Summer Elk Scouting - Worth it?

[elkguide]

The elk live there every day and I hate to be a total stranger.

 

[Ironman8]

Thanks again for the responses. I know that I want to do this, just feeling out the logistics right now. It looks like I'll be going solo for this trip as well.

As it looks right now, I could take a red eye out on a Thursday and catch a flight back home on Monday afternoon, so that would give me 3 full days in the field and possibly check off 3-5 hunting locations on my list. My style of hunting is backpack hunting, so that's what I'll be doing when scouting as well...I see plenty of mileage in my future haha...but that's what I train for!

I appreciate all the specifics that y'all have laid out regarding what to look for, it definitely helps. This will be our 3rd year in CO and the biggest frustration was access and not knowing what we were getting into with some of these areas. I'll definitely be prepared and marking good areas on the GPS. We've talked before about coming out to scout, but it's a pretty big commitment for just a long weekend. To say I'm determined to make this "the year" is an understatement!

I've thought about the Labor Day idea, but I don't think I can make it that far out in Aug/Sept. As it is, I'm looking at the first part of August.

 

[HookUp]

Hiked about 20 miles this weekend in the unit I am planning on archery elk hunting. Took a look at some new canyons and ridges I scouted on google earth. When I made it to the dark timber at the highest elevations I did get a bull in velvet to walk over to me take a look. He quickly spooked, I marked a GPS way point!

I also saw sign in the higher used areas. I think summer scouting can be worth it.

 

[ahatclif]

I just returned from my first ever scouting trip for my first ever hunt. I would say that it is worth it just to get used to the terrain. I had previously identified 5-6 potential hunting spots that i wanted to check out. When I actually got to the unit, access to the trailhead that I was planning on using was closed due to some previous fires. I tried to bushwhack my way to the same areas off-trail and realized that I probably didn't want to do that during a hunt. I ended up going to a different place that I had barely considered and found some awesome ground with some elk sign. I would say the trip was an overall dud but now I know where to start and I have developed another 5-6 areas to check with the access that was available.

To be honest I didn't know what I was doing and i didn't/don't really know what I was looking for. Even though I have spent a fair amount of time in the mountain for non-hunting recreation, the terrain needs to be experienced first hand. Just be prepared in case all of your Google Earth plans have to be thrown out the window.

I wasn't.

 

[bridgerbenson]

Im taking my whole fam damily next weekend! Was catching flak from my wife for going scouting, so stupid me said well come along and we'll make it a camping trip. Wife and 3 kids (9, 7, and 3 yrs old) Driving 8 hrs, packing in a mile and a half, setting up camp. Set up cameras, catch some trout, etc. Will probably be a chit show, but here we go! Will be nice to get in the mountains anyways. Will have to do more scouting with spotting scope than getting to hike around and cover the ground I initially wanted to.

 

[Bar]

The bottom line is any time you can spend in elk country is worth it. It's heaven on earth.