How to become a better rifle elk hunter?

[woods89]

I just got home on Wednesday, we glassed before dawn from a high point for hours, then whet back to camp for lunch then back up to the same high point until dark. We did this everyday from a different high point.
For me what was most impressive is the type of glass you use is as important as hiking up to that high point. On Tuesday we glassed up a bachelor group of 3 bulls from a distance of 1.5 miles then came up with a plan on the approach to these bulls. I got my bull.

My buddy and I have hunted a spot where you can see a lot of good habitat but it's 2-3 miles away. He's tempting himself with a BTX. 10s don't cut it at that distance, so he uses a spotter.

 

[AZHunter07]

Congrats on the Bull! Are you glassing with just binos or a spotter too? I've got a decent set of 8x42 leupolds, which I like because of the low light brightness. But what worked for you was glassing, and I need to focus on that more.

I just shot a young whitetail buck this morning on the cape. Otis base allows military and veterans only a one day hunt become they open it up to anyone. Meat in the freezer, but still not an elk, haha!

With 4 of us up there, I had Athlon 15x56, we had a set of Vortex 15x56, and the 2 guys with Swarovski 15x56 were the one’s finding the elk.

 

[woods89]

With 4 of us up there, I had Athlon 15x56, we had a set of Vortex 15x56, and the 2 guys with Swarovski 15x56 were the one’s finding the elk.

At what distance do you feel 15s start to struggle? I haven't ever glassed with a set, but I've heard they are terrific for finding elk.

 

[AZHunter07]

At what distance do you feel 15s start to struggle? I haven't ever glassed with a set, but I've heard they are terrific for finding elk.

The Swarovski, were able to grab more light, the details they picked were clearer and with better color. What they could see at 1.5 miles we’re no match for the other two. At that distance I felt my Athlon Cronus were just to dark.

 

[AZHunter07]

My buddy and I have hunted a spot where you can see a lot of good habitat but it's 2-3 miles away. He's tempting himself with a BTX. 10s don't cut it at that distance, so he uses a spotter.

One of the guys had the btx’s and I guess I can say they are worth the money, I love the forehead rest and that you can look of them like bino’s. Personally that is out of my price range.

 

[woods89]

One of the guys had the btx’s and I guess I can say they are worth the money, I love the forehead rest and that you can look of them like bino’s. Personally that is out of my price range.

Me too, for now, but renting a BTX is actually more reasonable than I thought. Might have to give it a try some season.

 

[AZHunter07]

Me too, for now, but renting a BTX is actually more reasonable than I thought. Might have to give it a try some season.

You’re right, we have a place here in PHX where you can rent the 15x56 Swarovski bino’s here for about 300. A week.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If you've hunted elk very long you will realize that ELK DON"T LIKE HUMANS! Find the most remote areas with the least amount of hunting pressure and you will likely find elk. Unfortunately in Colo and Wyo that usually means private land! On public land you have your work cut out for you. Elk will move long distance to get to locations with the least amount of hunting pressure. It often takes a lot of patience, boot leather, and hours behind glass to find these secluded spots.

I find elk on private property where i cannot shoot em frequently...they appear to bond with elk-loving Californians who moved to Arizona and Oregon.

 

[mtnbiker208]

read mike eastmans book elk hunting the west.

it is my bible for elk hunting, i reread it every summer right before the season starts in october for me.

 

[AZHunter07]

I find elk on private property where i cannot shoot em frequently...they appear to bond with elk-loving Californians who moved to Arizona and Oregon.

Probably true.

 

[Indian Summer]

I have an autographed copy of Mike Eastman’s book if anyone wants to buy it. I no longer need it. Have it memorized. Lol

 

[Fuenstock]

Glass, glass and glass.
For me hunting in open country.
Once I find some then figure out how or if it’s worth trying to get in for a shoot.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Little bulls run with momma in the later part of the season. The bigger bulls will usually be 400-600 ft higher and 1-2 ridges on either side of the cows. The cows pick on them hence they avoid them until the rut.

When the cows migrate, the bulls will be behind them by a few miles and higher. Along the Mt western boundary i have found the cows at snow line and the bulls on the ridges at the drift line.

After the rut I have seen the bulls in the river bottoms but more often in a bull garden. Thats a place on the north side that has water , feed and seclusion. Sometimes they will pick a judas goat to winter with. A spike or raghorn may lead the group while the big bull follows at some distance.

If you are serious - learn to hunt, get your body in shape and learn the land.

 

[SoloWilderness]

Glass hard at dusk and dawn, if you see elk in an area at dusk, there is a good chance they won't go far overnight, be in position, and on the glass at first light. If you see elk, be aggressive while you can still keep tabs on them. Close the ground as quickly and quietly as you can and take the first good shot opportunity you get. Work slowly along timber edges near feed, water and escape cover during the midday, and look to cut tracks. Track, glass, creep along slowly, peeking over terrain features as you go. I may take an entire day to carefully work one small drainage if it shows good fresh sign. If there is no fresh sign, get up high on the next ridge and start looking for clues again. I also hunt the same half dozen canyons every year, and often the same little pockets, if I kill an elk in a spot one year, there is a good chance I can get another one within a mile the next year.

 

[Marble]

My success is mainly because I have two really good glassing spots and I have walked all of the area I glass in the last 20 years.

I know the area I hunt and have learned what animals will do when they get spooked, where they migrate, the best feeding areas etc.

Point being, if you like the area you are hunting, enjoy visiting the area, and there is a good population of elk in the area. Then invest the time to learn it. If you learn an area that has a decent population of animals you eventually will learn it so well and be so successful you will feel like you're cheating.


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[Kenai_dtracker]

Glass, glass and glass.
For me hunting in open country.
Once I find some then figure out how or if it’s worth trying to get in for a shoot.

The both times I'm rifle hunted elk, it has been more timbered than open. First year like I said, 4 legal bulls in the aspens at first light and I dropped the 4th while he was on the run. I'd definitely like to glass more and be prepared to hike out in the dark a couple miles if needed, which really doesn't bother me.

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

My success is mainly because I have two really good glassing spots and I have walked all of the area I glass in the last 20 years.

I know the area I hunt and have learned what animals will do when they get spooked, where they migrate, the best feeding areas etc.

Point being, if you like the area you are hunting, enjoy visiting the area, and there is a good population of elk in the area. Then invest the time to learn it. If you learn an area that has a decent population of animals you eventually will learn it so well and be so successful you will feel like you're cheating.


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Yeah, I like that approach, and just wish I lived closer to the elk grounds. I was seeing elk everyday on my second trip to CO, but not legal bulls, but I think I was just a step behind. We may end up driving back to CO this fall, or my brother might decide to hit MT for archery. I'll go without a tag and do the calling, which will be just as fun.

 

[Seamaster]

I sit and glass dawn and dusk when scouting an area. I put the spotting scope away when season starts. On public land in most places I have hunted if you can see elk far away so can a few others guys. Spotting elk two miles away on public land might work some of the time, but other times it is just a good way to watch other fellows get close and kill an elk. Sitting and glassing works well on private property, on TV, and on the internet.

 

[Matt Cashell]

I sit and glass dawn and dusk when scouting an area. I put the spotting scope away when season starts. On public land in most places I have hunted if you can see elk far away so can a few others guys. Spotting elk two miles away on public land might work some of the time, but other times it is just a good way to watch other fellows get close and kill an elk. Sitting and glassing works well on private property, on TV, and on the internet.

While this may be Seamaster‘s experience in his hunting area, my experience is essentially the opposite. I hunt several districts in Montana, and most of them have moderate to high hunting pressure in the general (rifle) season.

Even in the highest pressure areas, the biggest factors that lead to success for myself and those in my hunting group are extensive glassing sessions and the ability to persevere. This season my son and my buddy’s son doubled up on bulls right before dark after glassing with spotting scopes literally all day. We did have a large area to glass, and would occasionally move to get different angles into the same country.

BTW, this is a pretty great thread that can save new elk hunters years in tough lessons.

 

[Brendan]

I'm from your area - just north of Boston here, grew up in Marshfield. Been heading out west since 2014 so can give you some observations / stories. Definitely don't have it figured out though.

Where I hunted in Montana, Elk were much more in the timber with limited parks and openings where I'd see them at either end of the day, maybe. I had more luck there in Archery season where I could rely on calling and got one bull that way. No need for a spotter where I hunted, no need for a tripod, hand holding binoculars. More limited glassing. I would have come home with an Elk this year (Cow) if it wasn't for a scope failure, and they came out to feed about an hour before dark before I missed by a MILE. This year was my first trip to MT during rifle season. Ended up bailing to the breaks and shooting a mule deer before driving home (more on that later).

Where I hunted in Colorado I went for first rifle in the beginning to middle of October. Still some calling first and last light, Elk mostly in the timber, and crossing from private back to isolated tough to reach public. My strategy was a ~4 mile hike around the back of some private to intercept Elk coming off the private to bed in timber. There was much more glassing and patterning that hunt, but at the end of the day I ended up killing my bull "Eastern Style" - jumped a bedded herd and had to make a running shot in timber. Go figure, was anticipating the 300+ yard shot and it was ~50.

Wyoming has mostly been archery for me, but where I hunt transitions right into rifle in the end of September. Much more glassing and mixed terrain where the tripod and pan head paid dividends. If I hunted that area rifle season I would primarily be getting to a good vantage point, glassing, and angling for a longer shot. Naturally the only bull I got in WY was the opening day of rifle, about 5 seconds into legal shooting light, and I shot him 40 yards broadside off-hand.

Honestly, I agree with @Matt Cashell - perseverance probably would have gotten me an Elk and maybe a bull this year and feels like the ticket to me in later seasons. But I was solo, having gear issues, under-gunned on shelter and sleeping bag, and freezing my a** off by myself and didn't want to get stuck up the forest road I was on. I wussed out and went deer hunting where I could stay in a motel. Being able to stick it out and deal with the cold better, glass and watch would have been the ticket. Lesson learned for my first late season trip, and it's going to cost me a LOT in gear upgrades to fix some mistakes this off-season.

If you're ever north of Boston and want to chat hunting - give me a shout. I try and head out west every year and I'm usually solo.