Aspen Groves

[timberland]

On the back side of the mountain I hunt on the south facing slope about 3 miles from camp there is about an 80 acre aspen patch that I plan on checking out this fall. There is a couple minor saddles leading to the north facing slope that also looks interesting. Also, around the mountain there are scattered aspen patches of less than an acre. Any observations from you guys as far as what to expect from this \"giant\" grove? Does size have any relevance to usage? It could be a wild goose chase or a honey hole. Anything in particular I should be looking for when cruizing the area. (It\'s also about the least accessible part of the mountain)

 

[TetonStorm]

Where I live and hunt south facing aspens are great hunting spots. Plus for you with it being difficult access to this particular patch it\'s all the better. I will say, pay attention to those two little saddles as a possible ambush spot. I see elk in my area using them to move from the aspens to the north slope quite often.

 

[cohunter14]

Where is the aspen grove actually at? 80 acres is pretty big, but is it high or low on the hillside? Is it in one big draw or spread out across the hillside? What is it surrounded by, open areas or black timber? Is there anywhere else that they could feed easier and still bed on the north facing slope?

All of those are more detailed questions that I would be curious about, but it is definitely worth checking out. I would have a lot more interest if the aspens were surrounded by black timber and if they were up high on the mountain. I would definitely get in there and check for sign, especially in those saddles if that is the easiest way for the elk to go back and forth.

 

[timberland]

Yep its right at the top of the mountain and spread out on both sides of a drainage with a little strip of dark timber to the west and more dark timber where it drops over into the next drainage . to the south it drops away into open sage meadow. I just looked at it and its probably closer to 160 acres. To the north over those saddles there is a couple square miles of dark timber drainages with the small pockets of aspen.

 

[cohunter14]

It sounds to me like it is definitely worth checking out and there could also be some water up high in that drainage, so I would definitley look for that. 160 acres is a lot of space, but you should be able to cover it fairly quick and see what there is for sign in there.

 

[cnelk]

Big aspen groves suck.
You cant hike thru them quietly.
They are too open with lots of old blown down trees

If I come across a big patch of aspen, it will find the most direct way thru it or follow the edge around it

 

[timberland]

What are the odds it will be a feeding destination area?

 

[WW]

Where I hunt, 80 acres is a drop in the bucket. Probably close to 90% of the hunting around here is in the aspens. It just takes boots on the ground to figure out some of these places. But one thing is for sure. If you find a quakie patch like that with a alfalfa field below it, you are in the chips for sure! :upthumb:

Water , food, and cover are the key things to look for. And you can find all of that in aspen covered mountain sides if you look it over. Especially if there are beaver ponds and clearings and spring seeps.

 

[cohunter14]

Most of my hunting is in aspens as well. I think it is definitely worth a look, especially if there is no real access into it other than where you are coming from 3 miles away.

 

[bowhunter]

If I am visioning it right I would say they might pass through from the meadow below. I bet it would be a good place to be waiting early morning and try to catch them heading toward the big dark timber with the small patches. I would guess the elk bed in that dark timber and you might find water around the small aspen patches to ambush them durring the daytime. How about a pic of the area. I am sure you would get more detailed opinions that might help you out?

 

[timberland]

The view is almost straight north. The aspens are the light patch in the middle of the screen. access is from the top of the screen about 3 miles. a main road is about 2 miles south but the aspens are not visible from the road. The view is angled so you could see some terrain. The minor saddles are along the north border of the aspens on the ridge running to the west.

 

[Swede]

Where I hunt the Aspens are being crowded out by the conifers. Whenever I find an Aspen patch, I check for water. It is close, or on the surface of the ground. Due to available conifers, I have never rigged an Aspen for a tree stand, but would consider it in the right situation. If you are interested in placing a tree stand there, and it is hard to get to quietly because of dead falls and leaves, go in as soon as possible and clear out a trail to where your water hole is. I will let in in on something here. Elk are actually rather stupid when it comes to figuring things out. You can take a chain saw and clear a path to your stand location a couple months before the season and they will never guess what you are up to. You can improve the water hole and clear off a place to wallow and the elk will start using it.

 

[cnelk]

I have circled where I would concentrate my efforts on the edges of the aspens
But that long oval circle of that north slope would interest me A LOT!!!