There is a comment I probably should comment on. Scouting does not have to spoke elk out of the country. It might , but it might not. I've hunted eldk form the salmon river in Idaho, the White River and Uncompaghre of Colorado, to the Sand Juans of Colorado and New Mexico. Many state and national public lands have elk that either do not see anoguht humadn often to spook them, or have seen enough that they are nto taht bothered that they wil go to the next unit.

And I'm not talking about packing in a bunch of peopel nd tromping all over the palce. I'm talking about 1-2 people walkijng or riding, and looking and listening from high up enough to see into meadows, benches and watercourses.

Many of those forests hawe grazing rights on them, so elk see and hear vehicles, horses, cows and humans, through much of the spring and summer. And there are hikers and fisherman, Forest ranger and conservation officers. Elk to not leave the country just because of that activity.

What spooks elk out of a unit is the inundation of hunters, coming in to setup camps, roaring around on 4-wheelers, during the week prioer to any opening weekend.

If I can't get in, look around and get back out without, without spookkg all the elk, then I'm not much of a woodsman. And most archery hunters are very good woodsman.

I'd sit up high and galss as much as possible, never needing to get anywehre near the elk, mulies, bears moose or lions.

If I was going on a one-time, or first time elk hunt, let say for 4-7 days, and I actually wanted to actually see elk, I'd spend as much time scouting as possible. I would not worry about how other people might react, but I would consider the fact that if I insist on getting within photography range, I might spook the animals that other hunters would like to hunt. So, I would not get that close. It is called judicious scouting an glassing.

And anyone has the right to hike, fish, bird watch, or scout dnytiem of year they want.


So go ahed and scout, do at least some of it during the 2 weeks befor eyou paln to hunt, so you are fairly sure the animls will still be in that vicinity whe4n you hunt, and try not to spook the animals, for youself or others.(I never use a 4-wheeler to scout, they are the biggest "spooker" out there.) And enjoy the time in God's Great Outdoors.

God bless,

T.R.