Scouting Elk

[BlacktailTracker]

If you are talking about archery elk, then I agree that scouting can be difficult, especially scouting a particular bull. However if we are talking late season elk, post rut, then summer time scouting can pay off bigtime. Most of the areas I hunt elk go back to their summer range as soon as the rut is over, unless there is an early winter with deep snow they are almost always showing back up.

But unlike mule deer I think e-scouting can be very effective for elk, they need feed and water every day, they only seek shelter/cover if pressured. Find an area with good feed and good water and it will most likley have elk in it. Deer don't need water daily and get a lot from feed and they are normally much more picky on feed than elk so they can be much easier to pin down via google earth.

For archery elk I am looking for places that have water first and foremost, don't have a large human presence, sometimes that is right next to a road and sometimes 5 miles deep, also areas that have cow activity. Bulls will split up cow groups and they can end up in some nasty areas but most of the time the bulls will leave their nasty sanctuary areas and show up where the cows are at. I also tend to avoid areas near private land because there can become a buffer zone that ends up void of elk due to the sanctuary they get on private land, nothing is more frustrating than watching a bull chase cows around 50 yards on the wrong side of a fence.

All the below pics are on public land with 100% draw archery tags, the cams were all less than 100 yards from open roads.

Aug.
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Late Oct. 1000 yards apart
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Aug
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Oct rifle season
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Aug
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Nov (This bull was killed in 2025)
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So... what your saying is deer have a home area that they perfer, and elk can be almost anywhere on any given day? How do you efficiently find the area's that currently have elk? My questions are regarding rifle elk.

 

[Dark timber]

Going off your username, I’m guessing there’s a good chance you could be asking about Roosevelts? If so, there are some differences between them and rockies. They can be somewhat patterned in some areas and have a way smaller range, with no migration, usually. This makes scouting easier in that aspect but the terrain/vegetation makes it difficult on the other hand. Cams help.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Going off your username, I’m guessing there’s a good chance you could be asking about Roosevelts? If so, there are some differences between them and rockies. They can be somewhat patterned in some areas and have a way smaller range, with no migration, usually. This makes scouting easier in that aspect but the terrain/vegetation makes it difficult on the other hand. Cams help.

The terrian is an absolute battle. I still haven't gotten my first elk, but I'll hopefully get a cow tag this year. I can hunt Rockies or Rosie's whether I decide to drive East or West.

 

[nphunter]

So... what your saying is deer have a home area that they perfer, and elk can be almost anywhere on any given day? How do you efficiently find the area's that currently have elk? My questions are regarding rifle elk.

I’m saying that bull elk have a preferred area they like to be, it’s a place they are not bothered. Very similar to deer, the big difference is when we hunt them. Much like deer elk travel non stop during the rut and are very hard to pattern, mule deer are the same in the rut. During the summer elk have areas they like to be and unless it’s snowed out they often return to those same areas post rut (there sanctuary area), however they might just use a small section of it post rut because they are worn out from the rut and pretty much feed and sleep with spending as little energy as possible.

Deer we mostly hunt pre rut so it’s more likely they will be in the areas a person scouts them during preseason. Once velvet sheds they typically hit cover more than prior and as feed burns off they feed in lower elevation or thicker cover. But like elk once they start rutting they are hard to keep track of.

I just got home from putting out some cams in an area my son should draw a bull tag this fall. If I find some good bulls in the next few months they will likely be there during rifle season as well. However they are often 5-10 miles away during the rut, many down in the valley chasing cows in big herds.

Randy Newburg has a lot of really good content on rifle hunting elk and how to find sanctuary areas. That is where bulls are consistently killed during most post rut rifle seasons.

 

[Wizzum]

I used to E-scout a lot and took a few trips out with my own eyes. Found a spot I liked and saw a bull; have been back there consistently year after year and punched my tag or my buddy punched his across multiple species types.

I no longer scout, I just go back to the same area every year.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

I’m saying that bull elk have a preferred area they like to be, it’s a place they are not bothered. Very similar to deer, the big difference is when we hunt them. Much like deer elk travel non stop during the rut and are very hard to pattern, mule deer are the same in the rut. During the summer elk have areas they like to be and unless it’s snowed out they often return to those same areas post rut (there sanctuary area), however they might just use a small section of it post rut because they are worn out from the rut and pretty much feed and sleep with spending as little energy as possible.

Deer we mostly hunt pre rut so it’s more likely they will be in the areas a person scouts them during preseason. Once velvet sheds they typically hit cover more than prior and as feed burns off they feed in lower elevation or thicker cover. But like elk once they start rutting they are hard to keep track of.

I just got home from putting out some cams in an area my son should draw a bull tag this fall. If I find some good bulls in the next few months they will likely be there during rifle season as well. However they are often 5-10 miles away during the rut, many down in the valley chasing cows in big herds.

Randy Newburg has a lot of really good content on rifle hunting elk and how to find sanctuary areas. That is where bulls are consistently killed during most post rut rifle seasons.

Thanks you for this information.

 

[Ropnjansen]

Seen different bulls from year to year be in the same draws. There’s something there they like and are naturally drawn there. Pressure from hunters will push them but a day or two later they’re back.
Honey holes are true.

 

[Ross]

Hunting elk that are not close to fenced country is like night and day You have to learn this the hard way. Lots of sweat, miles, anxiety, tears and exhilaration. You will come to Love it or give up If you love it, that is pretty much all you think about.

 

[TradLife406]

Best thing for scouting elk is spending more time knowing how to navigate the area and the lay of the land. Spring and summer scouting can be useless in some situations.
But if you understand the lay of the land and can identify the areas elk will like with boots on the ground you'll learn more than just glassing.
Also it'll put into perspective how much hiking and how long it takes to get to point a to b.

 

[BlacktailTracker]

Best thing for scouting elk is spending more time knowing how to navigate the area and the lay of the land. Spring and summer scouting can be useless in some situations.
But if you understand the lay of the land and can identify the areas elk will like with boots on the ground you'll learn more than just glassing.
Also it'll put into perspective how much hiking and how long it takes to get to point a to b.

This advice is all really helpful because it will completely change the way I hunt elk next time.

 

[Marble]

I do a combination of gassing, boots on the ground and trail cams at the end.

For archery elk i am looking for rubs and bedding areas. Fresh sign etc.

Rifle season, I generally just glass. Find a herd and then go to the area and hunt them.



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[wmccormick65]

Elk are so nomadic that I don't even bother scouting for actual elk until the week or two before the hunt. Now, I DO scout potential glassing points, roads, access, hikes, etc., prior to that, so no matter where the elk are in the unit, I already have a plan to hunt them in that area.

LC what state are you hunting? I ask because if its Colorado is there a minimum distance you get from a trail or road before you truly start hunting?

 

[Pony Soldier]

Where they are during the rut is totally differant from where they are during rifle season. Where they are during early season is totally differant from the end of the season. Same goes for a warm season versus a cold season.

Success depends on the time you spend on the ground -- every year. I can show you places where I killed big bulls in the 70s. I'm not aware of there being a bull in that country since the 80s.

 

[anonymous22]

You want to understand the elk in YOUR area. Those elk will have their habits.

Then you need to look into and understand food, water and shelter for those elk.

To get to of that, you’ll look at season, temp, slope conditions, seasonal and annual water sources, grasses and browse etc.

A lot of times you can see about where you need to go look on a satellite topo.

However, again, things can be different in other places. Front country, back country, Ag lands, desert, open country, pressure, and management can all be huge factors. If you don’t know what I mean by management, you can take north Idaho for an example.

Their fish and game don’t have an obj for elk in the panhandle. That means they don’t manage it for that. Tags are easy to come by, theres massive competition between you and the orange army, and the population is less than ideal for the amount of tags given out.

 

[MallardSX2]