Hunt high or low?

[Paul in Idaho]

Over the weekend, I hunted for elk from 5500' up to 8000'. Snow amounts ranged from about 5" to 10". I crossed only a couple sets of elk tracks, both at the lower elevations, in super-thick timber. Powder snow was falling quickly enough to mostly wipe out my own tracks in an hour.

Upon returning to the pavement at 4000', I saw over 50 elk in hay fields. There was just a skim of snow, only in the shade of trees.

Many times, I have found elk holding in a foot or two of snow, when bare ground was within a mile of them. That makes me think the 5-10" I was in wouldn't be enough to force a migration to winter range. On the other hand, I have read several articles about herds that start a long migration with the first snowflakes of autumn.

My season ends Friday, and I want to hunt that day. Most of the spots I know in my tag zone (Idaho Sawtooth zone) are low elevation, and hold only a few year-round elk.

The weather forecast for the highest country calls for possible snow each day and a big storm Thursday, 5-9 new inches at 8000'.

What do you think - would I be better off to head for 6000+ elevation, or hunt the winter range spots on Friday?

 

[Carrion Carrier]

If you are hunting bulls, go high. If the snow isn't crunchy bulls can feed in that stuff easily and it won't trigger them to migrate. Otherwise, sit in your rig and watch the elk on private like everyone else.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Thanks for the confirmation of hunting high. I am at the point I doubt just about every decision I make about hunting.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

i would say to stay high till its 1 to 2 feet deep,,,looks like conditions could be pretty good when my idaho muzz elk hunt starts next monday the 11th,,,bulls will generally stay higher than the cows alot of the time.

 

[ida homer]

I've also got the general tag for the Sawtooths. I've been hunting a lot around Lowman and Garden Valley. I knocked on every door in Garden Valley yesterday to try and shoot a bull out of one of those hayfields by the highway. No such luck.

I feel your pain, I'll be out tomorrow evening and Friday as well. PM me if you'd like to swap info and see if we can't narrow down some areas. I've been seeing lots of elk, but zero bulls.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Thanks guys.

twsnow18, I'll send a PM.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Well, I gave it my best shot and didn't give up. Maybe next season.

Yesterday, the last day of my season, I hunted about 5 miles ranging from 5600 to 6600' elevation. The snow had been reduced to a crunchy, ice-covered mess by the previous day's rain. Elk had been there in the past week, but only a few. Most of the tracks were at the lower end of the hunt. The only fresh tracks I found were made by wolves.

I ended the hunt by seeing herds totaling over 60 elk at low elevation on private land, and public land with access blocked by private. I heard one bull bugling.

Thank you for the replies and PMs on this topic.

Paul