Hunting Tactics & Camp Site Selection - Archery vs. Rifle

[ndbwhunter]

How do your tactics change from archery season to rifle season? Do you camp at lower elevations later in the season, or do you like to stay up high to glass until the weather forces you down?

I'm heading back into the area that I hunted during the middle of archery season. I'll be heading back out to MT for opening weekend of rifle, but I'm racking my brain trying to plan the ideal camp location based on previous elk sightings. During the archery season, I was camped on a ridge that allowed for excellent glassing opportunities during first and last light. The area was pretty rough and was covered in steep boulder fields with very little timber (S/SW slopes), but the elk were there all day. Only issue with the boulders is that my approach will be limited depending on the elk's location. There are a few good north faces with heavy timber that could be still hunted, but I didn't see/hear/smell a single elk on those faces during archery season. There was definitely some sign though.

The winds will obviously dictate my movements, but with the morning thermals colliding with prevailing winds it's like being in one of those cash grab wind machines. In cases like this, is it best to parallel them, rather than coming in from the bottom (wind at back, thermals in face) or from the top (wind in face, thermals at back)?

I realize that I hit on a few different topics here. I was just kinda rambling as thoughts popped into my head.

Ryan

 

[2rocky]

Generally for me rifle season is more likely to have snow so I tend to do a Truck camp and setup my wall tent and stove. If you are backpacking the rifle season you have more flexibility on camping close to your hunting area.
I've come to the conclusion that I can hike a little further if I find a flat spot with good wood, water and out of the wind. No point in sleeping in a deer bed on a side hill if I can walk 15 minutes more to a flat spot.

 

[ndbwhunter]

Finding a flat spot with good wood won't be an issue. It's the water that I'll have trouble with. The two main sources are both at the bottom of the drainages, and would put me too close to the elk. I could get away from them in one spot, but that would put me upwind of the area I'll be hunting. The only other water sources are way down low, and at that point I'd be better off camping at the truck.

By packing in and camping high, I would hope to have an advantage over the hunters that are walking in and out each day. I was all alone back there during archery season, so I'm not sure what to expect when rifle season roles around.