Do Elk Like Aspen Trees? - The Body Training

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter and Outdoorsman.

Aspen trees are a very common species found throughout much of North America, including major habitats of elk. But as common as aspen trees are in the mountains that these large animals call home, do elk actually like aspen trees?

Elk love to live in and near large groves of aspen trees. Not only do aspen trees provide shelter and cover for the elk, but they also provide an important food source. If there are aspen trees in an area where elk live, it is very likely that they will not be very far.

If you are looking to get out and do some elk hunting, finding groves of aspen trees can be a great starting point for you. These trees provide a wonderful service to elk, where they naturally occur and attract large numbers of animals. Continue reading to learn all about aspen trees and how to effectively use them to fill your next elk tag!

In this post, we'll cover:

Elk Habitat and Diet

Elk are very large animals that can live in a variety of different habitats. They can be found in various forests, grasslands, and mountainous regions in North America. The area in which they live will typically provide them with a good mix of open and wooded areas that gives them plenty of forage and shelter when they need it. If you can find the right elk habitat, you are sure to find plenty of elk living there.

These areas also provide elk with everything their diet needs. Elk are herbivores and will primarily feed on different grasses, forbs, and other vegetation. During the colder months, when this type of feed is not available, they will resort to eating different twigs, leaves, and bark from trees and shrubs. This includes aspen trees and is the main reason that elk love living near them.

Why Do Elk Eat Aspen Trees?

One of the biggest reasons that elk love to live in and near groves of aspen trees is the food that they can provide. This is especially true during the winter months when other food sources might be scarce. Elk love to eat the leaves, twigs, and bark of aspen trees as they contain high levels of various nutrients that the elk need to survive during the fall and winter seasons.

By eating aspen trees, elk can get high levels of protein, carbohydrates, and other minerals. While they will move on to other food sources during the spring and summer months, the fall and winter seasons can prove to be difficult for these animals, and aspen trees provide an easy food source when they need it most.

How to Find Elk In Aspen Trees

Elk will most often be found near aspen trees during the fall and winter months. While you can definitely find them in and near aspen groves at other times of the year, they will favor aspen trees for their food source later in the year.

Luckily this makes elk somewhat easy to find when they are in and near aspens, as all of the leaves have fallen off of the trees and the brown bodies of the elk tend to stand out against the white and grey bark of the aspen trees.

Your best bet for finding elk in aspen trees is to find a high point near large groves and carefully glass the trees with your binoculars. These groves can still be very thick even without their leaves, so take your time and carefully pick apart each opening while you search for elk. If you take your time and are in a good spot, you should be able to pick up some elk living in the patch of aspen trees in no time.

Another popular method involves using other hunters to perform a “deer drive.” This involves setting up next to a large patch of trees in which you suspect the elk living. You then have a hunting buddy or two walk through the trees and intentionally drive the elk out in your direction.

As the elk run away from the other hunters, they will hopefully move right past you and present a shot opportunity. When done correctly, a deer drive works great for elk during the later seasons.

What If There Are No Aspen Trees in My Area?

As much as elk love aspen trees, there are not always large numbers of them in every elk habitat. This doesn’t mean you will not be able to find elk; it just means you will have to find the current food source that the elk are using at that time.

No matter where you might be hunting elk, they will have to find a sustainable food source, such as agricultural fields, willows, cottonwoods, or birches, if they cannot find any aspen trees.

If you find yourself hunting elk during the later seasons and do not see any aspen trees, look for these other species of plants, and you should find some elk. However, if you do have large numbers of aspen trees in your area, this should be the first place that you begin your search!

Elk prefer to feed on aspen trees and use them as cover if given a choice and will only resort to other food sources or areas if they have to.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is no secret that elk have a very strong preference for large areas filled with aspen trees. These trees play an important role in providing these elk with food, shelter, and a place to live during large portions of the year.

It is not unusual to find large herds of elk living in aspen groves throughout the year, especially during the fall and winter. So if you are heading out on an elk hunt and need a good starting point to begin your search, it might not be a bad idea to start by looking for some aspen trees.

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.

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