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

[derricklovatt]

The idea of napping the afternoon away sounds great except its cold as all hell where we hunt lol. It never got above freezing the whole time this year. But im defniitely bringing my fishing gear this time around. I think slow hunting with a cow call is definitely in my future.

 

[805Bowhunter]

I have killed 11 elk with a bow and all but one have been between the hours of 10-3. Covering country, watching the wind, and REALLY listening can pay dividends.

 

[PNW bow hunter]

Early in the archery season when it is typically pretty hot, we have success mid day hunting near bedding areas. The thermals make the wind direction stay very consistent during that time. I prefer to find dark timber, and hunt from the top of the ridge. Get above where we think elk might be and do some light calling for 20-30 minutes. If nothing happens
Move down the hill 200-300 yards and repeat.
If nothing happens the second time we head back up to the ridge top and move on to the next suspected bedding area. I don’t want to blow the elk out so we try to just get to the edge of where a bull might be able to hear us.
For me this has only produced raghorn or spikes, which is fine with me and my buddy I hunt with the most. We’re out there to fill tags and get elk meat.

 

[Marble]

I hunt all day. I use a walking stick in one hand, the other free to soften steps as I cruise through timber. I kill more with a rifle in the timber midday at less than 100 yards than any other way.

 

[beardedbowhunter]

I’ve never understood going back to camp to hang out. It would be such a waste of time and energy getting out of where I just hiked into and then to have to do it a second time would be insane. I like to slow down and start glassing. I usually take a nap and refuel. I always hope to at least have a general idea of where elk are during the morning so I can be in a better spot. I also like to do cold calling set ups to see if I can draw any in. I have had some success bringing them in but haven’t gotten a shot off. They always come in so silent that I never knew they were there until they run off.

 

[rayporter]

people going back to camp keep a lot of elk on the move. you want to be out hunting those elk.

 

[arwhntr]

I use afternoon hours to explore new country, check water sources, run trail cams or still hunt bedding areas.

 

[trophyhill]

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.

When I hear that quick "lazy bugle" (yawn) from the bed, i will get where I think I should be, and wait him out. It will be game on at some point......

 

[MN Hunter]

99% of the elk shot are not shot at camp. Spend as much time as you can in the elk woods.

 

[LisaMcdowell8]

I try to hunt all day, if I feel that I feel bad, then I go to rest.

 

[roosiebull]

Depends for me too. Early archery season when bulls may or may not be solo, I will usually be out of the woods around noon-5. One the coast the thermals get squirrelly by then for awhile by then, and if bulls are solo or not vocal, you’ll do more harm than good crashing through the brush while they are bedded for the day. They may suck you in by bugling a little in the morning, but at that part of the season, they aren’t getting out of bed to come kill you.

later in the season when bulls are with cows, hunting mid day can be really good, often times I’ll locate and try to keep track in the morning and wait until they do bed if my plan is calling. I will almost always try to stalk or ambush while they are still on their feet, but if the scenario doesn’t look good, I’ll wait for them to bed, then try to call the bull.

some days the thermals just suck late morning and early afternoon (we don’t get strong thermals on the coast, so with a cooler day or south wind, it can be messy wind mid day)

totally depends on the day and situation

I don’t rifle hunt, but I do take people every day I’m not working, always friends and family to take. In that situation, I will go check spots mid day looking for sign, and may make a play mid day depending on who I’m taking and the situation. If I am with someone who can shoot well, pretty much be in the woods all day... if not, I will not, knowing they will need a shot that isn’t hurried.

archery season if I am not finding elk, I will be out mid day just looking for sign, or I will leave really early on my afternoon hunt so I can try to get something lined up.

there is always a line somewhere, hunting too much can kill your chances (blowing elk out when conditions aren’t good for what you’re doing) and not enough effort, not being out there when you should

 

[prm]

I spend my time hunting. The elk are still there. Shot my bull at roughly 1:00 last season. Find some dark timber to look into, or perhaps a water hole.

 

[cnelk]

Going back to camp isnt that big of deal when I can hunt for over 25 days a season.
Never had a problem shooting elk either.

But I get it for most NonRes, squeezing the most out of 7 - 10 days, staying out in the woods

 

[KING CLATTER]

Depends for me too. Early archery season when bulls may or may not be solo, I will usually be out of the woods around noon-5. One the coast the thermals get squirrelly by then for awhile by then, and if bulls are solo or not vocal, you’ll do more harm than good crashing through the brush while they are bedded for the day. They may suck you in by bugling a little in the morning, but at that part of the season, they aren’t getting out of bed to come kill you.

later in the season when bulls are with cows, hunting mid day can be really good, often times I’ll locate and try to keep track in the morning and wait until they do bed if my plan is calling. I will almost always try to stalk or ambush while they are still on their feet, but if the scenario doesn’t look good, I’ll wait for them to bed, then try to call the bull.

some days the thermals just suck late morning and early afternoon (we don’t get strong thermals on the coast, so with a cooler day or south wind, it can be messy wind mid day)

totally depends on the day and situation

I don’t rifle hunt, but I do take people every day I’m not working, always friends and family to take. In that situation, I will go check spots mid day looking for sign, and may make a play mid day depending on who I’m taking and the situation. If I am with someone who can shoot well, pretty much be in the woods all day... if not, I will not, knowing they will need a shot that isn’t hurried.

archery season if I am not finding elk, I will be out mid day just looking for sign, or I will leave really early on my afternoon hunt so I can try to get something lined up.

there is always a line somewhere, hunting too much can kill your chances (blowing elk out when conditions aren’t good for what you’re doing) and not enough effort, not being out there when you should

.
Gotta love the Oregon coast. Like you said midday the wind swirls worse than the rest of the day. Over the years I have found a few different areas where the wind stays more consistent during midday. I go to those areas when I’m near them and sit and glass listen nap read something. I just try not to go back to town if I don’t have to.

 

[roosiebull]

.
Gotta love the Oregon coast. Like you said midday the wind swirls worse than the rest of the day. Over the years I have found a few different areas where the wind stays more consistent during midday. I go to those areas when I’m near them and sit and glass listen nap read something. I just try not to go back to town if I don’t have to.

for sure..... I kinda cheat, if I drive more than 20 minutes, i'm driving by a lot of elk of course I like a change of scenery, and hunt a lot of areas, but I am surrounded by good elk country.... our property butts up to a big chunk of NF land, and it's elky. this place came up last spring and we jumped on it.

I agree though, when i'm hunting the up or down the coast, which I do more than not, it's a waste of time to leave a lot of times.... if you are working some elk, sometimes it's best to walk away when the wind gets messy and go try to find a plan B mid day, or like you said, find a spot with good wind and chill out for a bit.

compared to other places to hunt elk, the wind can be the toughest hurdle to get over here on the coast. once you get within bow range or close, you're on a wind timer most of the time.

what it's doing where you are 70yds from a bull is often different than where the bull is. a lot more dynamic wind scenario here vs most elk habitat. south wind is the worst.... almost always messy everywhere unless it's light

 

[Wrench]

Elk hunting is counted in hours not days by me. I get about 16 hours of light to work with. If I give up two of those every day for a week.... I gave up damn near a whole day.

Learn to be comfortable, how thermals shift and where winds will eddy.

Glass where you won't stink out the whole basin and try to learn something every day.

Most importantly, don't get discouraged....and don't suffer from paralysis by analysis.

Ps, have dinner be something that you can swallow and get to sleep asap....because it's gonna be light again in a few hours.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

If its hot I like sitting water. Works if they are talking or not

 

[KING CLATTER]

for sure..... I kinda cheat, if I drive more than 20 minutes, i'm driving by a lot of elk of course I like a change of scenery, and hunt a lot of areas, but I am surrounded by good elk country.... our property butts up to a big chunk of NF land, and it's elky. this place came up last spring and we jumped on it.

I agree though, when i'm hunting the up or down the coast, which I do more than not, it's a waste of time to leave a lot of times.... if you are working some elk, sometimes it's best to walk away when the wind gets messy and go try to find a plan B mid day, or like you said, find a spot with good wind and chill out for a bit.

compared to other places to hunt elk, the wind can be the toughest hurdle to get over here on the coast. once you get within bow range or close, you're on a wind timer most of the time.

what it's doing where you are 70yds from a bull is often different than where the bull is. a lot more dynamic wind scenario here vs most elk habitat. south wind is the worst.... almost always messy everywhere unless it's light

I live on the north coast I’ve noticed that a lot of times the elk that get more hunting pressure sometimes go to spots where the wind is more swirly or inconsistent. Like you said south wind sucks unless it’s either really light or blowing 20+ East wind is fairly consistent but don’t get it very often

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Look up Elknut's slow-play method. It works well with elk that are bedded for the day as they are a captive audience while you go through your calling routine. Other options, as previously mentioned, are sitting water and still hunting and/or blind calling bedding areas.

If I don't find elk during the morning hunt, I'll hike out and find a new spot for the afternoon. If I did get into them, though, there's no way I would leave bedded elk to go back to camp and hang out until evening. Although the tactics may change for mid-day, you still stand 100% better chance of killing an elk than you do napping in camp.

 

[nowen22]

If I can't find anything while glassing, I usually find the darkest side of the mountain and still hunt for a few hours. Find a game trail, play the wind, go slow.