crunchy snow or snapping branches?

[MThuntr]

Would you rather crunch through the snow or move in the dark timber where nearly every little branch snagged or snapped?

We had both in our last push for elk last week where both were unavoidable. It proved to be one of the most frustrating hunts I've ever been on.

 

[montana_bow]

I'd say timber. You can actually do a few things to no snap a bunch of twigs. Snow is kinda you get what ya get. You have to try to hunt more open country or set up and try to ambush them.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

You can actually get away with some noise while still hunting them, but you have to insure that you are using the wind properly and going slow. It's their nose that busts you more often than not.

 

[MThuntr]

I'd say timber. You can actually do a few things to no snap a bunch of twigs. Snow is kinda you get what ya get. You have to try to hunt more open country or set up and try to ambush them.

This is what I tried but being a stout man (slightly above average height and well fed ) it is challenging to get through some of that stuff without breaking some. I eventually camped on a small meadow with hopes something might wander out.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

I find each has plusses and disadvantages. Visibility, terrain, species you are hunting, time of year etc all add up to decisions over whether to make noise in open country and possibly be located by the game quicker, or stick to the cover and maybe not get a look as easily at the animals you are hunting.

If i had to decide, it would be purely on the situation you are in at the time, although as had been said, and i agree, that you can certainly get away with making noise in thick country, as long as it is not regular thump thump of a hunter purposefully moving through brush. I like to adjust my pace to the time of day, what the animals i believe are doing that i am stalking (feeding, bedded etc) and move at the pace that these animals would be travelling at. Most deer species will tolerate noise to a degree so long as they don't smell you, that is critical.
And i often give locating or communicating calls that the females would make of the species that i am hunting, just to try to settle any animals down that are nearby that i haven't yet got a look at but i feel they would be well aware of my presence. Nothing to confrontational or abnormal for the bulls, bucks or stags to hear this post rut and it occasional gives you a bit more time to work on the animals that you believe are close.

 

[huntRme]

You can walk right into a herd of elk with the right kind of noise. I'd take the timber over the snow.

 

[MT_Nate]

You can walk right into a herd of elk with the right kind of noise. I'd take the timber over the snow.

I Agree 100% when you've got wind advantage as well...


...but then again, I've had little luck finding elk where the snow's crunchy regardless of noise...it makes their feeding tougher because of having to dig through the crusty ice layer to reach their feed. They either climb higher to softer snows or bail to some nasty hell-hole of a jungle down low that I have yet to get a shot at them in.

 

[sweetnectar]

Put me down for crunchy timber for archery elk hunting. I can hear the elk comming and use my ninja skills to reduce my crunchy timber sounds. As for the crunchy snow...it just plain old makes noise that travels a long ways in the cold air.