Me and my brother in law are going on our first real elk hunt in SW Colorado this year. I am curious where the ideal location to set up camp would be, on top of the mesas or down low toward the bottom? My thought is that if we camp low there is less chance of elk smelling us overnight due to thermals pulling down hill. I appreciate any insight and tips/recommendations!
Camp….above or below elk?
- Thread starter NateW45
- Start date
I don't know the correct answer, but I witnessed elk moving away from the end of a canyon where hunters were camping in the bottom. The wind was blowing from the hunters to the elk most of the time. I was camping on top. I suppose it depends on the direction of the wind. There was water in the bottom. None on top .
Potsie
Well-known member
Best thing to do is to put them to bed, then camp as close as humanly possible. That way you can just poke your muzzle out of the tent in the morning and shoot them when they come out to feed.
jdf
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2011
- Messages
- 538
Below. That way you can hunt up with thermals coming down in mornings. Then climb to top for afternoon as thermals change and hunt down onto them below.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Hunt up, pack down.
Are you setting up a base camp and hunting out from there or more of a spike camp? You don't want to be so close that you blow elk out of the area with your scent. Often elk are not in the same place each evening/morning also.
Keep in mind thermals in the morning will be going up but in the evening will go down hill. So while camping below is better at night be prepared in the morning when that changes.
My camp is usually a ways from where I am actually hunting. That way I am less likely to disturb my hunt area. Might be different in a spike camp though.
The best advice having hunted down and packed up a few times.
2rocky
Well-known member
I'm guessing where you are hunting there will be trails, benches and water that will determine to a large extent where "camp" should be. If there are water sources on the mesa (or ridge top) and that gives you access to the most finger ridges and draws for glassing, then that is a likely candidate for a place where you can get to a glassing spot quickly in the morning and a place with easy hiking back to camp after you "put a herd to bed" in the evening.
Provided you have your camp in a sheltered area, I would not expect a great deal of scent pollution so long as you are not right on top of elk night feeding areas. I did discover a backpacker's tent in the head of the creek, near the saddle where I killed a herd bull on opening day. The survivors probably walked right by it in rifle range...
Summer or preseason scouting will also show where big camps have been historically. This is your best clue for what works for most folks that hunt the unit. of course horse camps will be farther and less concerned about having to climb.
FWIW Buzz's advice is worthwhile. But remember you don't always have to pack game back to your camp on top the ridge. Many a meat cache has been made near the trail back to the trailhead to reduce packing up hill more than necessary.
Provided you have your camp in a sheltered area, I would not expect a great deal of scent pollution so long as you are not right on top of elk night feeding areas. I did discover a backpacker's tent in the head of the creek, near the saddle where I killed a herd bull on opening day. The survivors probably walked right by it in rifle range...
Summer or preseason scouting will also show where big camps have been historically. This is your best clue for what works for most folks that hunt the unit. of course horse camps will be farther and less concerned about having to climb.
FWIW Buzz's advice is worthwhile. But remember you don't always have to pack game back to your camp on top the ridge. Many a meat cache has been made near the trail back to the trailhead to reduce packing up hill more than necessary.
