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Fighting Elk

Couple days ago, on youtube, I searched fighting elk. I was amazed at how many elk fights are on there. Yeah a lot of them were in Yellowstone, and other national parks.

Something I've never seen is a "real, knock-down-drag-out-I'm-gonna-kill-ya" fight. For that matter, I've never even seen a pushing match.

Just wondering who on here has seen "the real deal" as far as elk battles go? out in the wilds while hunting - not in a park, and when you did, did you video it. (lets see it).

The night before the opener several years back, way back in GMU 25, my buddies and my crept back to a big meadow to glass from the edge at dusk. I huge elk popped out....it was a cow. Biggest cow I have ever seen. Then 4 smaller bulls came out and worked toward some wallows in the meadow. 2 of the bulls started scrapping a bit. It was quite the show. Never saw those elk again........

My son and I had been following a bull and cows all morning, then we heard the clanking of antlers. As we approach the cows spot us and run off followed by a 6 point bull, but two other 6 point bulls are still fighting. Unlike previous sparring matches I had witnessed, this was the real deal. They didn't even notice us, and we could have went up and stuck spears in them. Instead we stood there with two bulls locked together and my son and I with our bows drawn back. They would move back and forth, tearing up the dirt with their hoofs, sometimes almost backing over us. I thought for sure we were both going to kill bulls. However, we ended out with nothing, as they disengaged so fast, and one chased the other off, that you couldn't take a good shot. This was in a burned area, wide open. We got nothing, just the thrill of a lifetime.

Met a guy at a waterhole project with a knife that had an small elk antler handle. I inquired about it and he told me the story: He was sitting a blind when 2 bulls started fighting around his blind. They ended up scrapping about 15 feet in front of him. He said dirt was splashing on him from them jostling around for position. All of a sudden, a point broke off one of the bulls and the guy said he could feel the vibration in his body. He kept the broken point as a "souvenir" and had the knife made. Said he was took shook up to draw his bow LOL.

2008 after returning from a 3-night bivy hunt we returned to our base camp on the edge of a park. In the middle of the night we were awaken by 5-6 different bugles around our camp, some within 50 yards of our camp. As daybreak came the bugles were about 150 yards away in the park. We slowly grabbed our gear and stalked up to the area to hear/see two 5x5 bulls battling up and down the park as a 6x6, and two 4x4 bulls and several cows looked on. We watched them for 20 minutes and could not get any closer and were finally busted by a cow barking at us. That was an experience I'll never forget, wish I had a video camera that day. Colorado DIY public land bowhunt.

Watched bulls squaring off all morning today. It was amazing. The sheer power is awe inspiring. Absolutely amazing animals.

I was in the middle of a violent battle between two big 6x herd bulls. Close enough that one kicked dirt on me and I had to back up twice. Neither noticed I was right there. I shot the closest one at 6 steps with a longbow. He ran off and the other one thought he'd won the fight, bugled several times and shook his head before going back to gather up both harems.

The one I shot broke his third and fifth points in the fight. I found the third but not the other one when I went back later to look. The vegetation was pretty tall and thick. Pretty cool experience.

I was with a friend following a herd of elk that had 10-12 cows, a big herd bull, and a 340 satellite. We were trying to stay with them going up a canyon when we heard a different bull bugle farther up the canyon. Then all hell broke loose. Two herds had come together and the herds bulls were viciously going after each other. Two really big bulls pushing each other around. For minutes at a time they fought and then they'd stop, noses mere inches away with their tongues hanging out catching their breath, then they'd go back at it. This battle went on for at least 20minutes. All the while the cows simply fed, couldn't have cared less the bulls were fighting. My buddy was trying to sneak in on the big boys but the 340 satellite walked right by him and he drilled him... That ended the chaos and all was quiet in seconds.

Absolutely incredible and I would have given anything for a video camera.

Was watching a good 5 pt bull with two cows on the hillside. Along came a 6 pt bull over the hill, saw the smaller bull and challenged him. The larger bull positioned himself above the other bull, drove down the hill and made contact and then pushed the smaller bull down the hill 150 ft before their antlers came apart. Not doubt, the 5 pt lost his girl friends.

I saw two smaller bulls really going at it last year. They got so close I could see the expression in their eyes.

First time I saw 2 bulls fighting I honestly thought it was a rock slid. I could hear what sounded like rocks sliding down a hill. I walk through some oak brush to see and saw 2 big 6 point bulls just knocking the dog tar out of each other for about 15 mins. then they just walk their separate ways.

I was watching some bulls fight just above a dirt tank that was in a big meadow, it was a great battle with the smaller 6x6 getting the worst of it then the herd moved further up the meadow leaving the smaller 6x6 by the tank to lick his wounds. After a few minutes of walking around the tank the bull started rolling in the mud and bugling, you could tell he was directing the sounds towards the herd, it took about 10 minutes of rolling in the mud and bugling to work himself into a complete frenzy, all the while the herd bull had been talking back to him and just making him madder then he just bolted out of the tank and up the meadow, at that point it was a almost dark, as I walked out of the area I could hear clashing antlers, bugles and cows talking and thinking to myself what a great day this was.

I did my Fighting Bulls mount from those river pix of those bulls.

Not really big enough for a stand alone mount so I did 'em fighting style.

Two 6x's from 2 different states all with in 8 days----------> in mid-September.

Good luck, Robb

I once saw a small elk and large mule deer in a fight. They were lightly racking antlers.

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