Spotting Elk habitat

[Bar]

Yeah, that would be hard to do. I've been lucky. I was an owner operator truck driver. I used to take a month off and come to Colorado to hunt for muley's, bear, and elk every year. I retired at 55 and moved here. Since then i'm in the mountains 300 days a year. Plus, I live at 8000ft and I can be at 12,000ft in 30 min. I also love to fly fish the high mountain creeks. I combine it with scouting. I'm always watching elk. Kind of a hobby, but when you're a predator. It's good to get to know your prey.

You can do the same in 5 years.


Sorry OP for getting off topic.

 

[Bar]

Oops! Double post.

 

[cnelk]

When I look at new elk country, I start with the 9K elevation. Then move up/down accordingly.
I look for a mix of aspen and pine, with a few 'flat' spots [benches] in the vicinity.

Something else I have noticed is E.L.F. - Elk Like Flat.
IMO - Its easier for the bulls to breed the cows, than on steep terrain

Another thing to consider is grazing allotments.
There can be cattle or sheep on NF.
You wont know what's there until you scout it, or you can call the region NF office and ask these questions:

1- When/where does the grazing start?
2- When/where does it end?
3- Which direction are they rotated? [Some allotments are required to reverse the direction every other year to promote regrowth]
4- How many pairs are on the allotment? [Cattle]
5- Sheep?

I have seen elk come in about 7-10 days behind the cattle and eat the new grass.
A few cattle around wont bother you. A lot can be bothersome.
Try to be in front of the cattle or behind them

The NF office will give you names of mountains/ridges or draws for reference, so have your map ready

If there are sheep, you're screwed

 

[kad11]

I would use GE to try to locate glassing positions that would allow you to glass as much "possible" elk habitat as possible. Look for bald knobs, exposed ridgelines, and, my personal favorite, boulders fields. It's really not difficult to glass up elk at 2-3 miles... In my opinion good glassing points are worth A LOT. Locate and then hunt. Best of luck.

 

[5MilesBack]

My view. There's a guy who sells maps for elk hunting. 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. The bottom line was he never pointed out my spots. Actually, never came close.

I experienced the same thing. Someone sent me one of those maps that some guy details with elk info. It was obvious that it was done by a guy that likes to study maps, but not by a guy with actual on the ground experience. Sure......there will be elk all over that unit, but he didn't highlight or even get close to ANY of my favorite spots after miles and miles and years of experience in there.

There are some things you just can't see or understand without being there. And there are other situations and areas where it might take a few years before that light bulb goes on.

 

[Beendare]

I would use GE to try to locate glassing positions....

Thats a great tip....my primary strategy for mule deer hunts

 

[elkyinzer]

One GE tip I will throw out there that has not been said - play around with the imagery dates and sometimes you can get an image during elk season. This helps indicate hunter pressure. I can see how many rigs are parked in certain areas and even spot backcountry camps.

 

[bracer40]

There is a section on GE scouting in Elk 101. Should you sign up, I'd be gratefull if you referenced me. (Bracer40)
Been worth the $ I paid even after over 15 years of elk hunting

 

[prariewolf]

Just throwing this out there .. If you can identify recent "Burns" there will be elk there .. It's even worth contacting the forest service to see if they've had any .. They should be easily seen on GE...

 

[Hayguide]

Hall256-thank you for serving! I wish you luck on all your elk hunts.
I use google maps myself, in areas that I have hunted already. I like to use the measuring device on them- I look at roads and access trails, and measure to the areas that I have hunted. This past fall I hunted a new area, I had googled it a lot. When I was hunting it my areas that looked Elky had little sign. I was three miles from a trailhead. The drop camp I was solo hunting on had 2 groups of 4 hunters prior to my arrival-20 days later 1st season SW Colorado easy draw area. On day three I decided to work my way closer to the trailhead but in a steeper dark timber area. Long story short- ran into sign, figured out a pattern, saw two other hunter, and saw 5 elk killing a nice 4.5 year old 6-5 270 Bull . I measured the distance when I got back to Wisconsin-.5 of a mile from a zig zag rd that went up the mountain. That portion of the road was at 8400 ft- killed my bull at 10200 it was step and provided a little refuge for the elk-I did not see that on the maps as far as being elky.

 

[tommymo]

One GE tip I will throw out there that has not been said - play around with the imagery dates and sometimes you can get an image during elk season. This helps indicate hunter pressure. I can see how many rigs are parked in certain areas and even spot backcountry camps.

I do this all the time, the area I plan on hunting I have spot several wall tents, now I know where I won't be going.

 

[bigdesert10]

I would use GE to try to locate glassing positions that would allow you to glass as much "possible" elk habitat as possible. Look for bald knobs, exposed ridgelines, and, my personal favorite, boulders fields. It's really not difficult to glass up elk at 2-3 miles... In my opinion good glassing points are worth A LOT. Locate and then hunt. Best of luck.

This is the best advice on this thread yet, imho. You'd be surprised how many elk magically appear when you stop and glass for good while.

 

[cnelk]

Look where/how you want. Elk are where you find them

 

[kicker338]

Elk habitat depends on the type of area your hunting, here in nth. Id. it's fairly ezy to find there habitit, just find the nastiest old cut block you can find and i'le guarantee you will find elk there.