushed out of an area by moose? Thanks.
 
I have only hunted a few seasons of Elk here in Colorado. I have heard it multiple times that Moose in an area will generally mean no elk in the area. Any truth to that? Where I hunted last week, I could have tagged out 10x over on moose, lots of fresh elk sign, but no elk in the area. So will elk be pushed out of an area by moose? Thanks.

I have heard no such thing. Moose and elk occupy the same general areas in Montana, however slightly different habitat. You will find Moose near water along creek and stream bottoms more and elk usually take the higher meadows until winter sets in, then they migrate toward hay fields.
 
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Good to know, my stopping grounds have a lot of moose, but a lot of elk traffic to. Just wanted to make sure I was in a decent area and get other unknowns cleared up. Thanks for the replies!
 
Moose are more visible. Tags are very limited so they experience less pressure. I know of areas the moose do a little better with less winter range, as they range a little farther, and can generally stay a little higher on the mountain. They can manage on a rougher diet. Never heard of them pushing out elk. My guess is they're taking over in an area do to other changes.
 
they are hell on the buffalo herd......
 

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Here in BC, Canada, we have a ton of overlapping moose and elk ranges. Most of the North-West quarter of the province has a ton of both animals.

Elk seem to like climbing mountains a lot more than moose do from what I know.
 
Lots of moose in the area I was elk hunting this week. Moose were up much higher than normal as well. Elk were still around.

Did hear from a buddy whose dad arrowed an elk a few weeks back that went 40 yards and layed down only to get run off by a bull moose.
 
I have only hunted a few seasons of Elk here in Colorado. I have heard it multiple times that Moose in an area will generally mean no elk in the area. Any truth to that? Where I hunted last week, I could have tagged out 10x over on moose, lots of fresh elk sign, but no elk in the area. So will elk be pushed out of an area by moose? Thanks.

Untrue....They eat 2 different food types. One is a browser and other is a grazer
 
I have only hunted a few seasons of Elk here in Colorado. I have heard it multiple times that Moose in an area will generally mean no elk in the area. Any truth to that? Where I hunted last week, I could have tagged out 10x over on moose, lots of fresh elk sign, but no elk in the area. So will elk be pushed out of an area by moose? Thanks.

I moved to Co 1977 and 1978 they release first moose over by Rand, Co (North Park) got them from Montana.

I've been hunting around North /South Park since 1977 also fishing and been a big increase in Moose range . As that herd increased and branching out the rumors started about them pushing the elk out and now their range extends for unit 6 Co/Wy border down to 751 Co/NM border.

2012 they issued 99 bull tags and 110 cow tags for all those 39 units and those tags cover archery,ML and rifle season so their is very little hunting pressure if any vs elk hunting.

I hunted South Park archery bull elk no luck seen them and hunted North Park rifle cow tag 3rd season filled that tag and some pretty nice bulls taken mostly local's hunting there.
 
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