Spotting Elk habitat

[Paradactal]

Okay guys, I have a generic question that has had me a bit stumped. We are trying to put together an Elk hunt for 2017 out of state. If there was an ever an Elk rookie, that would be me. I I spend countless hours on Google earth trying to identify what looks to be good elk habitat. Nothing ever stands out to me! Now being that Ive never hunted elk, and had a chance to see what a good "elky" area looks like in person, Im having a hard time trying to narrow down areas on a map. This site has a bunch of great resourceful hunters here and Ive got a ton of awesome info. Would anyone be so kind as to post some pics of Google earth photos of what a few different types of areas look like. I understand that different states offer different types of habitat, Im just looking for general terrain features or areas where when looking on Google Earth you say "that might want to be a place we check out." Im a visual guy and I have read tons and tons, its just not clicking for some reason. Maybe Im just psyching myself out. Our hunt most likely will be Idaho Archery. No clue of region yet, much less a zone. If anyone would like to post pics, no need to say what state they are in. PM if necessary.

 

[Beendare]

Let me try to help, though you might not like the answer.....


I use GE a lot before a hunt. I did a hunt in U76 in Colo where I had GE'd that area 100 times before the hunt...so much so that when walking up the trail it felt like I had been there before. Knowing the country is a big advantage. Climbing a mtn just to find its cliffed in on the other side wastes valuable hunting time.

That was a limited area. The heavily hunted OTC and general areas are different. You can identify good habitat.....but due to hunter pressure those elk are out of there....and maybe just feeding there at night or not at all. It sounds funny but its true, elk are where you find them. I use GE to find access points, trails roads....and pockets where I think the elk will get pushed into. I use GE to get a good "Lay of the land"....then lace up my boots and get in there to find them typically moving through a lot of country until I do. I don't think there is a secret recipe. Bottom line the #1 factor in those OTC units is hunter pressure after the first couple days of the season.

The western mtns is big country. The big mistake a lot of new guys make is staying too long in areas that maybe HAD elk...but they moved out.

 

[5MilesBack]

Every unit in Colorado has shown to be good elk habitat, from the eastern plains all the way to the Utah border. However, that doesn't mean that they will actually be in every square foot of those units. I've walked a LOT of Colorado, and I've seen elk sign in all of these areas.

 

[timekiller13]

Use maps to identify major access points and trails. Then get out there and hunt. I saw elk in areas that I never even paid any attention to on the map, because they didn't "look elky." But once I got into those areas, I started seeing elk sign and elk.

 

[Felix1776]

Threads like these is why I love rokslide.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

 

[TurkeyBowMaster]

A lot easier to find elk with laced up boots than with a plugged in mouse.

 

[maninthemaze]

First off let me say that I am absolutely in your same shoes. I'm in the planning stages for a 2017 Elk hunt in Montana. The only resource that I've found for Google Earth scouting has been this one. I'll tell you how accurate it is come November, after my hunt.

Google Earth Scouting Series Ep. 1 - Settings and Overview - YouTube

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[Felix1776]

I'm no expert on internet scouting by any means but I actually prefer bing maps with the bird's eye view. For whatever reason, the terrain is much more obvious and understandable with the bird's eye view. As far as what to look for...I'm in the same boat as you. I'm mostly looking for large areas between roads and/or trails that would allow me to get away from everybody else.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Let me try to help, though you might not like the answer.....


I use GE a lot before a hunt. I did a hunt in U76 in Colo where I had GE'd that area 100 times before the hunt...so much so that when walking up the trail it felt like I had been there before. Knowing the country is a big advantage. Climbing a mtn just to find its cliffed in on the other side wastes valuable hunting time.

That was a limited area. The heavily hunted OTC and general areas are different. You can identify good habitat.....but due to hunter pressure those elk are out of there....and maybe just feeding there at night or not at all. It sounds funny but its true, elk are where you find them. I use GE to find access points, trails roads....and pockets where I think the elk will get pushed into. I use GE to get a good "Lay of the land"....then lace up my boots and get in there to find them typically moving through a lot of country until I do. I don't think there is a secret recipe. Bottom line the #1 factor in those OTC units is hunter pressure after the first couple days of the season.

The western mtns is big country. The big mistake a lot of new guys make is staying too long in areas that maybe HAD elk...but they moved out.

Very good info here.

 

[semperfidelis97]

I would advise you to look at areas most people are going to be unwilling to go. The areas in Idaho I find elk are not super far from roads honestly some are within a quarter mile, but people take one look at that area then move on. If the area looks super cool, and elky like others said every other guy is seeing the same thing. Steep, and deep is what I would be looking for over really great habitat once you get into that nasty stuff you will start to see the trails that the elk are using they will be hard to miss.

 

[Paradactal]

Let me try to help, though you might not like the answer.....


I use GE a lot before a hunt. I did a hunt in U76 in Colo where I had GE'd that area 100 times before the hunt...so much so that when walking up the trail it felt like I had been there before. Knowing the country is a big advantage. Climbing a mtn just to find its cliffed in on the other side wastes valuable hunting time.

That was a limited area. The heavily hunted OTC and general areas are different. You can identify good habitat.....but due to hunter pressure those elk are out of there....and maybe just feeding there at night or not at all. It sounds funny but its true, elk are where you find them. I use GE to find access points, trails roads....and pockets where I think the elk will get pushed into. I use GE to get a good "Lay of the land"....then lace up my boots and get in there to find them typically moving through a lot of country until I do. I don't think there is a secret recipe. Bottom line the #1 factor in those OTC units is hunter pressure after the first couple days of the season.

The western mtns is big country. The big mistake a lot of new guys make is staying too long in areas that maybe HAD elk...but they moved out.

Great info, and I loved your answer. I really like the idea of using GE to spot access areas instead of trying to find the sweet spot. We have a trip planned in Aug to check out the lay of the land and get an idea of what we want to do. Im just trying to do a pre pre scouting to narrow down a couple of areas to go check out.

 

[Paradactal]

A lot easier to find elk with laced up boots than with a plugged in mouse.

Super helpful info! I do however use a wireless mouse.

 

[Bar]

I've never bothered with maps. I just lace up my boots and go scouting. I understand it's hard to do when you're a non resident. I did that for decades. I'd use the first 3 days to scout and then hunt. After a few years in the same unit it gets easier. After decades in the same unit it gets even easier.

Now after 6 decades I know where the elk are going before they get there. Anybody can do it if they want to put in the work.

 

[Beendare]

......I really like the idea of using GE to spot access areas instead of trying to find the sweet spot. We have a trip planned in Aug to check out the lay of the land and get an idea of what we want to do.......

Don't get me wrong, a guy with experience can develop educated guesses on where the elk will be from GE. It seems to me that all starts by determining the lay of the land.

Another example, I was looking at a spot in Co around Steamboat Springs. Picture areas of large flat ground private ranches backing up to mtns that are public. You know those elk are going to use those big hay/ alfalfa fields at night! The public land pockets were made even better due to tough access, you have to hike about 1/2 mile uphill before it breaks off into deep downhill canyons appx a mile long and 1500-2000' down into the private ground.

The proof was in the boot leather. No elk on the 1/2 mile uphill side as it had been hunted hard being right off the road.....and one canyon going into public had a crapload of cattle in there. The next drainage was a winner. You still had to climb appx 1/2 mile before topping out.....but once you got about 1/2 mile down the other side of the mtn there was elk sign everywhere....in fact I called in a bull that came in so quick I screwed it up....locator bugle and he was on me before I could nok an arrow.

So the 'finding a pocket' concept works...but like in my example....both of those canyons looked good on GE..but one had cattle and you wouldn't know that until you get boots on the ground. About elk....if they aren't in one canyon...then its just more likely they are in the next. Good luck!

 

[Rs3003]

Thanks. Great advice Beendare!

 

[Hall256]

Like the OP, i have been trying to do the Google Earth method to locate areas for future hunts, and I got that idea from the numerous Hunting Podcasts that have talked extensively about the virtues of doing as much scouting online before even getting to an area. As a few have already mentioned, I know there is no comparison to actually walking the terrain, but it just seems like recently there has been a chorus of hunters that make it sound like you are wasting your time if you not "desk top scouting".

From what I remember someone was saying that the Elk University on Elk101 had a section on how to use GE or other digital maps...does that sound right to anyone that have used that resource?

The advice given by BeenDare seems like one of the best benefits of using Google Earth, i may not be able to find Elk habitat by looking at a computer screen...but I will know what each trail, ridge, and drainage looks like before I get to the area.

 

[Bar]

My view. There's a guy who sells maps for elk hunting. I know him and he's a nice guy. I wanted to see how well he did on finding good spots. That's what his maps do. They give you areas that should hold elk and also have hot spots. I wanted to see if he could pinpoint some of my honey holes. I've been hunting one unit for 60 years. I feel I know it pretty well.

The bottom line was he never pointed out my spots. Actually, never came close. The obvious places are also obvious places that hunters find on maps. All that will be there are lot's of hunters. When elk season starts the elk will find solitude. Those areas won't be obvious on maps. You'll only find them with your boots. I wish I could show you one of my spots on a map. You would never dream to look there.

Keep an open mind and be prepared to go places that a map will not point out. If you do what everybody else is doing. How can you expect to be successful? Colorado has a 20% success rate for elk hunting. That means 80% get it wrong. Don't be one of those.

 

[Hall256]

My view. There's a guy who sells maps for elk hunting. I know him and he's a nice guy. I wanted to see how well he did on finding good spots. That's what his maps do. They give you areas that should hold elk and also have hot spots. I wanted to see if he could pinpoint some of my honey holes. I've been hunting one unit for 60 years. I feel I know it pretty well.

The bottom line was he never pointed out my spots. Actually, never came close. The obvious places are also obvious places that hunters find on maps. All that will be there are lot's of hunters. When elk season starts the elk will find solitude. Those areas won't be obvious on maps. You'll only find them with your boots. I wish I could show you one of my spots on a map. You would never dream to look there.

Keep an open mind and be prepared to go places that a map will not point out. If you do what everybody else is doing. How can you expect to be successful? Colorado has a 20% success rate for elk hunting. That means 80% get it wrong. Don't be one of those.

Bar,
I bet you I would be able to spot your spot...just show me your map and where you hunt, and I am sure I would agree that the elk would hide there. Come on, i wont steal your spot...LOL

 

[Bar]

Maybe when I retire from elk hunting. I'm 74 now and would like to keep hunting until i'm 80. Maybe i'll never retire and just drop dead on the mountain.

 

[Hall256]

Well in about 5 years or so I should be retiring from the Marine Corps and hopefully moving out west somewhere. Then I can spend my time wearing out the leather on my shoes in the mountains where i belong. The Marines have been great, but we have very little chance of ever being stationed anywhere where with great hunting....in the meantime I will hunt the "Mountains" of the east.