Putting the pieces together in MT

[Thomasj1107]

First year elk hunting in Montana. Here for the next month and a half and I’ve been out 5 days so far in the beaverhead. 3 days, all in same ~2 square miles of woods, I got into multiple elk, and had two young bulls in bow range. The other days not an elk seen or heard in two other hikes. The spot I repeatedly got into elk, I saw a herd during spring just on the timber edge, went back in this fall and basically stepped right in them immediately. Elk sign everywhere, just flat out loaded with sign. My problem is, it’s one stretch of timber in the ENTIRE giant forest of MT. I can’t just hunt the same thing over and over and while I’m glad I got lucky finding it, I’m very frustrated that I can’t figure out how to find similar type spots. Now I understand I need more days in the field, but the dumb luck that I had is making it hard for me to understand WHAT I should be looking for terrain wise since this particular spot that does have the elk kind of goes against what I had thought. It’s within a half mile of the road, it’s easy to access, it’s not THAT steep, pretty mild honestly.

How much sign are you looking for to determine that an area is worth your time? In other words, if you aren’t finding how much elk poo, then you are moving along?

Found them in the timber, haven’t seen a single elk through the binos yet in fields or meadows. During this time of year, is it smart to be glassing heavy in the evenings, or should I focus mainly on finding the sign in the timber?

Any advice on how to narrow down places to at least give a walk through would be great, right now it’s just so much woods it’s hard for me to understand how to narrow it down. Thanks!

 

[Pacific_Fork]

“Here for the next month and a half”

You don’t need any help if you’re truly hunting for 7 straight weeks (including the last 5 days). You’ll get it done. In MT it shouldn’t take more than 3 days to find them. If you’re not seeing fresh sign move on to the next spot. Biggest mistake new people make is way overthinking it. You’ve gotten into elk! So hunt them already!

What kind of job do you have and are you hiring?

 

[jmez]

Do not ever leave elk to go find elk.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[Thomasj1107]

I know that saying… but I was trying not to over pressure this small spot.

Is the only fresh sign you’re looking for mainly poop? In the spot I’ve seen the elk I can’t walk 20 yards without seeing droppings. Should that be the standard for if a spot is worth hunting or not?

There’s so much timber and I can only walk so many miles a day, how do you guys narrow it down to focus your effort?

BTW I’m a travel nurse and just took off two months between jobs

 

[SWOHTR]

Man I’d have killed to just walk into elk any one of the last 6 seasons. For reference, I am 0/6.

Just go shoot one. Then go figure out the answers to the rest of your questions for the next six weeks.

 

[Thomasj1107]

I’m trying but haven’t been able to seal the deal yet, I know what you are saying that’s what I want to figure out. How to not go 0/6 once this one spot no longer produces

 

[WCB]

Honestly I have found places absolutely shredded with elk sign...wallows destroyed, smells like every elk in the country is piled on top of me, and never seen an elk in that spot for a few days.

I have also rambled my way to fine sign and walked right into elk with nothing but a track here or there. Then been into them for a couple days straight....You need to put on miles. Plain and simple go find elk. Like deer or any other game animal they are where you find them.

I think too many guys internet scout and play the North slope South slope locked in strategy. While there are general rules/guidelines...there are no rules.

 

[Thomasj1107]

Honestly I have found places absolutely shredded with elk sign...wallows destroyed, smells like every elk in the country is piled on top of me, and never seen an elk in that spot for a few days.

I have also rambled my way to fine sign and walked right into elk with nothing but a track here or there. Then been into them for a couple days straight....You need to put on miles. Plain and simple go find elk. Like deer or any other game animal they are where you find them.

I think too many guys internet scout and play the North slope South slope locked in strategy. While there are general rules/guidelines...there are no rules.

So just random miles, pick a direction and just start going?

I’m not disagreeing that the experience will help, just want to know if there’s a better way to focus my efforts, like ruling out certain grades, types of terrain, etc… not that they can’t be anywhere, just trying to put myself in the highest percentage opportunities

 

[ElkNut1]

Keep moving & let that Bugle eat! You want to locate elk that aren't singing on their own then get them to fire off yourself! It's no secret, most bulls will warn you away if a subordinate bull gets too close to them or their domain. That's all you should be looking for, A RESPONSE! Now form a strategy like Advertising in their domain or a few low volume soft cow calls & raking if inside 150 yards. You are not Deer hunting here, get creative & take the game to them. Find them, then hunt them!

ElkNut

 

[5MilesBack]

Honestly I have found places absolutely shredded with elk sign...wallows destroyed, smells like every elk in the country is piled on top of me, and never seen an elk in that spot for a few days.

I have also rambled my way to fine sign and walked right into elk with nothing but a track here or there.

This ^^^^. I was going to say, it seems odd.......but I rarely find much for fresh elk droppings where I hunt but I'm on elk every day. I'm all about calling and the interactions. That's how I find bulls.

 

[Thomasj1107]

What are y’all’s routines for when you aren’t hearing much. How do you approach calling when you hear nothing? Bugle every X amount of minutes, X amount of yards, or cow call every X amount or what? What’s a good routine to use until you get some noise

 

[mountainman406]

What are y’all’s routines for when you aren’t hearing much. How do you approach calling when you hear nothing? Bugle every X amount of minutes, X amount of yards, or cow call every X amount or what? What’s a good routine to use until you get some noise

Personally, my feeling is that if they aren't talking there's a reason for that (predation, hunting pressure, weather, etc.) and therefore I back way off on calling and pick up my glass. If glassing is not an option, I just put miles on and keep a cow call at the ready. If I'm making noise going through cover or come to an area that smells like elk, I'll give a few calls here and there.

 

[Thomasj1107]

Keep moving & let that Bugle eat! You want to locate elk that aren't singing on their own then get them to fire off yourself! It's no secret, most bulls will warn you away if a subordinate bull gets too close to them or their domain. That's all you should be looking for, A RESPONSE! Now form a strategy like Advertising in their domain or a few low volume soft cow calls & raking if inside 150 yards. You are not Deer hunting here, get creative & take the game to them. Find them, then hunt them!

ElkNut

This ^^^^. I was going to say, it seems odd.......but I rarely find much for fresh elk droppings where I hunt but I'm on elk every day. I'm all about calling and the interactions. That's how I find bulls.

How about y’all?

 

[Gerbdog]

I had a similar situation at the beginning of this season: got into an absolute ton of elk in a small section of woods behind a subdivision.... tons of fun, couple full draws, good times.... all cleared out after i left for a week to take care of work... gone *poof*

Place was absolutely blown out with sign, not a tree in that woods it didnt seem like that wasnt used as a rub.

I'm getting into elk in other places now, and just do as Elknut said... keep moving and use that location bugle... and get out there before first light, they're sceaming their heads off at 4 30 am when you location bugle and theyre already headed to bed by first light... they will still talk a bit but theyre movin pretty quick to bed.... around here at least.

Cruise the roads and stop every time you can find a pull off and let out a location bugle. Great way to start the morning off. If its still an hour before shooting hours ... gauge how far in the bugle was... is it worth it to go in after it and risk bumping in the dark? if no: take a nap if yes: put on your head lamp and try to close the distance

 

[Geewhiz]

How about y’all?

If you're asking us if @5MilesBack knows what he's talking about, I do believe he does.

 

[Thomasj1107]

If you're asking us if @5MilesBack knows what he's talking about, I do believe he does.

Oh I have no doubt he does, I was actually asking what his calling routine is prior to hearing responses

 

[hobbes]

Not over pressuring a spot is whitetail strategy. I don't stop hunting a spot until we've either killed an elk or they've moved on. I try to be smart about it and stay down wind and not bump them but I don't hunt somewhere else if there's a bull there. They'll often move soon enough on their own or by someone else pushing them.

Not every spot you find elk will have as much sign. They may just be moving through. They may have just been pushed in. You may find a lone bull trying to find his own cows. The sign you are talking about is great but those elk have been living there a little while. Not every elk you find will be with a herd that's been holding tight for weeks.

I'm in MT and I've definitely hunted 3 days without finding elk.