Been watching this one carefully as wife and I have cow tags in a limited draw unit near us in WY. This will really be our first serious attempt at these critters. We have been scouting and have routinely found cow/calfs and rubs and old and new sign. So I am optimistic.
We had a camera out in a low point where a small creek runs for over a mile between two ridges, it was there for 2 weeks and with the exception of one evening, had cows on it every evening. My wife now wants a tree stand there for archery season. I was going to stay out of that area, but now will be going back in one more time before Sept 15!
We have also been teaching her to cow call and she's been taking the call when we scout, twice now, we've walked right up on elk, one time a solo cow, the second time a cow, 2 calfs and a 4th "elk of some sort". In both cases we were not trying to be quiet, but following a game trail, talking occasionally and her calling occassionally with her cow call. The first time we literally almost walked into the cow, saw her at 15 yards in some thicker sections, she was just feeding and didn't seem to care we were there. Second time we came over a small rise to find a cow staring at us and the other 3 (that we saw) apparently bedded.
My question is that this area doesn't have a good glassing spot, at least that I've found so far, it has some ridges but very tree'd and some lodge pole pine and aspen groves. In some of it we can see a good distance. I plan to mostly still hunt/walk these areas glassing as far as I can, use ridges to call (bugle and cow), then focus on teh grass areas that are spread around, some small, some very large, especially at dawn/dusk.
we've identified several game trails to/from many of the open parks and will work these as well. There has to be a wallow around, but damn if I can find it!
Without an elevated glassing spot, what's the best way to approach this?
