Idaho hunter 58

Next week i will start bowhunting for elk during idaho's late elk season. I can take a cow or bull elk, no restrictions. The last two years i have seen some elk, but i have never got one, well acually i missed a cow last year, . I usually just walk my ass off and usually at some point in the few days that i hunt i will run into something. I am trying to figure out how to change my luck this year though.

What kind of late season techniques do you guys all use? Any sort of calls, scents or other things that you do just for late season?

How do you hunt for late season elk? Do you spot and stalk, tree stands, funnels.... ???

Any late season elk stories you would like to share???

thanks, I can barely control my excitement for the next couple upcoming weeks!!!

IDAHO

muley69

You might try a heavy migration trail as the snow piles up high. Maybe get low and stand hunt some trails next to fields where you see the elk moving out. Cow call pretty much works year round for cows. You always have the spot and stalk method. I feel late season with a bow is pretty tough hunting.

idahoelkinstructor

First I would start off and find the general area the elk are hanging out in. Also find out if they are just moving through, migrating to their winter range. Or is the area their winter range and there staying until spring. Elk still move around a lot in there winter range, and it can be a huge area. Either way, once I find them I like to spot and stalk using cow and bull calls. Also I have tried an elk decoy and it worked excellent. On that particular hunt, I couldn't get close because the snow was 2 feet deep and crusted. There was no way of sneeking in without spooking the elk. I tried to sneek in, decked out in total white camo. I still don't think the elk saw me, but they could sure hear me, they never ran very far off because the elk calls calmed them down. But I couldn't get under 50 yards, because they were looking for a elk or something that was making all the crunching noise in the snow. After that I tried it with the decoy, holding the decoy up in front of me and I was surprized the elk let me walk right into them. There was a cow, feeding 10 to 12 yards away from me, and she gave me funny looks but never barked or spooked. If you can do this with a friend holding the decoy and you shooting that will work the best. As far as calls go for late season I like to keep it soft and mellow using calls that say to the elk hey here I am and I just want to hang out with ya. Good luck and hope these ideas help, let us know how your hunt turns out. Thanks, idahoelkinstructor

Idaho hunter 58

Thanks for the tips. Another thing i forgot to add, is that people are starting to sight some wolves around the area i hunt. Last year a few hunters had wolves beat them to their kill's. Would the presence of wolves cause the elk to be a little more weary than usual and hole up? Would i need to change any of my tactics if this proved to be true?

thanks again,
Idaho

elknut1

Idahoelkinstructor has given some very sound advice! I too agree on the use of the decoy, a visual aid as he explained can take the edge off of oncoming elk and settle them down. I'd like to re-emphasize his suggestion on giving low keyed cow calls & calf calls at this time of year. This is not the rut! -- Remember this is the time of year that the small herds or breeding herds are all seperating and getting back to the large groups you would find them in during spring & summer months. So such sounds as seperated sounds can be deadly as well. Other elk can help but come to their aid to bring them into the herd. Of course you must have elk within earshot to be successful at this. ---Go getem!! ElkNut1

As far as the wolf thing!!! If they are nearby, elk usually aren't unless the snows are so deep they can't get anywhere else. Everytime I've been where wolves were howling or lurking around the elk were non-exsistent. I'm sure you'll be able to avoid them!! Good Luck!!

Idaho hunter 58

Thanks for all the advice, exspecially from all the idahonians!!! Are you guys planning to hunt the late bow season, or have you lucky b#$%^$%s already tagged out?

Idaho

idahoelkinstructor

I cheated this year and hunted them with a rifle. This is the first time in 12 years that I have hunted strictly with a rifle. It's a long story why I did, and I had my reasons. I plan on going, and will go bowhunting next year for them. There is no bigger thrill than to hunt them during the rut with a bow in the hand. Back before Idaho had zones I hunted the salmon area (unit 28) late season bow any elk if I didn't fill my tag during the rut. I did like hunting late season and miss it, like right now when I am dreaming about bowhunting elk next year and it's still 10 months away. But I love hunting elk any time that I can. And the september rut is the most exciting of all for me. You can ask my wife it drove me nuts in september when I was working and waiting for my wife's hunt to open Oct. 1. I can give it up (bowhunting) for special reasons which was the case for me this year, but it would kill me to miss it again! Anyway to answer your question I did fill my tag this year on a rifle hunt. It was a general bull hunt that opened oct 15 here is southeast Idaho. I hunted with my inlaws, (they only rifle hunt) and this was my chance to bull hunt with them thus far. I admit because of the company it was a lot of fun for me. I have posted pics before but here is another pic of my bull this year. Not a big bull, but a good eater!

Idaho hunter 58

Thats a great looking bull! Maybe not huge, but still any bull is a trophy. The closest i have ever gotten to a bull elk is about 25 yards, and i have to say it was the coolest experience of my life, even though i didn't get a shot.

Idaho hunter 58

I'm pumped! Today was opening day of late bow season! I am going on out tomorrow!!!! wish me luck!

idahoelkinstructor

Go kill one, but don't forget to bring a camera and takes pics for all to see.