Escouting confirmation

[Thomasj1107]

I’ve watched a thousand escouting videos, I’ve done plenty of escouting, but have not been able to confirm/deny how well I am doing at it yet in the field. All the escouting videos show oh this is how we do it blah blah, but never actually like oh yeah this is what we found there.

I’m a visual learner, so without showing ACTUAL locations and keeping your spots safe and discreet, can someone point to a reference or show actual aerial examples of spots that they scouted that were “good” and then accounts of if they actually located elk at these places?

I hope that makes sense. I’m just trying to put the pieces together a little more.

 

[Tod osier]

I’ve watched a thousand escouting videos, I’ve done plenty of escouting, but have not been able to confirm/deny how well I am doing at it yet in the field. All the escouting videos show oh this is how we do it blah blah, but never actually like oh yeah this is what we found there.

I’m a visual learner, so without showing ACTUAL locations and keeping your spots safe and discreet, can someone point to a reference or show actual aerial examples of spots that they scouted that were “good” and then accounts of if they actually located elk at these places?

I hope that makes sense. I’m just trying to put the pieces together a little more.

I think you are at the point where you need to take your e-scouting into the field. Trial and error is part of learning to hunt.

 

[Thomasj1107]

I will be this fall, I just don’t want to wait until then to get as ready as possible!

 

[cfdjay]

After doing the e-scouting thing for quite some time now, I agree with Tod. You have to get out there. There are just too many variables. I've gotten to the point where I feel fairly confident what I'm getting myself into but there's almost always a surprise or 2. Depending on the quarry I have a specific checklist I apply to determine whether it's a go. And I'm a firm believer that there's just as much to learn about "failed" spots as there are "successful" spots.

 

[cfdjay]

One last thing about your request. "Good" is subjective. What's good for me might not be good for you and vice versa.

 

[Thomasj1107]

One last thing about your request. "Good" is subjective. What's good for me might not be good for you and vice versa.

Totally understand! I appreciate the feedback, still hoping someone can help out I feel like it’s just something I still need to see to help me personally

 

[JD Jones]

Boots on ground is the only way to proof your work. Lay out some plans, learn the routes in and out and just stay mobile. Good is subjective and I’d argue not locating game or sign is as valuable as finding what you’re after

 

[ElkNut1]

Find small pockets of water with no names or nearby trails! They can be a 1/4 mile from roads or miles in & of course anywhere in-between. Find those in timber mountainous country & elk won't be far! Once these areas are located get out there & scour the area, you can find additional pockets that couldn't be seen on your mapping App. Water is a great place to start, once there let your Bugle do the rest!

ElkNut

 

[Thomasj1107]

I am more so just trying to understand if my thinking is even right…Iike are spots like this even holding elk or is there something I’m missing as far as elevation, grade, environment type, etc?

 

[KurtR]

They could be but you won’t know till you get there. The most elk looking spots can have nothing. Boots on the ground is the only way to proof it.

 

[SDHNTR]

E scouting videos should be cancelled! Barf!

 

[KurtR]

E scouting videos should be cancelled! Barf!

As predictable as the new guys not asking for honey holes

 

[Thomasj1107]

I’m really not asking for any honey holes, just don’t want to map out 50 spots I think look good and have just been wasting my energy the whole time. I want to know if I’m at least on the right track

 

[SDHNTR]

I’m really not asking for any honey holes, just don’t want to map out 50 spots I think look good and have just been wasting my energy the whole time. I want to know if I’m at least on the right track

Digging deeper. Double barf.

 

[Thomasj1107]

Digging deeper. Double barf.

Not really understanding wtf your problem is? I posted spots I found asking for advice, if anything it’s the opposite of asking for a honey hole. You can do this thing, it takes zero effort, it’s called…. Not responding

 

[cfdjay]

Yeah bro. I feel like you've been given about as much as you're gonna get. No one else on here groveled for info and got it.

 

[wapitibob]

Almost every spot I've hunted out of state, NM/UT/AZ/WY I found sitting in my recliner with google earth pro.
That said, there are hundreds of square miles that have no Elk in them. You have to start with basics; a unit that has Elk. After that there are only 2 things I really look at, roads and water. Never looked for, and in 50 years have rarely hunted, north slopes or "dark timber." Like Elknut said, I let my bugle speak and the Bulls will tell me where they are. You'll have to do the time and find an area with a population, then start looking. If a 'tuber tells you "how they do it', that's about all you can expect. We all do this stuff differently, and figuring out what works for you is gonna take years and miles.

 

[cfdjay]

I’m really not asking for any honey holes, just don’t want to map out 50 spots I think look good and have just been wasting my energy the whole time. I want to know if I’m at least on the right track

This is where things go poorly for the reader of your post. Most of us have been donkey punched way more than 50 times with spots that weren't shit. So to use this as an example is why people are turned off,

 

[wapitibob]

Speaking of donkey punched, plan on someone walking along your paths from the North and blowing out that entire canyon, most likely before season even starts.

 

[Dirtscoots]

To put this into a bit of perspective for you, you are asking help how to find places to find elk. There are hundreds of people reading your post that are very successful and have many places they find elk. However every year other people find the same place via internet blowing up units, new e scouting tactics etc. it makes it hard for people to want to help extremely vague questions. I think as stated if you’re worried about getting there and no elk you need to make some scouting trips to verify your places.