How do you spend your time between morning/night hunts?

[derricklovatt]

I'm a newer elk hunter and was wondering what I could do during the midday that would be most beneficial for killing an elk. The group that got me into hunting spends their midday hanging out back at camp. I tried still hunting through the woods but was not sure if the elk are just bedded down/will hear me and run off anyway. Any advice would be appreciated. We hunt the idaho panhandle.

 

[bluetick78]

I spend the time between morning hunts and evening hunts doing afternoon hunts. Watch the wind, it'll screw you bad if you aren't careful. I sit water or glass across canyons into timber. Boring, but effective. I cant stand sitting in camp.

 

[derricklovatt]

I spend the time between morning hunts and evening hunts doing afternoon hunts. Watch the wind, it'll screw you bad if you aren't careful. I sit water or glass across canyons into timber. Boring, but effective. I cant stand sitting in camp.

I have my spots that i prefer to be at in the morning and at night. My big fear is that if i hunt through those spots I could potentially be hurting my chances during those times when they are coming out/going back into the timber. Does that make sense? Hunt a different spot?

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

For me, it depends on the time of year and the conditions of that year. If I’m archery hunting during a very dry season, I’ll be sitting water during the day near where I think or know the elk are. If it’s rifle season than I’m most likely gonna go back to camp during the middle of the day if I haven’t found elk during the morning. If I have, than I’m gonna spend the middle of the day moving to a shooting location of where they were feeding in the morning. It also depends on how far back I’m in. If I’m 5 miles in, I’m probably not coming out till after dark. If I’m camped by the truck.

 

[derricklovatt]

For me, it depends on the time of year and the conditions of that year. If I’m archery hunting during a very dry season, I’ll be sitting water during the day near where I think or know the elk are. If it’s rifle season than I’m most likely gonna go back to camp during the middle of the day if I haven’t found elk during the morning. If I have, than I’m gonna spend the middle of the day moving to a shooting location of where they were feeding in the morning. It also depends on how far back I’m in. If I’m 5 miles in, I’m probably not coming out till after dark. If I’m camped by the truck.

Nice that makes sense. Unforutnately it seems like the elk are hunkering down during the day pretty good where we hunt. My bull that i killed two years ago I shot with 5 minutes of legal light left on his way out of the timber. My only opportunity last year I caught them going back into the dark timber while it was still dark and I was moving to my spot. It feels like the windows we have to get elk are so short I need to find a way to capitolize during the day. This is for rifle elk, 2nd week of october. I'm told the wolves are hitting them so hard they've adapted to this strategy

 

[BeaverHunter]

Last 2 bulls I’ve killed (both archery) fired up and started bugling during the middle of the day without us calling at all initially. I would say just stay out and somewhat near where you think the elk are and relax. Eat lunch, be quiet and maybe take a nap. But stay not too far away and be ready to make a move ASAP if needed.

 

[Fridaythe13th]

I'm not a expert at all, but in the 7 years I've hunted the 4 elk have been shot at 1030am, 1245pm, 1 PM and 5pm. And only 1 has been shot before 9am.
All archery

 

[Forest]

I like to be in a good glassing spot, a place where elk tend to funnel through, etc. Even if you dont think the elk will be moving naturally in the middle of the day, they can and will. Especially if there is pressure around. If hunting from a vehicle l also like to use that time to go check out new/other country that I may want to be hunting later on in the hunt.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Rocky]

I spent a lot of time sitting in a blind at a water source this year. I was surprised how much elk movement there was during the day.

 

[Poser]

 

[rclouse79]

Cruise and call or sit water.

 

[trophyhill]

Only one answer works for me. And it's an easy one. Keep hunting. Sometimes that means sitting tight once you find them but keep hunting. When you aren't hunting, you aren't killing.......

 

[derricklovatt]

all good info thank you guys. The area we hunt is an hours hike from the car but theres lots of streams around. Theres a small pond I can see on onX way up the mountain where the elk seem to be bedding during the day. Maybe i'll have to bushwack my way into that area next year. Id like to hunt the area with my bow because there are lots of fresh rubs around from the rut but I dont want to kill an elk and not be able to hunt with my father in law who got me into hunting. So Rainier area for that.

 

[stonewall]

I like to hunt midday. Archery. Sometimes I’ll come to camp in between if relocating but I don’t like not being in the woods during daylight. I like to nap on side of mountain not in tent

 

[MattyWight]

I try and have a nap each day i'm out if the hunt permits. This may be on the side of a mountain or back at camp. When I'm leaving camp in the dark and returning in the dark I find this invaluable for my energy levels or endurance when the days start stacking up on a long hunt

 

[cnelk]

Since we target elk up to a mile from the vehicle ( the ones everyone hikes past) we come back to camp, shoot bows, fish and nap. Then get ready and go out for the evening hunt.

 

[Raghornkiller]

I've killed most of my bulls right at noon.i like to get on a dark timbered slope a mile long or so and then If I dont know the area or where they are bedded I will side hill along about 3/4 of the way up the mountain cow calling pretty much constantly as I walk along slowly.im sure I miss some that come in slow but the ones I kill come up out of the bedding area and come in fast.i hunt dark timber with a lot of blow downs so I hear them coming and have time to drop down 20 yds and set up

 

[mtnwrunner]

I'll usually still be out there but slow down a bit and glass more. Just kind of depends on where im at and what I am hunting. And the mountain nap of course.
Here is a strategy my buddy uses during archery season as that is mainly what he does. And he is VERY successful in this.

If he does not have any action in the morning and has located a herd of elk, he will just watch and figure out where they are bedded. He always takes a super lightweight hammock, I think it is an ENO and he will get within about 500 yards or so of where they are bedded. He'll set it up and just hang out all day resting and reading a book or doing something on his phone. He is then in place for the evening hunt and most of the time the elk will come back out where they went in. As I earlier said, he always gets a nice bull this way.

Randy

 

[trophyhill]

I'll usually still be out there but slow down a bit and glass more. Just kind of depends on where im at and what I am hunting. And the mountain nap of course.
Here is a strategy my buddy uses during archery season as that is mainly what he does. And he is VERY successful in this.

If he does not have any action in the morning and has located a herd of elk, he will just watch and figure out where they are bedded. He always takes a super lightweight hammock, I think it is an ENO and he will get within about 500 yards or so of where they are bedded. He'll set it up and just hang out all day resting and reading a book or doing something on his phone. He is then in place for the evening hunt and most of the time the elk will come back out where they went in. As I earlier said, he always gets a nice bull this way.

Randy

I share alot of similarities with your friend minus the hammock. I'll have to check that out. Great idea! Every elk I've killed accept 1 to date, and that was a landowner rifle tag, have been in the evening.

 

[elkocd]

Rest/Sleep near the elk and or up high and listen. A lot of times you'll hear elk during the middle of the day by just being still and quite rather than stomping around the mountain. Sometimes just one faint bugle is all that's needed to give away their location.