I get the feeling your not reading,
everyone so far is trying to help the newer hunters
(1) do the required research prior to the season, to locate a good area with a reasonable game population
talk to the local biologist and game wardens, and local ranchers if you can.
get the proper licences, for those areas.
I've talked to biologists before and they tend to giver generic information. I haven't talked with ranchers before as I wasn't aware of there being a list of names and numbers to contact.
yes biologist,s and game wardens tend to give generic advice,
I simply stopped at local restaurants and offered to pay for breakfast , when I saw local farmers
ranchers stopping in, youll get questioned occasionally about your success,
and simply offering to pay for their breakfast in exchange for a bit of local info several times,
resulted in a few useful tips. spending $20-$40 that way was a good investment
learn to shoot quickly from field positions use a sling and bi-pod.
(2) get and study topo maps and purchase area aerial photos, use both extensively
learn what elk eat, where they find cover, bed and locate the areas that provide the potential escape routes
locate the logging road access, and major camp sites, use the other hunter pressure too your advantage,
knowing where elk will avoid helps you limit the areas you need to glass.
So what do elk eat and what special escape routes do they use? I would guess they run downhill like most animals to just clear out of the area quickly but don't know that. Stuff like that would be things that would be helpful.
NO! elk in my experience run for side canyons and cover, that can be up or down,
and in my experience up and over ridge saddles to the next drainage was more common
(3) assuming your in decent physical condition, physically get out into areas ,
use a GPS to locate terrain choke points to glass for game,learn to recognizes tracks, and the age of elk droppings
scout on foot,in locations on the topo map's that indicate the location has potential.
So what terrain features do you think "have potential?"
your looking for terrain choke points , look at this canyon, its like the one I hunt almost every other year
elk will circle you and head down canyon, if we head up canyon, (yellow arrow)
generally two guys walk the two lower canyon wall slopes, one on each adjacent slope we try to stay about 200 yards above the creek,
but terrain dictates the route available,
almost like clock work we have a guy stationed at the upper canyon,before we start still hunting the canyon from lower end
who sees elk exit the canyon and head over to the adjacent drainage
(RED arrows)
(4)spend the time glassing the better potential areas, if you don,t see elk in 45 minutes, move to the next likely area to glass from
, and repeat, dawn till dusk until you see elk.
This is helpful. Gives me an idea of the time sequence for giving an area enough time to produce but not wasting all day there. Thanks.
if you don,t see elk in two days move your camp to a different area and altitude
How far would you consider moving (mile or more) and would you go up or down in elevation? I'm guessing snow might influence that decision.
I generally move about 1/4 mile and glass again but weather and terrain may change that slightly,
(5) once you've located legal shoot- able ELK use binoculars and your topo map info,
to move into range, as you cover ground to close the distance, while watching the terrain , maintaining your cover,
limiting noise and planing a route that limits your scent reaching the elk.
In your experience, how far can elk see and smell you? Deer and bear seem to think you're invisible afterr 300 yards. Do elk have better vision?
elk vision is not all that impressive if your not moving,
if your well camoed and stationary , they don,t seem to see well, Ive been well under 40 yards lots of time if stationary as they walk by , remaining un-detected, but they hear and smell you easily and they pick up movement rapidly
(6)move into range, reevaluate the game,frequently, watch for sentry cows and outlaying bulls ,that might spoil the stalk,
use your optics and once in range use your weapon of choice to take the elk ethically.
its not easy but its not complicated, it takes persistence and a willingness to get out away from the local road access.
That's a good tip on sentry cows.
learn to use a cow call well, it makes a suspicious cow or bull hesitate for a few seconds to minutes, if they can;t make you out.
(7) dress and process the game, transport it to the truck pack in zip loc bags and dry ice as fast as possible