Reflections on 2024 Elk Hunt - Edit: now a what to do next thread

[Undrgrndprdcts]

I've been thinking about my 2024 elk hunt since we got back, and reflecting on the terrain there has left me with a few questions. First, we covered 10-12 miles a day with lots of elevation gain for 5 days straight. We glassed every area we could. Out dark to dark except a few days where strong winds made spots on the mountains unsafe in the dark with dead trees standing. I feel like we did a lot right, but saw no elk. We did see moose and deer. My question revolves around covering ground that is not on a trail. We did this on the first day, moving along a ridge and watching below for bedded elk. This was very difficult at times due to tons of beetle kill deadfall. We abandoned this strategy after the first day as much of the unit was the same. So I guess my question is for guys that are covering ground trying to find elk, are you doing so largely on a trail and glassing a bunch as you go, or covering lots of ground that is off trail?

Edit:
So after reflecting on last season a bit we are definitely going to continue to go for western seasons moving forward. We didn't put in for any draws this year just due to life stuff for both of us. Also there is a 99% chance my hunting partner isn't going anywhere this year due to family stuff, even otc. I'm not sure if one of my other buddies would be down for otc this year or not. So the new question is how should I use the information I gathered over the last year to move forward? First question is should we continue to hunt this unit/area? We liked everything about it otherwise aside from seeing no elk. We have some experience with it and I think a few ideas were we to go back. Next is should we try to draw for an earlier season (first rifle?) for this area in 2026? Or try to draw for an area that may be "better"? I've heard from more experienced guys that unit hopping can be a negative thing. Or should we switch gears and look into other states? What would you guys do in this position given the information you have?

 

[The_Jim]

Find a high spot and let the glass do the walking.

 

[Gerbdog]

What season is this? post rut elk ? I'm archery hunting elk pretty exclusively these days and i'm rarely on a trail.... but i have the benefit of listening for bugling elk to locate. IF its post rut elk, get on top and glass as far as you can and keep looking for differing views of pockets on the mountain

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

It was CO 2nd rifle. We did find as many high spots and glassed as much as possible. Lots of dense timber on this unit though.

 

[db3445]

I am not sure how experienced you are as an elk hunter, but covering a lot of ground seemed like the right strategy for me last year on my first elk hunt. I covered lots of ground and similar to you I did not see an elk.

This year I decided to switch my strategy up. Instead of covering a lot of ground with my legs, I decided to get to a high glassing spot, just like majority of experienced elk hunters would tell a new hunter to do. Similar to what The_Jim said, the goal was to conserve energy by letting my glass do the walking.

On opening morning of first rifle, I was able to locate a herd of elk 1-2 miles away. I marked the last spot I saw them in the woods and hiked there after eating breakfast. As soon as I got to that general area, we heard bugles and were able to call a nice bull in that we were able to kill.

The plan worked out perfectly: Get to a high spot, locate a herd of elk, hike to herd of elk, relocate elk, kill elk. Easy as that, right?

I know I did not answer your question, but I write this to tell you to keep your options open when out in the field. I am young and ambitious and thought that walking all over the mountain was going to give me the best shot at killing an elk my first year. Thankfully I learned from my experience and was open to trying a new strategy that ended up bringing me success.

 

[CAElkhunter]

Elk walk way faster than you do so the previous advice of high spot and glassing is the best strategy.

 

[Poser]

Covering ground that is off trail, using game trails as much as possible.
Yes, it sucks more often than not.

 

[Beendare]

Yeah, Covering ground is key...but when you didn't find them in one area...that just increases the odds they are in the next drainage over...or the next.

 

[hunthikecamp]

My experience has been that rather than worry about on-trail/off-trail, figure out the best way to get into good looking country. I've definitely had a few off trail 'walks' that after i finished i thought "man, that was a waste of calories" and i've had some trails run right through prime habitat. Shot a bear during archery this year literally standing on the trail bc the area he wanted to feed in happened to be close to the trail. But yeah as I get out and just see more country that elk and critters are either in or aren't in, I gain more confidence in being able to identify areas where i think they will be and areas I can maybe write off or save for last resort. So the non-answer i'll pitch in is, nothing beats days (and miles) in the woods, on or off trail.

 

[ElkArcher918]

I mix it up. Glassing from high vantage points and "bushwacking" to off-trail basins I've e-scouted or have a hunch about. For my style of hunting I prefer moderately broken up country rather than huge expanses of boring dark timber. I've had good luck glassing evenings and locating elk. Once I know where they are, I make a plan to get to them the next day, meaning getting up extra early. Sounds like you're doing alot of things right and working hard. Over time you'll get better at identifying good elk habitat before "diving in". Going off-trail doesn’t always mean go deep and steep. Some of my better spots are actually less than 1.5 mi from FS roads/trails. Good luck to you and keep working.

 

[MrScubaSteve]

I've been thinking about my 2024 elk hunt since we got back, and reflecting on the terrain there has left me with a few questions. First, we covered 10-12 miles a day with lots of elevation gain for 5 days straight. We glassed every area we could. Out dark to dark except a few days where strong winds made spots on the mountains unsafe in the dark with dead trees standing. I feel like we did a lot right, but saw no elk. We did see moose and deer. My question revolves around covering ground that is not on a trail. We did this on the first day, moving along a ridge and watching below for bedded elk. This was very difficult at times due to tons of beetle kill deadfall. We abandoned this strategy after the first day as much of the unit was the same. So I guess my question is for guys that are covering ground trying to find elk, are you doing so largely on a trail and glassing a bunch as you go, or covering lots of ground that is off trail?

My experience has been that rather than worry about on-trail/off-trail, figure out the best way to get into good looking country. I've definitely had a few off trail 'walks' that after i finished i thought "man, that was a waste of calories" and i've had some trails run right through prime habitat. Shot a bear during archery this year literally standing on the trail bc the area he wanted to feed in happened to be close to the trail. But yeah as I get out and just see more country that elk and critters are either in or aren't in, I gain more confidence in being able to identify areas where i think they will be and areas I can maybe write off or save for last resort. So the non-answer i'll pitch in is, nothing beats days (and miles) in the woods, on or off trail.

I am not sure how experienced you are as an elk hunter, but covering a lot of ground seemed like the right strategy for me last year on my first elk hunt. I covered lots of ground and similar to you I did not see an elk.

This year I decided to switch my strategy up. Instead of covering a lot of ground with my legs, I decided to get to a high glassing spot, just like majority of experienced elk hunters would tell a new hunter to do. Similar to what The_Jim said, the goal was to conserve energy by letting my glass do the walking.

On opening morning of first rifle, I was able to locate a herd of elk 1-2 miles away. I marked the last spot I saw them in the woods and hiked there after eating breakfast. As soon as I got to that general area, we heard bugles and were able to call a nice bull in that we were able to kill.

The plan worked out perfectly: Get to a high spot, locate a herd of elk, hike to herd of elk, relocate elk, kill elk. Easy as that, right?

I know I did not answer your question, but I write this to tell you to keep your options open when out in the field. I am young and ambitious and thought that walking all over the mountain was going to give me the best shot at killing an elk my first year. Thankfully I learned from my experience and was open to trying a new strategy that ended up bringing me success.

Moving to Bozeman, Montana in a few weeks with my job. Been a deer hunter all my life however, Elk hunting has been on my bucket list. Super excited to get to the area learn the terrain find a new friends and maybe get on an elk. I will likely have the same outcome as you did but beyond excited to finally have the opportunity whether I have any success or not as an entire entirely different story. wish me luck. I’m no spring chicken. Likely to be pretty tough on this old man. Lol

I've been thinking about my 2024 elk hunt since we got back, and reflecting on the terrain there has left me with a few questions. First, we covered 10-12 miles a day with lots of elevation gain for 5 days straight. We glassed every area we could. Out dark to dark except a few days where strong winds made spots on the mountains unsafe in the dark with dead trees standing. I feel like we did a lot right, but saw no elk. We did see moose and deer. My question revolves around covering ground that is not on a trail. We did this on the first day, moving along a ridge and watching below for bedded elk. This was very difficult at times due to tons of beetle kill deadfall. We abandoned this strategy after the first day as much of the unit was the same. So I guess my question is for guys that are covering ground trying to find elk, are you doing so largely on a trail and glassing a bunch as you go, or covering lots of ground that is off trai

 

[Fishshop]

Elk walk way faster than you do so the previous advice of high spot and glassing is the best strategy

Makes a ton of sense

 

[nphunter]

Covering the correct ground can pay off. That's a tough time to find mature bulls, 95% of them have moved away from cows and into sanctuary areas, this is typically steep with cover/feeding areas and access to water at some point. Your best to hike a southern exposure glassing toward a northern exposure. Focus on small openings in the timber. If you're not in country that is glassable then still hunt thick wood, focus on ridgelines with blowdown, steep faces with a bench and other hard-to-access areas. Trails typically aren't your friend when hunting for bulls after the rut, during the rut elk are very nomadic and cover tons of ground and cows typically use easier terrain. Bulls during late Oct. normally move only a couple hundred yards a day or less, I've watched bulls live in on a bench with a seep that was only like 30' across but super thick, I called it the nest, it always has bulls and they come out right at dark and feed in a little 100x100 meadow just out of the timber.

If you're finding zero elk, you may just be in a bad spot. However, I feel like most of CO has elk in it, and you should be looking for signs if you're in elky spots. Most trails are in spots that don't have a lot of cover and are easy to maintain, this means that the elk were very likely on the other side of the mountain from you or in the bottom of the drainage. Elk like thick cover and often won't ever come into a glassable spot if there is broken enough timber for the sun to hit the ground and grow grass.

 

[Runwilderness]

Were you seeing sign? Elk do use human trails, but it’s easier to find sign off trail. Elk are tall, but if you’re not following game trails around the blowdown and only stepping over lower height
Elk navigable obstacles, then the elk are few and far between. Just going from A to B, I look for game trails to follow. My worst bushwhack this season occurred trying to take a ‘shortcut’ through a trees area back to a NF trail, rather than backtrack the game trails I had followed into the drainage.

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

Were you seeing sign? Elk do use human trails, but it’s easier to find sign off trail. Elk are tall, but if you’re not following game trails around the blowdown and only stepping over lower height
Elk navigable obstacles, then the elk are few and far between. Just going from A to B, I look for game trails to follow. My worst bushwhack this season occurred trying to take a ‘shortcut’ through a trees area back to a NF trail, rather than backtrack the game trails I had followed into the drainage.

I don't think we were seeing any fresh sign. I think the droppings were like a month old. We got snow too and at first we thought we found some tracks then we realized it was actually moose. That's why we covered so much ground was to try to find fresh sign. To be honest I think this area currently has a pretty low population. We didn't even see a cow. A couple other people saw a small herd of like 5 cows on the southern side of where we were hunting and that's it.

 

[Rams horns]

I've been a bit pre-occupied...Busy in CO for my first ever elk hunt (1st Rifle), and then I just got back this last weekend from a mule deer hunt in MT. Both were amazing, and both ended with meat in the freezer! In CO, we found elk the day we arrived and were into them nearly every day. They were still bugling a bit in the morning and evening, and even saw a couple bulls fighting! It was by far the best first elk hunt experience I could ever have asked for. We were extremely blessed!

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

I've been a bit pre-occupied...Busy in CO for my first ever elk hunt (1st Rifle), and then I just got back this last weekend from a mule deer hunt in MT. Both were amazing, and both ended with meat in the freezer! In CO, we found elk the day we arrived and were into them nearly every day. They were still bugling a bit in the morning and evening, and even saw a couple bulls fighting! It was by far the best first elk hunt experience I could ever have asked for. We were extremely blessed!

Thanks that is definitely relevant to my original post.

 

[Undrgrndprdcts]

So after reflecting on last season a bit we are definitely going to continue to go for western seasons moving forward. We didn't put in for any draws this year just due to life stuff for both of us. Also there is a 99% chance my hunting partner isn't going anywhere this year due to family stuff, even otc. I'm not sure if one of my other buddies would be down for otc this year or not. So the new question is how should I use the information I gathered over the last year to move forward? First question is should we continue to hunt this unit/area? We liked everything about it otherwise aside from seeing no elk. We have some experience with it and I think a few ideas were we to go back. Next is should we try to draw for an earlier season (first rifle?) for this area in 2026? Or try to draw for an area that may be "better"? I've heard from more experienced guys that unit hopping can be a negative thing. Or should we switch gears and look into other states? What would you guys do in this position given the information you have?

 

[Jstumbaugh]

My group is in a similar situation. Some guys went otc rifle in 2020 with no luck. We tried archery in 2022 otc after not drawing. Saw elk but no kills. We are going on a draw hunt 2nd rifle this fall. All of these hunts have been in different zones. I do feel like hunting the same zone helps you learn the area and where not to spend your time when trying to find them. Hopefully this year is the year we come home with full coolers. I think we have learned a lot from our previous experiences, even though they have all been different seasons/units. I think my biggest take away that I will be putting to use this fall is using more glass. The OTC archery hunt unit wasn't glassable at all and extremely thick. We found sign and looking back we realized that a couple elk can leave a lot more sign than deer do and we should have kept looking at different areas. New unit this fall looks to be much more open and being second rifle getting to a vantage point and glassing should work well for us.

 

[hunthikecamp]

So after reflecting on last season a bit we are definitely going to continue to go for western seasons moving forward. We didn't put in for any draws this year just due to life stuff for both of us. Also there is a 99% chance my hunting partner isn't going anywhere this year due to family stuff, even otc. I'm not sure if one of my other buddies would be down for otc this year or not. So the new question is how should I use the information I gathered over the last year to move forward? First question is should we continue to hunt this unit/area? We liked everything about it otherwise aside from seeing no elk. We have some experience with it and I think a few ideas were we to go back. Next is should we try to draw for an earlier season (first rifle?) for this area in 2026? Or try to draw for an area that may be "better"? I've heard from more experienced guys that unit hopping can be a negative thing. Or should we switch gears and look into other states? What would you guys do in this position given the information you have?

Something that might help you decide on unit hopping, look at what CPW is saying about the unit (by way of tag # changes or herd counts). There's a lot to be said about having familiarity with a unit but a unit that a buddy and I have hunted since 2021 and pulled 2 elk out of, we just decided to cut bait this year and go somewhere new. Last year's hunt was awful and I'm confident that we knew the unit better than ever and had put the time in, but the elk were nowhere to be seen. That decision was validated by CPW's tag cuts in this years draw, they cut waaaaaay back which tells me they agree that the herd is hurting and a hunt this year would have been just as rough.