Unique elk talk

by Idaho Steve
(Hailey, Id )

I was deer hunting/camping out a long narrow drainage last fall. In the middle of the night, a herd of elk came traveling through the drainage and right past my tent. I heard lots of cow talk right next to my tent and lots of movement. Most of the talk was of the regular variety.

But at one point I heard talk I've never heard before. It was almost like a fast-paced machine gun type of chattering, chit-chit-chit-chit. It almost sounded like a raccoon, but much deeper.

The first thing that entered my mind was that it was a cow trying to control or warn a calf who was maybe curiously trying to figure out what my tent was. But I really have no idea if that is accurate. I suppose it's possible it was a different animal, but it coincided with abundant cow talk and was of the same tone and volume and came from the same direction, maybe 20 yards away. This was around Oct. 20.

Has anybody ever heard anything like this before?

Comments for Unique elk talk

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Jul 21, 2018
Chattering elk
by: Archie Lish

I heard roughly what you describe once. I sat still and watched around me. A group of 7 cows with a small spike were walking through the timber. It was almost as if they were just talking back and forth. I watched and listened long after they were gone. I've never heard anything like it before or since. It was definitely cow talk but unlike any I've ever heard.

Sep 24, 2012
Elk noise
by: Anonymous

From the sounds you have described, I would say it is them walking. I know this may sound weird, but when they walk, thier hooves make a clicking sound. I've heard it myself and when you are close you can hear it pretty well.

May 20, 2012
Cat Fight???
by: Anonymous

@ Mardee, they were introduced (re-introduced) here in the 50s, I think. There is a nice bull mounted in Castles Corner in Carey that says it was taken in the Salmon Headwaters--so just over Galena Pass or near Vienna Mine--in 1967. It's a 6x6. F&G claimed there were over 7,500 elk in and around the Wood River Valley last fall. They are everywhere.

@Dave, I do not know. I really have no idea what was going on. But I'm about 99% certain it was coming from an elk. My initial reaction was that it was some sort of an alarm...which could definitely mean a fight was on. Who knows...girls make some pretty crazy sounds during cat fights ;) It sure made me sit up in the tent and shake my head though ...

May 20, 2012
Elk Fighting?
by: Dave, ElkHuntingTips.net

Do you think it was elk fighting? They often stand up on hind legs and box for a few seconds. They make a shaky elk noise when they do that.

May 20, 2012
Talking Elk
by: MarDee

I've NEVER heard anything like that. Interesting!! It'll be interesting to see what other people have to say.

And...I didn't even know that there were elk in that part of Idaho. My dad was Supt. of Hayspur Fish Hatchery & I spent my early years out & about there quite a bit. He always went deer & antelope hunting, but never elk. Any idea when they showed up there for the first time? We left there in 1939 & they hadn't been there by that time.

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