Hate to sound so basic, but how do I do it?

If I am told where a herd is, what do I look for? Will they stay in that immediate area? Do they use the same travel patterns every year?

Thanks!

You don't scout elk. You can scout elk territory, but you gotta remember thet they will move as things change. So its best to look for likely places they will go if A, B, or C happens. Each season that opens will impact the elk, long with the weather, the drought's impact on forage an' a hunnert other things. Best to unnerstand the animal, an' look for territory that will satisfy the differnt needs. Then hunt where the elk are when yer hunting, not where they were when you were scouting. Sides, best not to disturb critters too much.

BJ

I would definently do some scouting. Especially if you haven' t done much elk hunting or any. Get into your territory and see what it has to offer. Like BJ said don' t desturb the elk to much. If you feel your getting close by smell, tracks ect.. don' t go any further. If you don' t have any idea what elk country looks like just head towards bowls, drainages or a spot that looks like something could live there. Not on the side of a steep mountain or rock cliff. You might have to go over these kind of things to get to a spot that looks good but just get back in there and see what it looks like. Don' t wait for opening morning and go tromping through the woods haveing no idea where you are or where you are headed. Be prepared for long hikes and definently take a pack of some sort with safety percautions. What ever you do it will be fun so just enjoy yourself!!
BowElkDwn

Pick your hunt area then hike it in the middle of the day and pick a likely spot for elk. Look for wallow, water or droppings. Go back at around 3 pm and set up in a hiding place with good cover and stay put ' till dark. You will be able to observe animals and patterns. If no elk then set up on another spot in the morning before first light. Do this until you find the elk then go kill one on opening day. Good hunting.

Definitely get out and scout in the off season.
Get to know the country and where the elk are hanging out. Learn how to get around in the area.
Be at your best spot opening morning.
Bummer is all those great spots you found during the summer will most likely still look great the afternoon of opening day, only minus the elk.
Unless you are way in the boonies and the elk are unpressured, at the first sign of hunters they move into the nastiest thickest timber and brush and only come out at dark and are back in the timber at first light.
When you are scouting look for North or NE slopes with thick cover and flat spots with water.
Check out the topo maps and look for flat spots and then go look for sign.
If you are not experienced at silent stalking through timber try to determine where they are moving to at night to feed and then sit on the trail first and last light. Elk tend to move a lot so do not be discouraged if it takes a few days of trail sitting to hit it right.

Scouting elk is real tricky. Biggest thing is you don' t want to disturb the animals. They are extremely sensitive to pressure. When looking for a good area look for seclusion. Before you even begin to look for sign first determine how many hunters are gonna be on the hill. Go where you think there won' t be a lot of pressure. Then take some high powered glass and start looking long range for good habitat and animals. Look for wallows, water, open meadows full of mountain grasses with a lot of cover nearby. If you like go to the edges and look for sign and keep watching at long ranges. Eventually you' ll find a couple of good spots. You will want more than one. If you can spend enough time you' ll start to see their pattern. Which direction are they going in the mornings and evenings, what is their escape route. All things to keep in mind.

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Even if I was scouting in June, pushing elk then could potentially move them out of the area come opening day?

Can you attempt to pattern them in any way by their use of trails/water/etc.? Obviously not to the point of whitetails, but will they his the same trail/water/etc. every few days if not disturbed?

Let' s say it' s opening morning (bow hunting by the way) and I' ve scouted out an area (and talked with others who know) and there are elk in there...somewhere. Would I start out at daylight (I assume there is no point in getting up before light and go crashing around to get nowhere in particular) and start bugling down each drainage?

BUT, wind is obviously everything, and (understand, I an Iowa boy gone coastal two years ago...all new to me!) hunting up mountains is generally the way to go in the mornings...correct?

If I do hear elk down those drainages, do I then circle around so as i am coming at them from the downward (and downwind) side?

Can a guy sit on water hole in Oregon and be effective beings there is generally so much moisture out here?

Man, I apologize for hitting you guys with all of these questions! I am a pretty anal guy where preparedness is essential....my wife would even say on the cusp of obsessive!!!

I actually got a cow the first morning of my first year of bow hunting, which was GREAT! Unfortunately it was dumb luck...granted I was wish someone who knew a tad more than I (since then we have parted ways), but nonetheless, dumb luck and also what seemed to be a mighty dumb cow!!! I couldn' t go this last year due to a couple back surgeries, but am eager to get out there this year and do it right.

Thanks in advance fellas.

I' ll try this agin. I had a whole post ready an' it didn' t work.

June an' Sept/October are differnt seasons. Elk probly won' t be in the same place, so its not the best use of time to scout elk in June. June is wet. Sept is dry. No pressure in June, plenty of pressure in Sept.

Elk don' t pattern. They cover much more territory then deer, an' in early season, do mos' their waterin' at night. You don' t have much time to sit on waterin' holes productively in early season. They bed early.

Don' t go crashin' about, but git up early an' stay on trails to a jumpin' off point. I git up at 4:00 or even 3:00 if I have a long ride to the area I want to hunt. I don' t camp too close to where I hunt. I try to leave ' em alone an' be there early an' as quiet as possible. Sorry, but thet' s elk huntin' .

Every situashun is differnt. Wind and thermals are impotent. Warming air rises, but you gotta take the ground thet is given to you. If you glass up elk high, you have to plan a approach that allows to to climb without bein' seed, smelled or heard.

Sittin' on water holes is a waste in mos' early season cases. Specially when there' s lots of water to be had. Best to call an' stalk, or glass an' stalk, or still hunt.

My first post was better. But this gives us sumthin' to talk ' bout at least.

BJ you did give us somethin to talk about. Now I know that you have a mountain of experience so I hope I don' t come off too pompous but I do disagree partially with your statement. Elk can be patterned although it is much more difficult than mule deer as you said. Yes elk migrate and they do move quite a bit based on influences such as food, water and especially pressure. However I have had success in patterning a herd of elk. I found that if they find an area that they really like and they get very little or no pressure they will come back to the same area and they will have a pattern. In a low meadow at first light and move to a certain high timber black hole during the day. Granted there will be times you' ll come back to the same spot and you won' t see em for a few days but I do believe you can pattern a herd cause they always come back if the conditions are right. I have had tremendous success doing this. Gotten elk the last 4 trips in a row all in the same 1/2 mile radius and I' ll go to my grave with my secret honey spot.