Got One
08-06-2007, 08:40 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: McCall Idaho USA
Posts: 753
RE: Got One
Find The bulls & you'l find the cows!!
. Finding an elks or herd of elks feeding & bedding areas can greatly increase ones odds into getting into & having a great chance to take your elk. We all agree finding elk is a large part of the puzzle. What are some of the best ways to find these very important spots so we know where elk should be come morning or evening hunts.
We appreciate good locations to start from in our hunts so we don't waste tons of time finding elk. Many hunt wallows, game trails, fence lines, mineral licks, water sources & such. But what's it take to find those feeding / bedding areas? Luck? Not really, I have a couple of ways that we use everyear in locating these areas with little foot work as possible. Glassing is a good way where country is open enough to warrant this. You can catch elk coming out/down in the evenings from bedding areas thus knowing the general vicinity where their beds are. Likewise in the mornings, locate elk by glassing areas where elk are leaving from, this would be their feeding/watering areas & night time bedding areas. When glassing these elk look for muddied bulls, they will stand out if you're looking for it. It shows they're hitting the wallows & quite possible near that feeding/bedding area. A great place for a stand!
Where terrain doesn't allow one the luxury to glass open hill sides or far away Mtns then you must seek out other alternatives. When this happens we call at night & I should say we still do this in semi open country as well. We will either drive around or walk into areas that we've looked over in the daylight hours that seem to be good open areas where sound can travel to aid us best. By calling after dark into these areas we receive great response nearly everytime once were where the elk are. That's just it, we want to know where these elk are. Use a location type high pitch bugle only, no cow calling or challenges, you don't want elk coming your way!
Too, this means you've found them in their feeding/watering/night time bedding areas. You can hunt these elk come morning or you can form a plan for an evening hunt knowing full well these elk will return the next night if not hunted & pressured out of the area. You could "setup" further up the mtn in ambush style or be very close to that feeding area. Trails should be easily found as well as any nearby wallows they may be using.
For finding bedding areas we do this anywhere from noon to 3-0'clock or so in the afternoon. It's not unusual at all for bulls to bugle out of their beds at this time. Too, when herds no matter the size get up & want to mill around midday to feed/ water, bulls will many times lead out with a location bugle wanting to know where other elk/bulls are in the vicinity. Many times I will lead out with this sound from good vantage points where I'm over looking drainages, basins, several finger ridges or whatever is available, I'm positioned so I can hear as much as possible. When bulls do sound off & at times it's several bulls answering one another I know these bulls are in or very near their bedding spots. Bingo! I make a mental note as I know these bulls will continue to use these same bedding areas unless driven out! Also listen for the cows/calves as they can be very vocal at times as well.
These are a couple things we use to find these areas & better our chances at getting into elk regularly!
ElkNut
. Finding an elks or herd of elks feeding & bedding areas can greatly increase ones odds into getting into & having a great chance to take your elk. We all agree finding elk is a large part of the puzzle. What are some of the best ways to find these very important spots so we know where elk should be come morning or evening hunts.
We appreciate good locations to start from in our hunts so we don't waste tons of time finding elk. Many hunt wallows, game trails, fence lines, mineral licks, water sources & such. But what's it take to find those feeding / bedding areas? Luck? Not really, I have a couple of ways that we use everyear in locating these areas with little foot work as possible. Glassing is a good way where country is open enough to warrant this. You can catch elk coming out/down in the evenings from bedding areas thus knowing the general vicinity where their beds are. Likewise in the mornings, locate elk by glassing areas where elk are leaving from, this would be their feeding/watering areas & night time bedding areas. When glassing these elk look for muddied bulls, they will stand out if you're looking for it. It shows they're hitting the wallows & quite possible near that feeding/bedding area. A great place for a stand!
Where terrain doesn't allow one the luxury to glass open hill sides or far away Mtns then you must seek out other alternatives. When this happens we call at night & I should say we still do this in semi open country as well. We will either drive around or walk into areas that we've looked over in the daylight hours that seem to be good open areas where sound can travel to aid us best. By calling after dark into these areas we receive great response nearly everytime once were where the elk are. That's just it, we want to know where these elk are. Use a location type high pitch bugle only, no cow calling or challenges, you don't want elk coming your way!
Too, this means you've found them in their feeding/watering/night time bedding areas. You can hunt these elk come morning or you can form a plan for an evening hunt knowing full well these elk will return the next night if not hunted & pressured out of the area. You could "setup" further up the mtn in ambush style or be very close to that feeding area. Trails should be easily found as well as any nearby wallows they may be using.
For finding bedding areas we do this anywhere from noon to 3-0'clock or so in the afternoon. It's not unusual at all for bulls to bugle out of their beds at this time. Too, when herds no matter the size get up & want to mill around midday to feed/ water, bulls will many times lead out with a location bugle wanting to know where other elk/bulls are in the vicinity. Many times I will lead out with this sound from good vantage points where I'm over looking drainages, basins, several finger ridges or whatever is available, I'm positioned so I can hear as much as possible. When bulls do sound off & at times it's several bulls answering one another I know these bulls are in or very near their bedding spots. Bingo! I make a mental note as I know these bulls will continue to use these same bedding areas unless driven out! Also listen for the cows/calves as they can be very vocal at times as well.
These are a couple things we use to find these areas & better our chances at getting into elk regularly!
ElkNut
08-07-2007, 06:11 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky (by God!) Mountings
Posts: 572
RE: Got One
I find bulls are easier to hunt in the early season, when the cows are in harems. Finding a satelite bull won't fill your tag. When the harems break up, cows are much easier to find. Recognizing the bugle of a herd bull is key to moving in on a herd. Spending valuable time stalking in on a puny bull with no harem will get you nowhere and burn valuable daylight. I ain't 100%, but I can usually tell if there's a harem around from listening to a bull. Smaller bulls always seem more anxious toknow who's there.
