It seems like you are overthinking it. Elk hunting is easy where there are tons of elk and hard where there are few. It sounds to me like the biggest mistake of the trip is you chose a low elk density area. Biggest part of e-scouting should be identifying good units and productive habitat belts in those units. I would disagree with having a marked up map and sticking to that vs conditions on the ground. Elk were almost certainly bugling 11pm-4am if you were awake and listening you were too far away from where they were. Country you were in looks gentle and forested, bugles don't travel that far in that.
Fair point — I guess I do not want to make the same mistake again so I’d like to do everything possible to give myself the best chance. It makes sense once you get in elk you don’t need to overthink it — feels like general tags that’s becoming harder and harder. I woke up most nights in middle of night to listen for bugles.
Yes thanks for confirming this. It feels incredibly hard and I feel responsible hunting is imperative. Do you use hiking trails or just go straight into the brush?
I just realized — I was in a lot of thick, thick timber. Any plan when they are silent but most of area is timber? Looked like this. There were parks at the top and I did look at them.
I am not the most expierenced elk hunter on the board but here is a synopsis of how I got my elk out:
I like this approach a lot… very simple, keeps you hunting all day, enables max flexibility to chase a bull. Thanks for suggestion man.
This.
- I need to specifically identify spotting knobs so I can find elk quickly.
Both trail walking and diving into the jungle are typical; it's all about what the bull is doing and the best way to close the distance.
What does this look like for you? I’m still learning — how does one best still hunt meaning what is the correct approach and tactics needed.
Yes I should have done this more I don’t think I moved far enough.
I really learned this from this thread and it makes sense. Must be able to adapt rapidly and it makes sense if you think about the true essence of hunting. Nothing ever goes to plan, you have to make it come together.
Okay thank you — this is what I was doing but I was unsure of what the “right approach” was given it was first western hunt. Where I was, trails seemed an effect way to get into good country quickly but I didn’t know if it was a bad idea given others can use them.
Sitting and glassing is still something that I do; however, when the bulls go quiet or during the day. I prefer to side-hill through the timber as it gives me good visibility both forward, uphill, and downhill. I take a few steps and use my binos to scan the area. I'm looking, listening, and smelling for elk. Once I have checked the area, I will take a few more steps and repeat. My speed through the terrain is based on what I am observing.
I think that is glassable. From where you are those far ridges are sparse enough you can glass in/through them. The open spots could be glassed at first and last light.
That second picture made my left knee ache when I saw it.
It’s pretty rough, good hip mobility is required, but that’s where we find em
