Pre Rut Cow elk hunt Nevada

[WestCoast86]

I drew my very first Elk tag, a Muzzleloader cow elk hunt in Nevada. I have never hunted elk before but spent a fair amount of time admiring them in the schell creek range and northern sake range doing field work in college.

I have been studding the maps and have read the biologist report. I was curious what are some strategies for hunting cow elk in this region. I am use to spot and stalk for blacktails and mule deer in arid regions of California. Is there a better method than spot and stock? calling? Blind?

I will be heading out on my first scouting trip in two weeks, and another in late July. if anyone has advice for this specific area i would greatly appreciate it.

 

[OldInNV]

The best way to hunt them is with a buddy or two to help haze them out of their mid-day bedding haunts. I'm old and a native Nevadan, and have tried about all methods. You need to SCOUT a lot before the hunt and realize that the bow hunters have them all worked up and spooked immediately before your season.

The old cows and hinds will gather into groups of 4-20 animals, usually about 10-15. They have favorite bedding places during the hot early seasons. Find those places. Get a strategic hiding place and get there very quietly, wait a while and have the buddies get above the bedding areas, then move down into the tick shade areas slowly. It will drive them down, hopefully close to you.

If successful, I want part of the liver!

 

[Braaap]

That’s a spot and stalk hunt. It will be hot and they’ll only be out early morning and late evening. Figure out where they’re at, where they bed, and be ready to set up an ambush or sneak in while they’re bedded. They will get up and feed briefly at some point midday or afternoon (not necessarily the entire herd) and then bed again until evening. That’s been my experience hunting cow elk in NV in August. PM me if you need more details.

 

[GeoHunter]

Spot and stalk is your best strategy with this hunt. This is a big area. Cows will be concentrated where there is food. You should be able to spot them from a long ways away. Knowing how to cow call can help get you within muzzle loader range as well, but I wouldn’t do it as a primary strategy.

This time of year it could also be effective to sit water.

 

[WestCoast86]

Thank you both for the feedback. Sound like I will need to scout out some good glassing spots. Thank you for the info on there daily habits. This will be a big learning experience for me.

 

[Braaap]

Send me a PM if you want some area info.

 

[velvet muley]

Sitting water is the most effective strategy in that area, find the guzzlers on the guzzler map and locate springs on ONX. It won't be long now before most/all the water will have bottles with peoples names and dates. If you choose not to do that it can be a long, hard, hot hunt.

 

[WestCoast86]

The best way to hunt them is with a buddy or two to help haze them out of their mid-day bedding haunts. I'm old and a native Nevadan, and have tried about all methods. You need to SCOUT a lot before the hunt and realize that the bow hunters have them all worked up and spooked immediately before your season.

The old cows and hinds will gather into groups of 4-20 animals, usually about 10-15. They have favorite bedding places during the hot early seasons. Find those places. Get a strategic hiding place and get there very quietly, wait a while and have the buddies get above the bedding areas, then move down into the tick shade areas slowly. It will drive them down, hopefully close to you.

If successful, I want part of the liver!

Oh man that sounds exciting! Thank you for the tips!! I am a little nervous that the archers will push them around a bit but I can’t do anything about that but look where they got pushed to. If I find a good bedding area I will give this a try. Hopefully I will be bringing you some liver!

 

[WestCoast86]

Sitting water is the most effective strategy in that area, find the guzzlers on the guzzler map and locate springs on ONX. It won't be long now before most/all the water will have bottles with peoples names and dates. If you choose not to do that it can be a long, hard, hot hunt.

Thank you for the tip! I had no idea about bottles at water holes with peoples names. That is a good thing to be aware of. I have been on onx looking where the guzzlers are in relation to good feed in August. If things are not going well hunting spot and stalk, I plan to sit water!

 

[Cvang]

Goodluck

 

[High Climber]

What up with with peoples names on bottles at the guzzlers?

 

[velvet muley]

That's how its done in that area, almost no natural water so NDOW places guzzlers that catch snow and rain for the animals. People go in early and "save" certain guzzlers with dates and their names in a bottle, there are ground blinds that have been built and have been there for a million years.

I will say that there are some very productive natural springs too, just have to find them.