Boots on the ground socuting...

[AZbywayofWI]

Heading out today to do an early scout of the area I am hunting this fall. As early as it is I am not specifically looking for the Elk I will be hunting but instead I decided to focus on the following:

1. Water: Since we are hunting from our packs, we need a water supply to sustain us. I will be trying to locate several different water supply's that will cover this basis as well as be a potential spot for finding Elk in the fall.
2. Campsite: Locating a spot that will be close to water and yet still put us in an area where our presence will minimally effect the animals we are hunting but still provide us access to them.
3. Elk Sign: Try to find old wallows, rubs, water holes or any other Elk sign I can find that will point me to an area they frequent.
4. Food: Locate browse that Elk feed on.
5. Hard to reach areas: Hoping to locate some areas where I feel Elk would hide out in when pressured. An area where other people might not want to go because of the difficulty of getting there.
6. Elk: To be honest, I wouldn't mind to glass up some Elk as well. We will be in an area that is on the edge of their summer range and the edge of their winter range and includes a migration corridor so maybe we will get lucky and see some.

If you guys were putting boots on the ground for the first time in a new area, what would you look for? Is there anything that tops your list?

- Matt

 

[Deleted member 20812]

It depends on if it’s a new area or not. If I’ve never been there before, I’ll typically go through the same list you have.

 

[nrpate05]

List sounds pretty comprehensive. I'd also note some of your hiking/driving times to glassing points/areas you want to be in early. A lot of times it takes a long longer than you'd think just looking at a map.

 

[bmontang]

I would add looking for all of that with good north facing sloes where elk can get out of the heat.

Also with good escape routes for elk to use. The more "comfortable" elk can be in an area the more likely they stay or come back.

 

[2rocky]

Make sure the roads on the map go all the way to the "end of the road". That's where your competition will be.

Find high glassing points Especially if it's Pinyon Juniper.

Yes on finding water.

Check out dirt tanks you find on Escouting to see if they hold water still. Best place to find tracks too. note prevailing winds and thermals.

If there is a river in your area, find good crossing places. Spotting an elk across a canyon but not being able to get across is frustrating as hell...

You mainly want to say "that looks good, there is how I will access it."

 

[Gila]

Depends on when your hunt will be and where. Access will very during the fall and early winter. Also depends on how many hunts and tags will be before you hunt. Bigfin's E-scouting series will get you in the area. For anything I hunt in a new area, I follow edges and draws, glass from above. I am relatively new to elk hunting but I can find elk.

 

[Nick_CO]

I'll add to look for any and all human access points. For example, I once scouted an area that I thought was very difficult to access only to have random hunters show up during the season. They weren't coming in the way I did which seemed like the most logical way. I eventually found a very well-worn horse trail that was not on any maps. Now I make big sweeping perimeters while scouting new areas to hopefully find things like that and anticipate company.