Scratching my head a bit…

[Thomasj1107]

Spent 7 days in the elk woods with a general tag in Montana last week. Same area I killed a bull last year, was into elk just about every hunt morning and evening for a week but couldn’t seal the deal. Last two days however, woods went completely quiet. Im hesitant to leave and look for other “spots”, but I feel kind of too reliant on basically the only two spots I’ve reliably found elk for the past two seasons. What would you do? I have 6 more days starting Thursday and that’s it.

Would venturing away from where I know they’ve been be a good option? If so, venture away and glass other places at dawn and dusk or cover as much new ground as possible calling?

 

[Yooper]

Personally, I wouldn't leave elk to find elk, especially if you're confident that they're there. Could be a host of reasons they weren't talking. I know that full moon last week played a part in our hunt in Wyoming, as did the heat and the wind. More movement at 10 to noon than early and late for a good part of the week. The bulls advertising earlier in the week went silent and the bulls with cows also quieted down. No cows coming close to estrus yet I suspect. If it were me, I'd go back to the same area and give it hell for your last days.

 

[cnelk]

Elk will tolerate being disturbed only so much before they vacate.
Sounds like you hassled them for a week straight.

Maybe drift to another spot for a day or two and let the area calm down. You'll still have a few days to hunt it again later

 

[mike.adams.467]

I've seen them leave an area when a pack of wolves moved through. They generally return when the wolves leave.

 

[Deadfall]

3..2..1 rule.
Hear you 3 times
See you 2 times
Smell you 1 time.

Give it a week

 

[CAElkhunter]

So that is the rule my wife follows weekly....

 

[Thomasj1107]

But moving forward to future years and hunts I want to be less reliant on these two to three specific spots…

Do you all have certain “spots” that you always rely on, or kinda start from scratch each season and go look for them?

 

[Gerbdog]

I hit the same ole spots time and time again ..... actually this thread makes me wish i had more also.... but they keep producing so not sure. I generally just move around to different places in the valley every day, i rarely hit the same place two days in a row - may just be a half mile down the valley , but i move a bit. So many micro habitats on a mountain that hold elk