Advice After First Elk Hunt

[Bugle]

Here are some pics of some areas we glasses “up” to and a couple of the rubs...

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[AaronMColeman]

Even when I know an area, I'll move on when there is little new sign.

You gotta get a lead and work with that, no lead, move to the next spot. By lead I mean, hearing calls, fresh tracks, fresh droppings, glassing them from a distance, smell, anything that lets you know with certainty that elk were there within the last 24 hours.

I would have 5-10 spots picked out via e-scouting/word of mouth/internet rumors. Plan a way to hit at least 3-4 in a day, and save two of your favorites for morning and evening first day. Just because it looks and feels like elk country doesn't mean they've been there recently. Leads are what you want. That said, you gotta have a place to start and that's where e-scouting comes in. Pick a bunch of starting places and work on them. Another way I do it is find a high clear spot (easy to find on maps) and get up there and look. Nothing there? Move to another high clear spot. Calling is the best way to get a sure fire lead, but they aren't always talking. Leads, leads, leads.

I know the areas I hunt fairly well, and I still won't sit on one spot. Elk may have been there a few days ago, and miles away today.

Last tip, hunt all day. Lots of guys take the late morning and afternoon off. I just shot my cow at noon a few weeks ago. It may not be prime time, but it is more prime than sitting in your tent. I had no real idea where they were, so we got to good glassing spots and finally saw a herd. As I was working toward the heard we saw lots of fresh tracks and smelled them. But, until I got that first lead I just kept moving.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Those pictures you just posted look perfect. Depending on terrain, I would love to get up on top of those bald ridges and just glass. The more open area you can get into to see the better. It's hard to tell from pictures, but it looks like in the one with you glassing, that the field of view is fairly narrow. Of course take a look, but that would not be a primary spot I'd sit and spend a ton of time. Ridges are great because you can look down both sides and they often don't have much obstructing the view from up high.

 

[jackmat69]

Lots of good info here.

 

[ridgefire]

Are you sure those are elk rubs? Unless I knew for a fact that there was elk in the area, if I wasn't seeing or hearing elk after the first couple days I would be moving on to plan b.