Tips on How to Hunt Heavily Roaded Units

[OregonSteeler]

I have an elk tag in a unit that I've spent some time in the past, but don't know it all too well. There's definitely elk in the unit and has some great country to hunt. Timbered draws with some open meadows and transition areas of high desert to dense trees.

The only thing is, the whole unit is absolutely covered in roads. There are two TMAs, and I plan on hitting those up, but I'm not going to commit 100% to them because I just don't trust people to stay on the main allocated access roads.

All the e-scouting vids and articles preach "find areas away from roads" and "go where hunters won't". Well it's virtually impossible to get away more than a mile or so away from a road system, and the terrain is relatively easy to walk/hike.

I don't have very high hopes of locating a bull except if I get lucky. I'm sure people who hunt the area consistently, know of very small pockets where elk will hide, but otherwise, there's gonna be some luck involved. Of the two times I've went there previously, I've seen elk hanging, but lots of camps and people around.

I'd love to hear some tips on how to possibly identify areas to focus on. Right now my only thought is to throw a dart at the unit to decide where to go!

 

[trophyhill]

Sounds like NM unit 34 to a tee. So I can relay what I know about that unit. First off there are a ton of roads. No such thing as packing in. Unless you just want to get that camping experience and listen to elk scream all night. What I can tell you is at least in that unit, the elk are used to traffic and just getting a couple hundred yards off the road may be all you need. You are never further than a mile from a road and it may actually be less. The roads do not seem to affect the elk over there at all. Last year while calling for a friend during the muzzy hunt in October, we were on 1 side of the road and the elk on the other. He would not come across. It was like trying to call an elk across a meadow. Ain’t happening in most cases. We ended up calling an elk in to 35 yards where the satellite met his demise less than 200 yards from the nearest road. He was on the same side of that road when he came running in.

On one occasion while listening to all the atv, utv, and truck traffic, my buddy and I worked this herd bull that had probably 20-30 cows for a solid hour and those elk could care less about the traffic. What a blast that was! He got a shot at around 50 yards or closer but missed. One reason I won’t hunt with a muzzleloader. Seen that all too many times. But what an exciting interaction. This while bulls are screaming all around.

 

[OregonSteeler]

Sounds like NM unit 34 to a tee. So I can relay what I know about that unit. First off there are a ton of roads. No such thing as packing in. Unless you just want to get that camping experience and listen to elk scream all night. What I can tell you is at least in that unit, the elk are used to traffic and just getting a couple hundred yards off the road may be all you need. You are never further than a mile from a road and it may actually be less. The roads do not seem to affect the elk over there at all. Last year while calling for a friend during the muzzy hunt in October, we were on 1 side of the road and the elk on the other. He would not come across. It was like trying to call an elk across a meadow. Ain’t happening in most cases. We ended up calling an elk in to 35 yards where the satellite met his demise less than 200 yards from the nearest road. He was on the same side of that road when he came running in.

On one occasion while listening to all the atv, utv, and truck traffic, my buddy and I worked this herd bull that had probably 20-30 cows for a solid hour and those elk could care less about the traffic. What a blast that was! He got a shot at around 50 yards or closer but missed. One reason I won’t hunt with a muzzleloader. Seen that all too many times. But what an exciting interaction. This while bulls are screaming all around.

Thank you for the thoughts. This unit is in Oregon actually but I'm sure there's similarities between areas.

After pouring over maps for a couple days, I feel my best option is be up high when the sun comes up and glass the openings. Hopefully it will give me at least a starting point of where elk will be.

I'm hoping that some of the roads are blocked off and need to be walked, but from satellite images, it looks like most of the roads are pretty worn and drivable.

Also, this hunt is during 2nd rifle season, so they will have been pushed around quite a bit and will be on high alert.

 

[trophyhill]

Thank you for the thoughts. This unit is in Oregon actually but I'm sure there's similarities between areas.

After pouring over maps for a couple days, I feel my best option is be up high when the sun comes up and glass the openings. Hopefully it will give me at least a starting point of where elk will be.

I'm hoping that some of the roads are blocked off and need to be walked, but from satellite images, it looks like most of the roads are pretty worn and drivable.

Also, this hunt is during 2nd rifle season, so they will have been pushed around quite a bit and will be on high alert.

I should mention this is a draw unit with a high bull to cow ratio. But even being a draw unit, they give a ton of tags for deer for all weapons which does equate to pressure on the elk herds.

 

[trophyhill]

Thank you for the thoughts. This unit is in Oregon actually but I'm sure there's similarities between areas.

After pouring over maps for a couple days, I feel my best option is be up high when the sun comes up and glass the openings. Hopefully it will give me at least a starting point of where elk will be.

I'm hoping that some of the roads are blocked off and need to be walked, but from satellite images, it looks like most of the roads are pretty worn and drivable.

Also, this hunt is during 2nd rifle season, so they will have been pushed around quite a bit and will be on high alert.

One of my friends from Hawaii killed a toad in Oregon during archery this year. Best of luck!

 

[BRTreedogs]

Why did you even pick this unit then?
If there is that many roads and that much pressure just sit in one spot, someone will run them by ya. Seriously, even if you see some unless you can shot from that spot they will bump before you get there.

 

[Dos Perros]

I hunted a unit like that once. Opening morning we were glassing and found a herd just a couple hundred yards off a road, but up above the road where they couldn’t be seen from the road. Four dudes on ATV’s rolled right under them and they didn’t even flinch.

That’s the bull, never could get him.

 

[Mojave]

Go in there without a gun before the season and use thermal binos to dig them up.

Then go back and be set up on them prior to the opener.

You should be able to scout with thermal even if you can't hunt with it.

 

[Jaquomo]

Elk are wherever hunters aren't hassling them. Often this is close to roads because, you know, we have to get way back in, as far as we can manage to find elk. This year I was regularly into multiple bugling bulls within 300-500 yards of heavily traveled roads in a heavily roaded unit. Nobody was hunting close to roads. Go figure..

 

[Marble]

Some places in Oregon close all the roads during the season. Doesn't sound like this is the case here, but there may be some closed roads. I dealt with that that this year in Oregon. My solution was my mountain bike.

And the rules of get away from roads and go where others won't still applies. The great majority of elk hunters do not venture far from any established road or trail.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Why did you even pick this unit then?

This is what I'm wondering, too.

 

[trophyhill]

Why would someone pick a unit like this? Because you can't kill them from your couch?

 

[DawnPatrol]

In the Oregon TMAs I’ve hunted, people have actually been pretty respectful of the closures. May vary by unit/region, but I would be hunting them if I were in your shoes.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Why would someone pick a unit like this? Because you can't kill them from your couch?

You can be combative if you want, its a genuine question. The main bulk of units in Oregon have about the same draw odds.
If you have already been in a unit and know it has alot of roads and may be hard to hunt, and that you don't know tactics to hunt it.
And on top of that OP said he doesn't even expect to see a bull. I truly don't understand why you would apply for a unit you don't expect to see a bull in.

This isn't NM were not sitting water tanks, we not only have alot of tags we have alot of recreational people out all year, atvs, hikers etc.

Elk hunting isn't even close to the same thing here just because the road density is the same, the elk population is not.

Oregon only manages for like 15 bulls to cows ratio. He says this is a high unit. That mite only be 20.
NM manages for what 50 to 100?

 

[ElkNut1]

Call/Locate elk from the road. It's best done before daylight to a couple hours after daylight. Drive & call until found. Bugling is best.

If you plan on hunting this area for years to come you will find that you are locating elk in basically the same spots year after year. Too, you will in time find a couple of those hidy-holes most hunters drive right by. Between those two you will be into elk every year from then on!

ElkNut

 

[orhunter1]

Call/Locate elk from the road. It's best done before daylight to a couple hours after daylight. Drive & call until found. Bugling is best.

If you plan on hunting this area for years to come you will find that you are locating elk in basically the same spots year after year. Too, you will in time find a couple of those hidy-holes most hunters drive right by. Between those two you will be into elk every year from then on!

ElkNut

will this work for second rifle season after all the pressure of 4 months from archery, muzzle loader, and first rifle season.

 

[ElkNut1]

I've used that Tactic all of Sept & Oct. When used all I'm looking for is one bull, I don't need a 1/2 dozen! So yes, it can apply at your time for sure. Bulls can be very brave while still dark & respond to a distant bugle. They do not necessarily come your way but they do give you a direction & for most that means game on!

I've taken roughly 2 dozen bulls where I first located them from roads. You still have to get to them & put them down. Locating is just the start but it's a good start! (grin)

ElkNut

 

[trophyhill]

You can be combative if you want, its a genuine question. The main bulk of units in Oregon have about the same draw odds.
If you have already been in a unit and know it has alot of roads and may be hard to hunt, and that you don't know tactics to hunt it.
And on top of that OP said he doesn't even expect to see a bull. I truly don't understand why you would apply for a unit you don't expect to see a bull in.

This isn't NM were not sitting water tanks, we not only have alot of tags we have alot of recreational people out all year, atvs, hikers etc.

Elk hunting isn't even close to the same thing here just because the road density is the same, the elk population is not.

Oregon only manages for like 15 bulls to cows ratio. He says this is a high unit. That mite only be 20.
NM manages for what 50 to 100?

Combative? Wasn’t intending to hurt your feelings. Let me try and explain. To many, myself included, not hunting elk is NOT an option. Whether that is hunting the Gila in NM where true giants are a real possibility if you can get lucky and draw it. Or any other draw unit (lots of roads or not). Or I can hunt heavy pressured otc units where there are roads everywhere, or I can sit on the couch. Now which do you think I choose? Point being this. We all have our own reasons for hunting any particular unit. And this is how I’d answer your question honestly. If there are elk in a unit with lots of roads, that’s good enough reason for me to be there

 

[BRTreedogs]

Combative? Wasn’t intending to hurt your feelings. Let me try an explain. To many, myself included, not hunting elk is NOT an option. Whether that is hunting the Gila in NM where true giants are a real possibility if you can get lucky and draw it. Or any other draw unit (lots of roads or not). Or I can hunt heavy pressured otc units where there are roads everywhere, or I can sit on the couch. Now which do you think I choose? Point being this. We all have our own reasons for hunting any particular unit. And this is how I’d answer your question honestly. If there are elk in a unit with lots of roads, that’s good enough reason for me to be there

What if the 5 other units next door had the same elk, better draw odds and less roads.
Wtf would you still pick the unit that you don't even think you'll see a bull in for?

Just to make it extra hard for no reason?

 

[trophyhill]

What if the 5 other units next door had the same elk, better draw odds and less roads.
Wtf would you still pick the unit that you don't even think you'll see a bull in for?

Just to make it extra hard for no reason?

I don’t mind hard. I grew up with a work ethic so hard and even extra hard is fine by me. I stopped deer hunting with a rifle because it was too easy. Nothing wrong with working for it. It’s just that much more gratifying knowing you earned it in my tiny elk brain. There’s something to be said for killing on the last day after you’ve left it on the mountain in a tough unit vs killing opening day in AZ