Worst spike camp locations

[bigbuckdj]

If you don’t know where elk have been and you see some elk in a drainage. Outside of the wallow and saddle situations which are obviously bad. What’s a guy to do? What’s the safe play? One drainage over in the bottom? Mid way up in the next drainage? At some point, if the elk move, and thermals change, any camp site would suck, right?

 

[Dos Perros]

There was an old thread about camping locations and a bunch of posts on where not to camp. I had this thread in mind one evening and for the life of me couldn't find a location that didn't violate one of the 'rules.' Going on probably 100 days of elk hunting and I can only think of two times I've had elk walk through or by camp in the night (that I was aware of).

 

[Poser]

If you don’t know where elk have been and you see some elk in a drainage. Outside of the wallow and saddle situations which are obviously bad. What’s a guy to do? What’s the safe play? One drainage over in the bottom? Mid way up in the next drainage? At some point, if the elk move, and thermals change, any camp site would suck, right?

We camped in an uncomfortable, out of the way spot (where there were comfortable spots available more directly in their habitat) for a couple of years with no effect on the elk until one night, they all came through our camp and proceeded to alarm bark at us and we saw no elk after that.

 

[bigbuckdj]

I guess that’s my point, you and dos perros too. The elk seem to move too much and the thermals change. I feel like I’d have to be 2 miles from the elk to be in a spot that removed all risk.

I’d like to see the rules thread, I burn a bunch of brain power trying to pick a good spot. I’m sure I’m breaking some or all rules.

 

[Tod osier]

I guess that’s my point, you and dos perros too. The elk seem to move too much and the thermals change. I feel like I’d have to be 2 miles from the elk to be in a spot that removed all risk.

I think the point that I take from these threads is that you can't make everyone happy, especially if you are camping somewhere near where someone else is elk hunting. My rule #1 would be don't camp on my mountain .

 

[wind gypsy]

I guess I need to come hunt with some of you Gents.....there are times I would dang near pay to see elk, let alone be so close to bump em!

Yeah, it's all circumstantial. It's easier to avoid elk where they are thin in NW MT than packed a few miles into an elk rich unit in WY.

 

[Poser]

I think that the overall philosophy is that you aren’t on a scenic camping trip and camping in flat, comfortable and scenic locations while elk hunting will often work against you more than it will help you. Ideally, you’ll camp where there isn’t any elk food, a primary travel coridoor, wallow, or bedding area close by. That often eliminates many of the precise comforts campers are looking for.

 

[Gerbdog]

Camping just below one of the only water sources in the area.... thats my favorite one. Last year i packed in to hunt an OTC unit location... place was completely blown out with hunters.... and some guys (like 8 of them, no kidding) tossed their tents over the game trail headed up onto the mesa with the water tank......

Next morning i killed a cow that walked right past their tents to get to the otherside of the valley... had glassed them coming off the top earlier in the morning and watched their descent past the (sleeping?) hunters tents.

I understand you may not know the area well... that happens.... but at least be able to identify a game trail thats being heavily used... if you wanna hunt it great! but dont set up your tents on it

 

[BRTreedogs]

I got a response bugle 75 yards from a roadside truck camp with a tent, kitchen and 2 pickups setup.
Yeah it definitely caught me off guard. And it was even 10 min after we were talking full voice.

Not saying don't think about camp location, but geez.

 

[___DAN___]

Spike camps? What about base camp sets up on the trail heads or on logging roads heads. SMH

 

[Donny Land]

This was my favorite.

View attachment 602866

You've got to be shitting me!

 

[svivian]

We had an outfitter do a drop camp for the first time smack dab in the middle of the elks bedding areas. We were amazed... two full sized wall tents and a bright blue shit house so you couldn't miss it. No trail either to get where they were, they had to get over deadfall to get there. We talked to the guys hunting it and surprise they hadnt seen a single elk and neither did we the two days we hunted before we bailed. Those guys got snowed in bad during second season too.

 

[Stache Attack]

Aj I’ll be camping at a trail head looking like an idiot to persuade others to drive past and not hunt the box canyon. Will post photos when back for you.

 

[OMF]

We're assuming they're hunters camping there. They may be hikers/backpackers camping for the night. I've run into that hunting northern WI, comifornia, AZ, and CO. I've run into hikers doing the Pacific Crest trail, Continental divide trail, and camping/fishing alpine lakes. Ya get a mixed bag for sure hunting public land, especially in the west.

 

[WCB]

Maybe OP knows they are NRs but I've seen some pretty insane actions by local hunters that apparently automatically know more than out of state hunters because of what their plate on their truck says.

 

[ChrisAU]

I tend to pick a spot that a trail goes through as it will get pressure anyway, and can provide an easy path out when heavy after a rest at camp. Not always possible, but I know where I'll be this October looks super photogenic...but we'll watch foot traffic come through the middle of it. Venture out a few miles from there.

 

[Zeke6951]

Several years ago in CO we packed in about a mile from a trailhead. Set up camp about 100 yards off the trail. This was a year when there was a fire ban in the county we were hunting. First morning after a 1 1/2 to 2 mile hike we hear a bugle. It was above us at about thermal change so we backed out to wait until the next morning. On the way back to camp we came upon a group of "Wilderness Therapy" (Open Sky) campers setting up camp right next to the trail with tarps and sleeping bags on either side of the trail. One of the participants was walking around shouting his name as loud as he could. I asked the director if she knew elk season was in and there were lots of hunters about. Yes but they had a permit. Next morning we go back through the camp before daylight, no one was up but a campfire was smoldering next to the trail. We get back to where the bull bugled the day before and there is another camp of the same group within 20 yards of the meadow next to where the elk had been. Day shot. Headed back down the trail toward camp. Campers were getting up when we went back through their camp. I mentioned the fire ban. Was told that didn't apply to them they were on national forest and they had a permit. I mentioned that the part of the NF they were on was in the county with a fire ban. They stayed there for a few days and were gone, along with the elk.

 

[Z Barebow]

Saddles, edge of feeding areas/parks. Way too close to water sources.

Where to set up camp? My preferences are in places no where near elk. A few of my favorite spots usually have a steep rock slide/face on the downwind side of my tent. I am only at camp in the dark, so it is my downhill scent that I am most concerned.

In 2009, my buddy and I set up camp in some old mule deer beds. 10 yards downhill was a rock slide. We had a bull come through one night 15 yards upwind screaming his head off and he had no clue. (Needless to say, it took a while to get back to sleep!)

 

[willy]

NR don't have the corner on this market, I watched 2 residents set up a tp camp right in the middle of a an area I had been watching elk feed in for the previous 2 days. This was a spot they had always used in the previous 5 years I'd been there. The hunted the first 2 days and packed out the 3rd day with no elk seen. They were disqusted with the hunt. They said too many ;people. I bit my lip and didn't tell them they set right up where elk had been feeding in the previous few days. I don't know how they could have missed the sign that had to be there. They set up immediatley upwind of where the elk came from each evening and went to in the mornings.

Too many people hunting elk, the experience is getting close to not being enjoyable on public land. I may have to save a while to get to hunt where it isn't just a rat race cluster hunting experience.

Good luck to everyone. I'll be joining the rat race one last time in Oct.

 

[Stache Attack]

Terrible location. Bastards still drove up with ranger. Sadly I have too much to lose to commit murder.