No Elk _Plan for Following Morning?

[gethuntin]

Wondering what you guys plan out for the following day after not finding any elk during the day and not know the ground you are hunting. I can imagine going through maps and finding a place of interest for the next day but. Are you guys waking up a couple hours before dark and hiking in unknown country to get there or waiting closer to sunup to start moving and listening? I imagine it can depend on the terrain and the amount of deadfall. Just wondering.

 

[realunlucky]

Elk move in a circle pattern if I find fresh sign I'll usually wait before moving on. Are you asking about no elk and no sign? By the way most elk I find in the day time are in the heavy blow down

 

[2rocky]

Usually I will use the evening last light hours to find where I want to be the next morning. It might be glassing openings out of foot range before dark, or hearing bugles and determining directions. (this can be done at 1-3 am as well). If the morning doesn't pan out then I use the mid-day lull to move to new country. Usually over into a new drainage.

In camp, I am looking at the map to determine where I want to check next. Usually it is in a progressive direction that prevents me from walking over country I've already eliminated.

 

[Rizzy]

I usually have my route preplanned from looking at topo maps before the hunt. If I don't find any fresh sign or see any Elk, I move on to the next vantage point. It takes a long time to get from one place to another in the country that I hunt so trying to get up early and hiking into the next position in the dark in a new area is not feasible. I glass/hunt the unproductive area one more time the next morning before packing up and moving on during the day. I think it's more efficient and there is always a chance Elk move in over night, especially if surrounding areas are getting hunted. A lot can happen over night in the high country

 

[elkmtngear]

Depending on time of Year, hunting pressure, etc...the elk can be there and just be silent. Early morning glassing, followed by slow morning stalks through North facing timbered ridges is one way to find them, and you may find active wallows as well. Usually I've had the best luck about 2/3 of the way up the ridge, sticking to the best elk trails.

If no fresh sign after a good day of creeping around...possibly time to relocate.

Hope this helps!

 

[MT_Nate]

I have a list of spots to hit each year that I keep in the quiver - some new, some old spots, and some requiring more scouting because of good tips or the type of area/terrain that was present. I make sure I have it available for reference with maps, etc. when I'm out so I can hit Plan B if needed. If some of the standby areas fail, I'll move to another on the list. Most years, I never make it past the first two...I'll find good action in a couple and continue to hunt them.

I had a bad year in 2012 getting into elk. I ended up hitting almost every spot I had on the list for the year - it wasn't good. A bad drought and limited luck finding elk where I'd expect to find them in deep dark north facing timber brought on some panic. I had two new spots I had never scouted before that were at the end of the list...it was October 5...late season. I found that both spots clearly had a barnyard of elk activity in them a week or two prior during the peak rut. I've scouted both those areas recently and they are both loaded with elk and building up...it should be a good year.

My suggestion. Do some research and make a list of spots, keep good notes, and be diligent on checking them out as activity wanes or you have time. I've found two excellent new areas as a result.

 

[gethuntin]

All great advice guys, I have maps printed out of 7 locations now but haven't stepped foot in 6 of them. But I have points of interest in each area to check out. I guess my question was leaning towards how early you guys getting up in the AM when you feel there aren't elk present from the night before and you know you need to find a spot in the morning.Are you conserving energy and sleep and hitting the trail close to shooting light so you can navigate a little better. Or do you try and navigate in the dark a few hours before sunup to listen for bugles on your way there. Granted it depends a lot on distance and terrain.
Some above mentioned hunt the area again in morning and move to a new area midmorning -midday; which sounds like a good idea.

 

[MT_Nate]

Because I hunt thick terrain, I would wake up plenty early and navigate in the dark and listen for vocal elk. It's about the only way you can find them in my neck of the woods if you don't know their habits or the area.

 

[Rizzy]

I usually get up when i first hear the birds in the morning
I camp up high on the ridge i'm glassing from so i dont have far to go for morning glassing or calling. You can bust out a location bugle from your sleeping bag in the morning darkness

 

[cnelk]

Each day brings a new deck of cards and a new shuffle.
When there you find no elk one day, they can easily be there the next.
All it takes is one...