Elk -still hunting or cover ground?

[huntfishcamp]

Im pretty new to the elk scene (second yr) and curious what opinions are out there as far as tactics, preffered method still hunting / glassing, or stay in the timber-stop often and looking for sign, or walk the timber edges and cover miles during mid day, one in the woods and one out (theres just 2 of us) Also curious how long in AM and PM should one spend glassing before you assume they are holed up for the day and start wearing out some leather? Last year we still hunted areas in teh AM and PM we saw sign, but had better luck just hoofing it and covering miles and miles, but we got lucky.

 

[Intothewindoutdoors]

Im a huge fan of covering as much ground as I can. The farther away from other hunters the better off you are. Look for fresh sign and aspin pockets or thick timder and call a little. If nothing comes in keep hiking! Good luck this year let us know how you do!

 

[Sytes]

I find I am not more silent then the darn elk can detect... I still do it though I push out more elk then I can get a beed on. One that I try to follow on tactics tries to hold me back from hiking from here to hell and back... His advise, and when I can hold myself to his "sage" thoughts on the subject - Pick my clear cuts / parks - get to an area to glass and SIT, SIT and SIT. Glassing the areas and developing the strategy from there when / if something is spotted. Give it a certain time and during the warmer time - route to another park identified and do the same...

I seem much more successful doing such then sneaking around trying to get onto them before they get onto me.

A couple areas are nice for still hunting and I am sure the better I get at it - the less odor I have emitting, the better off I am and my chances increase. We still hit those spots though I tend to see the ass end of the elk before I can get a clean shot.

Best of success in your hunt!

BTW - this is not defined to be that "sage" advice, more to share my errors and what has helped in my hunts.

 

[Intothewindoutdoors]

Sytes, also great advice! Both tactics can work depending on the season and the situation. The great thing about elk hunting is there is so many different ways to hunt them and depending on the situation you have to be ready to change tactics to be successful.

These tactics might change according to weather, time of day, weapon of choice, etc. The challenge of elk hunting is what makes it so much fun!

Good luck this year!!

 

[POk3s]

I do both. I cover some serious ground in before the sun comes up getting through the areas most hunters will hit during their morning/evening hunts. Am I passing up some elk...maybe, but I also know I will get into a calmer, higher concentration of elk because of the lack of hunters and hunting pressure. In the early mornings I will glass then usually bust my butt to get where the elk want to be. This year I dropped down into the valley of death about an hour after shooting light. My dad told me they didn't even come out until well after the sun had hit that ridge. Completely opposite from what the high pressured elk were doing. I then still hunted across the 3 mile long ridge and it took me until 1:30 to cover the whole thing. This is how i usually hunt. Aggressive, and then once I'm in it I just live it up. Take your time and stay in the elk. I had the wind swirling all around and was still able to see elk during the middle of the day and take my bull later that evening right by what I had just walked through. So even though I didn't get an elk during the middle of the day still hunting it was obvious to me that I didn't spook them all out of the country since I saw 7 elk right where I had walked through 4 hours before. Just my 2 cents.

 

[huntfishcamp]

Thanks- last year we learned that elk, at least the ones we tracked, like to run in circles. It seemed to always be the case, so we finally saw fresh tracks and immediately ran apart from each other in opposite directions and it worked, I actually had 3 bulls, eyes bulging almost run me over. Ill never forget that day, seemed more of a fluke than something of our doing. If I had my choice I'd rather be still hunting and plan a stalk, of course ill take them any way I can, but this happened so fast I had to make Sure it was a legal bull, then get my gun up and try to make a good shot all at a full trot and I only had one chance at the boiler room. That's why I say I got lucky..they were a mile ahead of my buddy who had tracked them for hours (he eventually got back on their trail after we spllit)

 

[Carrion Carrier]

Bulls love to run J's. Once they know you are following them the run up to a knob or divide and if you're very lucky you see their butt as they spin around and bound down the other side. IMO if you KNOW where elk are (ie you smell, see or hear them) or are tracking one I would go slow. I hike 15 miles a day and do well. I never sit.

 

[idnative1948]

As dad always told us- "ALWAYS watch your back trail" Deer will also do this.

 

[huntfishcamp]

Curious anyone try tree stand hunting for elk, obviously wouldnt lug a stand wayyy in there but it seems like it would be an effective method and field of vision increase?

 

[Sytes]

A good wallow location with active sign (strong piss smell, ect) - I have seen a tree stand... aside from that I have not used one though always thought a slot at a good wallow would be a good location for one.

 

[----]

I watched a 7x7 bull walk within about ten feet of an empty tree stand last week. Somebody hung if in the right spot, just took the wrong days off work.

 

[putm2sleep]

Tree stand elk hunting.....laughable imo. The guys in Texas might. The ones who have moved here and are trying to develop food plots for elk, might. Again, read BigFins story.....good glass, wind, know thermals, boot leather and hard work! I like to use elk estrus to cover up too.

 

[belly-deep]

Tree stand elk hunting.....laughable imo.

I know a group of guys that kill several elk a year out of treestands. They put them up along a particular bottleneck in the Dillon area and bow hunt. Its on public land and there isn't a food plot for miles. I guarantee you those guys find it quite laughable too...while they gut their elk out

 

[smarandr]

I know a guy that just shot and elk from a treestand he happened upon while still hunting. Kind of stupid if you ask me since he obviously wasn't carrying any safety equipment with him at the time.