What do y’all do when the elk are just too high up?

[Minute_of_Antelope]

Curious about whether I’m just a big wuss. I was consistently seeing elk this week but about 2k higher than I was (I was at about 7500). I just said screw it and tried other country.

Do you guys sometimes try to gain that elevation (either that same trip or the next one) or do you wait for weather to push em down?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Just go get them

 

[Elkdreamer]

Go get them. Never leave elk in the hopes to find other elk.

 

[WoodrowCall]

Drop a pin where they were at and where you were, and I’ll tell you if you should have gone after them or not…

 

[BDRam16]

I’m not sure where you were, but if you had 2000’ of elevation above you this early in the season I would say you’re hunting too low. If you don’t want to go that high either move to an area where your elevation is the upper limit or be willing to go up there. They won’t have any reason to come down until either the snow or the hunting pressure makes them.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

I’m not sure where you were, but if you had 2000’ of elevation above you this early in the season I would say you’re hunting too low. If you don’t want to go that high either move to an area where your elevation is the upper limit or be willing to go up there. They won’t have any reason to come down until either the snow or the hunting pressure makes them.

Yeah that was my thinking anyways when I bailed. That I was just entirely too low and would need to reattack with a different plan…

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

Drop a pin where they were at and where you were, and I’ll tell you if you should have gone after them or not…

I was at the same trailhead as this Dude.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

I’m not sure where you were, but if you had 2000’ of elevation above you this early in the season I would say you’re hunting too low. If you don’t want to go that high either move to an area where your elevation is the upper limit or be willing to go up there. They won’t have any reason to come down until either the snow or the hunting pressure makes them.

Thinking about this comment more, this Is really good input. I hadn’t thought of the upper limit thing but that makes total sense. Thank you

 

[gabenzeke]

I've gotten into them at 11,400' in late September. This early, my experience is they're way higher than 7k in all the places I've been.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[jmez]

You climb. It sucks.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

You climb. It sucks.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

Yeah but the IG influencers didn’t mention anything about having to exert myself.

 

[Calbuck]

You have to hunt the elk where they are. You will have to decide if where they are is beyond your capability and determine if you can readjust your plans to get up to them or give up that area and move.

 

[taskswap]

Honestly I wouldn't even think about "going up". I think about "going down". Start at 12,000' at the end of August and knock off 1000' or so every month after that. By October I'm usually around 9000-10000.

Where I hunt, 6-7k is where they winter.

 

[Fowl Play]

Damn, the ROAL Reaper was right! 9000ft+ is just too damn high. Rarified air for sure.

 

[Wrench]

Where I hunt, if you're under elk when the sun comes up... and the wind isn't crossing hard, you better cut across the slope before you get thermaled and then make your climb.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I was at 9200' today looking at a herd of elk at about 10,800. 5 bulls. There is NO getting to these elk. The terrain is impossibly steep.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

You have to hunt the elk where they are. You will have to decide if where they are is beyond your capability and determine if you can readjust your plans to get up to them or give up that area and move.

it’s not so much a capability thing as much as it seemed a wildly inefficient effort given all the other variables that go into bow hunting.

That’s why I’m curious what others do and it seems like a mix of hunting at the wrong elevation and maybe me being a bit of a b*tch

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

I was at 9200' today looking at a herd of elk at about 10,800. 5 bulls. There is NO getting to these elk. The terrain is impossibly steep.

Can def relate

 

[Calbuck]

Hunting and efficiency don’t always go together. If you’re not willing to go where they are, you need to adjust your plan to make it worth it to you, or you can go home. Those
Are your options.

 

[Calbuck]

It’s not a dad thing. Keep doing what you’re doing. You’ll learn more
From that than you will from me.