How Would You Play It - Timberline Elk Hunt

[MtnHunter]

Here's the scenario: It's 2pm, looks like it could rain/storm soon, and you find yourself 150 yards away from an elk herd with a nice shooter bull. The ridge spine is 200 yards uphill, and the valley floor is a long ways below. Opening weekend. Knowing this, and making assumptions for all else, what would you do?



I have some pics I'll add in a bit showing how it turned out. Spoiler - what I did didn't result in a dead elk.

 

[freebird134]

Archery? If not, shoot.

 

[elkguide]

Get ahead of the herd and wait them out.

 

[Beendare]

Assuming Archery......Looks to be at or above timberline...so little cover.

I've called bulls from a long way off in that scenario....using 3 montana decoys.

You are pinned down in that spot. If you just call I doubt they will come as they have no visual reference...and they can see there is no elk there.
The other negative is they are calmly feeding....doesn't appear to be much rut activity...so a little tougher to call in those conditions.

I would probably try to back out and swing around the mtn and cut them off...or get to a better calling location.

 

[njdoxie]

Back when I was archery hunting, I had success by getting in some cover so they couldn't see the "elk" that was calling them in.

 

[5MilesBack]

First thing I do is check the wind.......and is it consistent. Then I plan a route to get the wind in my favor and try to move in if there's any cover to be had. Otherwise I'm continually checking the wind and waiting them out, trying to anticipate their next move.

 

[ckleeves]

If it's 2pm with a thunderstorm rolling in the wind is getting shifty real fast.

If there is a young dumb one in the bunch you can probably sweet talk him in with some rock rolling and cow talk.

If you have a good way to get into that draw behind them quick you might be able to make it up to one of those groups of trees behind them. But you gotta act fast.

 

[Tsnider]

id wait them out and wait for a better opportunity.

 

[cnelk]

2pm with a looks of rain means unstable winds.

Sit down and watch. They aint going anywhere unless you bugger them out.

What ever you do, dont make a sound - because I bet they aint talking

 

[CrzyTrekker]

Set up in some scrub pine, watch the wind, wait and see if they come towards me and estrus call if they get close.

 

[Beendare]

I'm not sure where you are going with the storm angle...but if its dark gray clouds looking like thunderstorms....I've had those push me off of those wide open mtn tops many times on these sept hunts. Some of the nastiest weather I've been in was on elk hunts....but then it has created opportunity too.

I've been in these storms at high elevation in just about every western state and those lightning storms made the elk hunting better! It does make them less predictable...less callable, IME....but easier to close on.
I was with my buddy Kirk when he shot a bull in the Weimunuche at about 11,5k...and lightning exploded a tree 60 yds from us.

Those nasty thunder storms sure stir them up.

 

[MtnHunter]

Thanks to everyone for playing. There are some wise responses so far! Here's how I ended up playing it:

I sat it out right there for a while. The game trail you see on the left side of the picture ended up coming 30 yards from where I was, so I figured if they moved that direction I was in a good place for an ambush. I watched them for about an hour longer, and they remained settled in. Then, the first crack of thunder came and the rain started pouring. Since I was on a finger ridge, I retreated backwards and down the hillside - the finger ridge separating my new position from the elk. I landed in a dwarf pine cluster, thinking it was as good a place as any to wait out the rain and lightning.
View attachment 48599

The lightning lasted about an hour, and I re-emerged with it still sprinkling a bit, thinking it might be a quiet time to make a stalk. When I got back to the finger ridge where I had been watching them, the elk were all standing up, alert, and were on the move about a mile away.
View attachment 48600

Not exactly sure what ended up moving them away. Perhaps a bolt of lightning struck close to where they were. Maybe some of my scent was still lingering on the finger ridge and swirled into them after I had headed for cover. Maybe I made too much noise as i was retreating to the dwarf pines. Not sure... The good news is, they weren't scared out of the country, and they ended up settling in about a 1/4 mile from where I took the pic above through the binoculars. I set up camp for the night, and was able to be in them immediately the next day (only to be run off them again by a more vigorous lightning storm, but that's another story !

 

[MtnHunter]

I'm not sure where you are going with the storm angle...but if its dark gray clouds looking like thunderstorms....I've had those push me off of those wide open mtn tops many times on these sept hunts. Some of the nastiest weather I've been in was on elk hunts....but then it has created opportunity too.

I've been in these storms at high elevation in just about every western state and those lightning storms made the elk hunting better! It does make them less predictable...less callable, IME....but easier to close on.
I was with my buddy Kirk when he shot a bull in the Weimunuche at about 11,5k...and lightning exploded a tree 60 yds from us.

Those nasty thunder storms sure stir them up.

You and your buddy Kirk have some major cojones to hang tight and finish the job with lightning throwing down that close! Way to keep after it!