So How are you guys Locating Elk?

[pfraze]

So after numerous hours spent e-scouting last year and driving 20 hours to our destination we hunted 3 days in what we believed to be a great spot. We finally packed out and headed to a different spot after hunting hard and not cutting any sign. I am curious what everyone's favorite tactic is to locate elk once you roll into a spot you never have seen before. We have hunted elk a few years and experienced some success. I know everyone says to pack in farther than everyone else and that's great as long as there are elk when you get there. Just curious how everyone finds elk in new spots. Thanks for any tips.

 

[87TT]

Keep looking

 

[Indian Summer]

In a new spot I’m not only looking for elk but also getting a grip on the lay of the land. So I get up on some vantage points and glass the heck out of it. You learn a lot without putting scent everywhere and getting busted. You also learn if there are little to no elk. But you have to be up there at the crack of dawn and stay until dark.

 

[cnelk]

I’ve been hunting my areas for over 30 years. It’s not uncommon for me to put on 800+ miles on my truck in 10 days of elk hunting.

Ya gotta just go find them.

 

[cgasner1]

Headlamp and a bugle they are way more responsive at night


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[String&stick]

If I spend a full day at it, and don't see or hear elk, and don't cut fresh sign. . . I'm moving. Might be one drainage over, might be 40 miles away to a new spot. But no sign of no fresh sign, is a bad sign for you! Keep moving till you find them!

 

[SteveinMN]

If I spend a full day at it, and don't see or hear elk, and don't cut fresh sign. . . I'm moving. Might be one drainage over, might be 40 miles away to a new spot. But no sign of no fresh sign, is a bad sign for you! Keep moving till you find them!

Last year spent 3 days looking at old sign in the drainage that was hot the year before. The 4th day moved over one drainage and found plenty of fresh sign and the elk to go with it. Never got in close enough for a shot but learned a valuable lesson, if there's no sign there's no elk...go where they are, not where you want them to be.

 

[justinspicher]

I just wander around aimlessly, but I usually get caught by them after waking up from a nap.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Headlamp and a bugle they are way more responsive at night


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Curious what you do when they respond? Book it out of there in the most advantageous way to stay down wind? Obviously you don’t want them coming in and winding you.

 

[5MilesBack]

By smell and by calling, but finding them isn't much of an issue either way. They're in the mountains.

 

[trophyhill]

in new areas, and I'll be hunting some new areas this year, i pretty much have those areas memorized from ONX and GE. once boots are on the ground, i will use all senses, including calling to them to find them.

 

[cgasner1]

Curious what you do when they respond? Book it out of there in the most advantageous way to stay down wind? Obviously you don’t want them coming in and winding you.

Leave just let’s me know they are in the area place I hunt in Montana they move a lot


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[Bearshirt]

Some times they can be so close to the area you escout and its just a matter of going a little further one way or another on the side of the mountain. An area we were in one year that had elk and lots if fresh sign next year no fresh sign. So we went the opposite way off the trail and found tons of sign and a even better spot to hunt with lots of water and lush feed. There are so many streams that are not on the map and they can go under ground and pop back up farther down. It is a daunting task to learn one area well. Then compound that into trying to learn multiple areas all in 8-10 days a year of hunting. Most of your time is spent finding them until you get a few places under your belt.

 

[Wrench]

first eyes, then ears....then mouth and lastly nose.

Good work and better luck on a topo will give you a good starting point. Fwiw, I have a minimum of 3 areas all about 20 miles apart (incase of fire) that hold what I want.

Cut tracks or spot in the distance. Listen for elk chatter.....proceed with caution.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

This is all great advice! Thanks everyone for sharing.

 

[Huntnnw]

boils down to what season and terrain on how I go about finding elk. In N ID seeing elk is pretty tough and its all about hearing elk during archery season. Other places Ive rifle hunted elk in new places I like to find high points and glass glass till you spot some then move that way.

 

[nphunter]

Bugling, if they're not answering at all I'm moving to a different area. Also putting some miles on the truck at night with the headlights can turn up elk depending on if your hunting foothill type country or backpacking in. Backpacking I would bugle, glass and maybe give it a day or two if I felt like I was in elk country, if I'm not seeing or finding fresh sign I'm moving to another area in short order.

 

[Coveyleader]

Hunt country you can see in.

 

[5MilesBack]

I don't need to see them until I'm right on top of them. But I do have to be able to see where I'm putting my pin.

 

[Gerbdog]

I don't need to see them until I'm right on top of them. But I do have to be able to see where I'm putting my pin.

Yea that's been my experience also... and the elk see me too... which doesn't work as well. I locate elk at the same time they locate me. I keep getting told to slow down... probably sage advice... and remember your hunting as soon as you leave camp (more sage advice from more experienced folks than me and mistakes made)