Should I split my hunting time?

[HydeParkHunter]

If I'm quick enough with the mouse on July 13, I plan on rifle hunting elk in central Idaho. Now... opening day is Oct. 15, a Thursday. I will certainly be hunting then and through that first weekend.

My question: I have vacation time to take the entire next week off and hunt through Oct. 25. Or... do I hunt that first 4 days, and come back the following weekend and hunt Oct. 24 - Nov. 1? The season goes till Nov. 8. Also, deer season ends Oct. 24, so they'll be out of the woods.

What I got going for me:
I live only a few hours away and plan on taking many weekend scouting trips to the area, starting in July and right up to opening day.
I will have a base camp along a road, but am in shape to hike many miles from there.
I will be solo most of the time (good and bad), but being close to home I can call the cavalry if I need help getting one out.

Going against me:
I have little hunting experience in this unit and almost none of it is during the rifle season.
I've never shot a bull, generally have nothing but bad luck elk hunting, and basically am a headcase about it never working out for me.
I get a little anxiety about getting snowed in at the general area I'm looking at, which is a possibility the later it gets. Pretty high and cold place.
I tend to over think things.

Basically, I see the value in going hard for 4 days, resting up at work for a week, then coming back and hitting it hard gain. But... I know that "the elk are where you find them" and wonder if I will be starting from scratch having been out of the woods for a week? I don't know. But for the experienced late October elk hunters out there I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you in advance.

 

[Calbuck]

You need to know your limits..rest if you’re worn down. You won’t hunt your best if you’re tired and grumpy..enjoy the time you have out there and don’t rush it. If you feel like you need to go home, do it. Me personally..I prefer to sleep in if needed and just stay in the field and go hard a few days then rest a day.

 

[HydeParkHunter]

You need to know your limits..rest if you’re worn down. You won’t hunt your best if you’re tired and grumpy..enjoy the time you have out there and don’t rush it. If you feel like you need to go home, do it. Me personally..I prefer to sleep in if needed and just stay in the field and go hard a few days then rest a day.

And that's what I've done in the past. I've done the 10-day straight thing and a couple times when it's really nasty, or I just need a physical/mental break, I sleep in, or walked back early, chill, read a book. Feel comfortable about keeping my energy up.

But I just wonder if it'll be an advantage to be out there the SECOND week and have (I'm guessing?) less hunting pressure. There's GOT TO BE way less pressure that second week? Right? Will the elk start to 'chill out' a bit after the initial crowds have gone?

 

[Calbuck]

It’s my experience that once people start chasing em around, the elk won’t ‘chill out’ much. They know something is off and when people start pushing them around it puts them on high alert at all times..then you still have to figure out how to get close enough..I've hunted elk in Idaho to the end of October and they weren't any less skittish at the end as the start

 

[HydeParkHunter]

I should also mention, whatever decision I make, it has to be made weeks in advance. I can't decide on that first Sunday night to stick it out if I already told the office I'll be in Monday. I'm fortunate to have the vacation time and reasonable flexibility, but I do have to plan for office backup several weeks out. Again, thanks for the input!

 

[Calbuck]

I wish you luck in your hunt..it’s not easy to get some of those tags filled. Been there and done that..

 

[Werty]

Last season I hunted only weekends, this next year I'm taking a week off. Reason being is, I never new if the elk moved in or out of my hunt area, while I was working. I wasted a lot of mile covering the same areas hoping the elk came back in. Hope this helps.

 

[Hunt-n-ski-ID]

Good luck getting that tag. I would pick one chunk of time if possible. Leaving for several days can set you back finding where the animals are.