Worst spike camp locations

[TradLife406]

Any resident westies notice some really dumb spike camps this year? I mean like really dumb! I found two this year. One was in a sanctuary/bedding area. The other was along a drainage bottom below meadow that's a big elk hangout. The elk walk up and down the creek as a travel route.

If you're coming from the Midwest on you're first public land otc diy whatever hashtag hunt. Think of it like whitetails. Ask "would I pitch a tent in a bucks bedding or his transition area?

Boys the non resident pressure is bad enough. But let's not shoot ourselves in the foot by being dumb.

Find an area away from water. You're better hauling water than blowing the elk out.

Also think of where your scent is going throughout the a 24 hour period.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Those look like Bozeman tents to me.

 

[spike camp]

Had a otc spot a few years ago, with a few cams, taking hundreds of pics all summer.
Beautiful grassy saddle, thick timber all sides with water and wallows.
Opening weekend, these two chumps pitched camp right in the open, in the middle of the saddle.
Walked past their camp one morning as they were just getting up to make coffee, and they asked…where are all the elk.

I said, they used to be right here, until someone camped right smack dab in the middle of one of their most frequented spots.

Asshats stayed right there all week, and cams went from to many pics, to nearly zero.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Definitely see questionable camp locations. My favorite was a camp at the very top of a basin/bowl in early Sept where every animal within 1/2 mile would see them walking around and their scent broadcast up and down the entire area.

People pick campsites that are generally flat (well except for the guy in your 1st photo) and near water. Elk and deer like to travel through those places too. I'm sure I've spiked in places where someone else hunted through, I don't know if it can be completely avoided.

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

Maybe it was a dumb resident. I killed on day 2 in a unit I never set foot in. Ran circles around the "locals" who had their 9 rv camp set up since the opener.

 

[Poser]

It’s simply often the case that if you want to be camped in direct proximity to animals, you’re not going to be camping in ideal or even comfortable locations or you’re going to risk blowing them out. It sucks to sleep on a slope, having to pile rocks to keep yourself from rolling down the hill, meanwhile there is a perfectly flat and scenic meadow at the bottom of an avalanche chute next to a creek nearby.

 

[Poser]

It’s simply often the case that if you want to be camped in direct proximity to animals, you’re not going to be camping in ideal or even comfortable locations or you’re going to risk blowing them out. It sucks to sleep on a slope, having to pile rocks to keep yourself from rolling down the hill, meanwhile there is a perfectly flat and scenic meadow at the bottom of an avalanche chute next to a creek nearby.

 

[3Esski]

Good on them for getting out. I think it's pretty tough in new areas. I have a hunt coming up where I've never been. Picked a drainage I plan on hunting and a spot on the other side down from the ridge I plan on setting up in. I could be setting up in some guys preferred area, no idea, but based on the topo and walking in at night its the most logical place for me.
I've definitely ran across camps in places i hunted for years and wondered why the heck they would ruin an area by setting there. Atleast in areas I know i can adjust my plans and use their bad location to hopefully increase my odds or narrow my search area.

 

[Toofarsouth]

This was my favorite.

 

[3Esski]

That's the mud puddle texans get their water from.....

 

[feanor]

I think unfamiliarity with areas could be part of it, but also many people don’t want to set up camp a mile or two away from where they hunt. They don’t want to walk that far. I’m sure I’ve set up camp somewhere that looks like a bad spot to somebody else also.

 

[Dos Perros]

I wish I could understand people lugging around free-standing tents in September. I wish I were tough enough to do that.

 

[id_jon]

Hey man, if it's a good enough spot for elk to sleep in, then it's a good enough spot for me to sleep in!

 

[Scooter90254]

We did that once. Got in late to a new spot and camped on an existing spot just about dark. Proceed to hear bugles and get barked at all night.

After our morning hunt it became pretty obvious that we camped right in the middle of the drainage the elk were using to go up and down the mountain. One of these years we are going to go back and hunt that drainage without camping in it first.

 

[mtnbiker208]

tough one, i have been told my spike camp is in a bad place, but it always seems to work.

 

[wind gypsy]

It can be pretty tough at times finding a flat spot where you're not bumping elk. I know elk were burned at both my camp locations last week but far as I could tell there weren't alternatives that wouldn't burn at least some spots.

This was my favorite.

View attachment 602866

Wish I'd have taken a picture of the big canvas tent camp packed in by a wallow last week. 10 yards from the tent they had a trailcam on the wallow

 

[Colli1eg]

This was my favorite.

View attachment 602866

Genius! They could just hunt from camp, smarter not harder. But in all seriousness, we’ve all heard those stories of guys sleeping in and killing one from camp while everyone else is miles deep getting skunked

 

[Team4LongGun]

It can be pretty tough at times finding a flat spot where you're not bumping elk. I know elk were burned at both my camp locations last week but far as I could tell there weren't alternatives that wouldn't burn at least some spots.



Wish I'd have taken a picture of the big canvas tent camp packed in by a wallow last week. 10 yards from the tent they had a trailcam on the wallow

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!

 

[mtnwrunner]

Man, everyone has their opinions. I've slept many a time in a deer or elk bed as they just happened to be what I chose for various reasons. And I'll keep on doing that if that's what it takes. The couple of photos in this thread are of backcountry tents.....good for them. At least there's not a 4wheeler or motorcycle next to them.

Randy

 

[Swampcruiser]

I like the assumption they were midwestern guys. Probably dipshit locals.