Broadhead
Member
As everyone always says, "You need to hunt a half-mile/mile minimum, etc. from a road to have any luck.." With that being said, here's my situation:
I recently came across a new area this summer that appears to be great elk habitat. They're currently using it like crazy. Tons of heavily traveled game trails, fresh tracks, fresh poop, and I smell elk everytime I go back there. There's plenty of meadows and aspen for feeding and rutting activity, 5-6 ponds/potential wallows in the area for water, and a few north-facing slopes with thick pine for bedding (although I wish there were more). I've personally saw elk there multiple times this summer hitting the meadow and the pond at the bottom of the valley in the pictures below. The ranch-hand living below this section of NF said he's came across a herd of 50+ there this summer on an occasion or two. If it seems too perfect to be true, it is. There's a two-track UTV trail running right on top of the ridge overlooking the meadow and pond. It takes approx 3 hours to get to this spot via public access so I'm not sure how many people will drive all the way to it or even know about it. I've called the biologist, but I'm awaiting an answer on how heavily hunted this area usually is during bow season. Does anyone have experience finding a decent hunting area only for it to have a road go right through it? Success/Failure?
My gut says hunt it opening weekend while they're still on their summer patterns and try to catch one getting water. I also plan to be there during the rut and hope the pressure hasn't been enough to drive them away. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated!
(Still trying to figure out how to get the pictures flipped. My apologies.)
I recently came across a new area this summer that appears to be great elk habitat. They're currently using it like crazy. Tons of heavily traveled game trails, fresh tracks, fresh poop, and I smell elk everytime I go back there. There's plenty of meadows and aspen for feeding and rutting activity, 5-6 ponds/potential wallows in the area for water, and a few north-facing slopes with thick pine for bedding (although I wish there were more). I've personally saw elk there multiple times this summer hitting the meadow and the pond at the bottom of the valley in the pictures below. The ranch-hand living below this section of NF said he's came across a herd of 50+ there this summer on an occasion or two. If it seems too perfect to be true, it is. There's a two-track UTV trail running right on top of the ridge overlooking the meadow and pond. It takes approx 3 hours to get to this spot via public access so I'm not sure how many people will drive all the way to it or even know about it. I've called the biologist, but I'm awaiting an answer on how heavily hunted this area usually is during bow season. Does anyone have experience finding a decent hunting area only for it to have a road go right through it? Success/Failure?
My gut says hunt it opening weekend while they're still on their summer patterns and try to catch one getting water. I also plan to be there during the rut and hope the pressure hasn't been enough to drive them away. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated!
(Still trying to figure out how to get the pictures flipped. My apologies.)