Herds of elk in layton lake

[Blueheaven]

I have come across sever large herds of elk but they are all female. Is this how they group in nature ? It is frustrating since the missions are usually to kill males.

[Katatonik]

Most males animal is solitary, unless they are in a herd.
Just like the carnivores one because most of them are territorial

[Nero]

Originally posted by Blueheaven:

I have come across sever large herds of elk but they are all female. Is this how they group in nature ? It is frustrating since the missions are usually to kill males.

In Balton lake there are tons of Elks yes ..usually in bigger female groups
Males usually run around alone. Exceptions are Needzones for drinking where some herds come together to drink.

Elks are usually solitary ..yet find themselves in groups in winter and since Layton lake is a late Fall map (Brown leafs and snowy mountaintops) its common for them to build small clusters

[Hidden Gunman]

Depending on where the herds are, you will generally find males in the bush nearby. It's worth watching the female herd when they wander off, because the males will follow or pace them.

[McSqurl Nugget]

Originally posted by Blueheaven:

I have come across sever large herds of elk but they are all female. Is this how they group in nature ? It is frustrating since the missions are usually to kill males.

There's almost always a bull or two somewhere around the cows in nature. they do like they do in the game and hang out in the trees and such until the cows call an all clear, then you'll see them feed around the edge of the clearing. except in the non-hunitng seasons, you'll see them mixed in the herds all the time. it's pretty interesting, the animals know the hunting seasons just like we do, or better. In the spring and summer you'll see them all over up here, but when it starts getting cold and snows they either vanish or move to areas they know aren't hunted, like mixing in with cattle herds.

Elk are very territorial, especially during mating season. your typical elk herd will have 1 or 2 bulls, and a dozen or so cows. Although some herds combine so you might see 3 or 4 bulls and 20 - 30 cows. Up here in the spring there's a number of herds that combine out in the fields to eat the freshly uncovered crops and grasses when the snow melts. On the road to my brother's house it's common to see a couple hundred elk in the fields. They're also the most vocal of the deer family. If you're hidden well you'll hear the cows mewling at each other. If there's danger they'll make a bark noise, like the warning call in game. Bulls grind their teeth and his at other bulls, that means they're ready to fight. They'll also bugle like in game. that's a mating call, and a warning to other bulls they out there and ready to fight.

Also in the summer up around the mountain lakes and the high meadow areas you'll find bachelor elk herds hanging out, just the bulls in groups. They need their man-cave type time also, just like we do.

[Robocision]

If you’re patient, you’ll usually find a bull sniffing around those herds.

[Mr L]

Very interesting McSqurl- Sounds like a very interesting animal to watch. I wish we had a good quanity of Elk her in Minnesota, we just have a few small herds

[AstroCreep]

Luckily it’s a game and you can just assassinate the women lol I’m dealing with that though. Been trying to follow the rules and shoot the males but i said ♥♥♥♥ it and shot a cow lmao

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Blueheaven:

I have come across sever large herds of elk but they are all female. Is this how they group in nature ? It is frustrating since the missions are usually to kill males.

I see videos of elk herds IRL where there are lots of big antlers gathered together. I don't know if that has a seasonal component to it or not. Where I'm from there aren't any elk so I have no expertise to offer.

Regardless, we're probably more concerned here with the actual game programming anyway. And here I have thousands of hours of in-depth experience, especially with moose, Reds and elk.

Right from launch it was made known that elk would form into bachelor herds, and those bachelors would more often be found in harder to reach, more isolated areas.

As for simulation, some bulls would have won the right to Lord over a harem, and you might see a couple smaller ones tagging along probably still following siblings.

This separation of the bulls into bachelor groups is why you will start to see females only once you start harvesting those Harem Lords.

You need to remember that these animals are not immediately replaced, which means once removed there can be a few in-game days where these harems will be unmanned, lol.

You will sometimes find rogue bulls wandering, but I think that's probably a result of the bachelor group they were in having been hunted leaving only a couple of straggling survivors.

There are other considerations involved in what you think you're observing too. Things like larger bulls having harder difficulties which means they remain in cover more, herds having designated leaders which sometimes don't get reassigned leaving survivors wandering aimlessly, etc. etc.