Bedding Areas
- Thread starter flystrait
- Start date
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
Yes, I hunt bedding areas. Why?
1) If I don\'t, someone else will.
2) In the area I hunt, elk are usually bedded by 7:00 AM and don\'t start moving until dusk. If I don\'t hunt them in their beds, I\'d only be in the woods less than two hours.
3) It\'s harder for a bull to push his cows when bedded which makes him more aggressive.
That\'s my philosophy when bugle chasing. Now, I\'ll be tree stand hunting in the early season next year and will rely heavily on Swedes advice for proper tree stand location.
1) If I don\'t, someone else will.
2) In the area I hunt, elk are usually bedded by 7:00 AM and don\'t start moving until dusk. If I don\'t hunt them in their beds, I\'d only be in the woods less than two hours.
3) It\'s harder for a bull to push his cows when bedded which makes him more aggressive.
That\'s my philosophy when bugle chasing. Now, I\'ll be tree stand hunting in the early season next year and will rely heavily on Swedes advice for proper tree stand location.
You are prob right that many may not even know they are in or close to a bedding area.
It took me a long time of scouting to determine an exact bedding area.
The way I did it was scouting the spot after archery season and after a snow.
I did this a few times to confirm and VOILA!
Another way to determine if its a bedding area is WHEN you encounter elk there.
If youre sneaking thru the woods mid-day, using the wind, and you see elk, guess what?!
You prob found a bedding area.
Its not rocket science, just think about the typical movement of elk in the area.
1- Feed
2- Bedding/Security
3- Escape
It took me a long time of scouting to determine an exact bedding area.
The way I did it was scouting the spot after archery season and after a snow.
I did this a few times to confirm and VOILA!
Another way to determine if its a bedding area is WHEN you encounter elk there.
If youre sneaking thru the woods mid-day, using the wind, and you see elk, guess what?!
You prob found a bedding area.
Its not rocket science, just think about the typical movement of elk in the area.
1- Feed
2- Bedding/Security
3- Escape
It is good to remember that elk are not in every bedding area every day. You could be in one and have it all to yourself. I recognize bedding areas by the beds I find there. Also bedding areas used in the late summer have numerous rub trees. The good ones have both old and new rubs. Several fresh spots of feces and urine can be signs of a bedding area.
Glacier Country
New member
- Nov 13, 2013
- 177
I will admit that most of the elk I have killed were not in a bedding area...I had gotten pretty good at shooting them pretty early in the morning just off of their feeding area, Or I had always hunted the edge their suspected bedding area, and when the wind started to become fickle I would back out. Now I am starting to change my mind about hunting bedding areas. I have some friends who have been telling me the rewards out way the risks,and their success seems to be positive proof. So I am beginning to think that hunting elk in a bedding area is a sound strategy to take a bull, if done properly. I would also think that you really would want to make the best of your opportunity the first time the bull comes in.
Troy
Troy
Depends upon the density of elk in your area, hunter density, and whether you are hunting for any elk or a specific bull.
In my new area, the elk density is really low. I can get away from hunters by going a mile + off the roads/ATV trails. When I\'m figuring out an elk area, I work to learn where they feed, the transition paths, and their preferred bedding areas, which may vary from day to day. But a bedding area will always be a \"bedding area\" for elk cycling through.
I\'ve had good luck calling bulls to the edge of the bedding area when the wind is good. I\'ve had great luck hunting the travel/transition morning and evenings, and leaving the bedding areas alone (guessing probably 55 of the elk my partner and I have killed with bows have been in the transition, after hunting the same elk more than one day). I\'ve had bad luck inside bedding areas before I learned better. One cow spotting you or a swirl of the wind, and your elk are gone. Personally, I\'d rather hunt elk than hunt FOR elk, and prefer to hunt the same specific bull for a few days until I kill him, vs. having to make one rushed judgment, maybe get a shot and maybe not, and never see him or his herd again.
Last season, for the last week, I spike camped in a totally new spot I\'d never really scouted. I\'d studied topos and aerials and had a pretty good idea of the program. It took a half day of riding around on the ATV to figure out other camps and hunters, then a day of hiking and looking for sign, checking track directions, but I figured out the primary bedding area for the valley, where they water, where they feed, and a great pinch-point for calling setups in the transition between bedding and feeding.
Every evening elk came out of that one bedding area, worked down a long point, and through the pinch point just after the wind settled. About every other morning I was around elk heading toward the bedding area from different directions. I had multiple opportunities at bulls, saw different bulls every day (they knew the bedding area too, and were checking cows toward the end of the rut. Those roaming bulls are pretty easy to call/deke in), and had a great time. Didn\'t see another hunter all week, even though I was on public land in a heavily-hunted part of that unit.
If I\'d blown that little herd out of the bedding area, my great hunt would have been a bust and I\'d have packed up and moved on.
In my new area, the elk density is really low. I can get away from hunters by going a mile + off the roads/ATV trails. When I\'m figuring out an elk area, I work to learn where they feed, the transition paths, and their preferred bedding areas, which may vary from day to day. But a bedding area will always be a \"bedding area\" for elk cycling through.
I\'ve had good luck calling bulls to the edge of the bedding area when the wind is good. I\'ve had great luck hunting the travel/transition morning and evenings, and leaving the bedding areas alone (guessing probably 55 of the elk my partner and I have killed with bows have been in the transition, after hunting the same elk more than one day). I\'ve had bad luck inside bedding areas before I learned better. One cow spotting you or a swirl of the wind, and your elk are gone. Personally, I\'d rather hunt elk than hunt FOR elk, and prefer to hunt the same specific bull for a few days until I kill him, vs. having to make one rushed judgment, maybe get a shot and maybe not, and never see him or his herd again.
Last season, for the last week, I spike camped in a totally new spot I\'d never really scouted. I\'d studied topos and aerials and had a pretty good idea of the program. It took a half day of riding around on the ATV to figure out other camps and hunters, then a day of hiking and looking for sign, checking track directions, but I figured out the primary bedding area for the valley, where they water, where they feed, and a great pinch-point for calling setups in the transition between bedding and feeding.
Every evening elk came out of that one bedding area, worked down a long point, and through the pinch point just after the wind settled. About every other morning I was around elk heading toward the bedding area from different directions. I had multiple opportunities at bulls, saw different bulls every day (they knew the bedding area too, and were checking cows toward the end of the rut. Those roaming bulls are pretty easy to call/deke in), and had a great time. Didn\'t see another hunter all week, even though I was on public land in a heavily-hunted part of that unit.
If I\'d blown that little herd out of the bedding area, my great hunt would have been a bust and I\'d have packed up and moved on.
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
I really like Jaquomo\'s comment about hunting elk instead of hunting for elk.
Some great replies! From what I read here or understand is that it depends on how a person hunts which dictates if hunting elk in bedding areas is a good idea or not. For me personally I will leave elk to hunt for elk in many situations. If the wind is wrong its a no go. If the cover is wrong its a no. If these two things are in my favor game on. I\'m not afraid to bump elk which has rarely happen, but to push them clear out of an area I have never seen.
What is pushing them out of an area mean to the next canyon, 3 canyons over, is it based on miles how do you pushed them out of an area that makes some people not even try?
How many here only hunts one group of elk for the season? Isn\'t more the better? Some interesting thoughts.
What is pushing them out of an area mean to the next canyon, 3 canyons over, is it based on miles how do you pushed them out of an area that makes some people not even try?
How many here only hunts one group of elk for the season? Isn\'t more the better? Some interesting thoughts.
To my way of thinking, pushing elk out of the country means causing then to leave, for a place where I can\'t go. Where I hunt that is a nearby ranch. Also, out of the country could mean, where I can\'t find them, or won\'t go for some reason. I agree with Craig that there are some great posts here. I relate to what Jacuomo was saying. There is a lot of merit in those points. Timing, tactics and equipment used, can all make a difference in when and how you approach a bedding area. Obviously just busting into them is a poor strategy.
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
I think elk go to a place they feel safe when bumped. This could be a short distance or far.
It\'s not about how far they go, it\'s the alert state they enter into. Whether they run far or not, I found they are unhuntable for at least 24 hours. But that\'s because I rely on calling them into me.
Pete\'s still hunt style....maybe a little tougher on alerted elk?
Swedes tree stand hunting style....maybe the alerted elk wait until dark to move?
No matter what your style is or where you hunt the elk, there\'s always the chance of bumping them
Elk range vast distances, bumped or not.
It\'s not about how far they go, it\'s the alert state they enter into. Whether they run far or not, I found they are unhuntable for at least 24 hours. But that\'s because I rely on calling them into me.
Pete\'s still hunt style....maybe a little tougher on alerted elk?
Swedes tree stand hunting style....maybe the alerted elk wait until dark to move?
No matter what your style is or where you hunt the elk, there\'s always the chance of bumping them
Elk range vast distances, bumped or not.
Flystrait, the area I hunted for many, many years was big country, with open sagebrush flats between mountain ranges. Private ranches were checkered in-between NF and BLM and State Trust, some with outfitted bowhunting, some not. The elk on the public land seemed to tolerate being \"bumped\" a time or two and only go a mile or so into the next major drainage or over the mountain. But after the third time they would literally walk for miles across open sagebrush, like a migration, to reach the private ranch sanctuaries. From high points you could watch them stringing across the sagebrush in the middle of the day.
Used to be we could hunt the elk carefully and be into them consistently for the first couple weeks of the season. Then other elk would cycle through during the last half. But people figured it out and couldn\'t keep their mouths shut. Like, camps of 14 guys, all spreading out, doing drives through the bedding timber in mid-day. Other camps of 4-8 pinching them from other directions.
There were a ton of elk, but then there weren\'t. In the past few years the lead cows learned to just take the herd elsewhere as soon as human activity moved into the area. There were a ton of elk, but then there weren\'t. They moved for miles.
So I left that area for a different one where there are far fewer elk but fewer hunters, and more rugged country. Seems like here, the elk tend to cycle around more on their own without pressure, and if spooked go into a different valley where, as JF points out, they feel safe. Then they start cycling again from there.
Treestand hunting inside bedding areas can be very effective as long as you have a plan to get in and get out (wind) without spooking them. But I\'d be very curious to know how many guys who swear by bedding area hunting are just hunting for any elk, a shot at the first one that runs by, or are they being selective in any manner?
Used to be we could hunt the elk carefully and be into them consistently for the first couple weeks of the season. Then other elk would cycle through during the last half. But people figured it out and couldn\'t keep their mouths shut. Like, camps of 14 guys, all spreading out, doing drives through the bedding timber in mid-day. Other camps of 4-8 pinching them from other directions.
There were a ton of elk, but then there weren\'t. In the past few years the lead cows learned to just take the herd elsewhere as soon as human activity moved into the area. There were a ton of elk, but then there weren\'t. They moved for miles.
So I left that area for a different one where there are far fewer elk but fewer hunters, and more rugged country. Seems like here, the elk tend to cycle around more on their own without pressure, and if spooked go into a different valley where, as JF points out, they feel safe. Then they start cycling again from there.
Treestand hunting inside bedding areas can be very effective as long as you have a plan to get in and get out (wind) without spooking them. But I\'d be very curious to know how many guys who swear by bedding area hunting are just hunting for any elk, a shot at the first one that runs by, or are they being selective in any manner?
Great example Lou,
This is what I was hoping for. Cover, terrain, private lands etc very area to area. I just wrote up a lengthy response after i hit submit it disappeared argh. Keeping it short for now, for me I shy away from areas as you described for the reasons you stated. I find areas with dense cover for many reasons. Here are a few.
1) Elk can\'t see you until they are close
2) Less hunting pressure (people like to see too) they gravitate to more open areas
3) Cover, feed, and water are usually closer in proximity elk tend to not travel as far
4) Allows me to more pressure on them if they believe I\'m another elk in their minds it\'s just another bull.
I have a few more but in short are a few. I am very selective on what I will kill hunting bedding areas I look for mature bulls for the area. Hunting bedding areas with cows allows me to go after \"herd\" bulls or bulls with cows which in general are more mature than satellite bulls for the most part. Find the cows and I find the bulls. Also they are stationary they really don\'t want to leave or move off which allows me to dictate what action or reaction I\'m looking for. Now this is September and using calling heavily as the main tactic.
Is there any advantage from one over another pertaining to the two types of areas? What other tactics work best?
This is what I was hoping for. Cover, terrain, private lands etc very area to area. I just wrote up a lengthy response after i hit submit it disappeared argh. Keeping it short for now, for me I shy away from areas as you described for the reasons you stated. I find areas with dense cover for many reasons. Here are a few.
1) Elk can\'t see you until they are close
2) Less hunting pressure (people like to see too) they gravitate to more open areas
3) Cover, feed, and water are usually closer in proximity elk tend to not travel as far
4) Allows me to more pressure on them if they believe I\'m another elk in their minds it\'s just another bull.
I have a few more but in short are a few. I am very selective on what I will kill hunting bedding areas I look for mature bulls for the area. Hunting bedding areas with cows allows me to go after \"herd\" bulls or bulls with cows which in general are more mature than satellite bulls for the most part. Find the cows and I find the bulls. Also they are stationary they really don\'t want to leave or move off which allows me to dictate what action or reaction I\'m looking for. Now this is September and using calling heavily as the main tactic.
Is there any advantage from one over another pertaining to the two types of areas? What other tactics work best?
Just a note, it may be safe to go into a bedding area early in the AM, before the elk arrive, to access a tree stand. If I go in in the afternoon, it is the shortest quietest way, with the wind in my favor. Elk can be in those bedroom areas in the early morning too, so always, watch the wind and move carefully.
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
\"Swede\" said:
Swede - How do you know the time is right to enter? Is there a golden time like 1/2 hour before light?
Often elk enter bedding areas when they return from feeding at night. I have most of my tree stands next to bedding areas. Rarely do I see elk there at first light. I see more at 9:00- 11:00 AM. There is no absolutes in approaching your stand. You do the best you can. I have several stands, so I can choose one that is easier to approach safely. Some stands have more than one feasible way to access it. Over the years I have had enough oops moments to break any elk hunters heart. My experience tells me, if I bust out the elk on the way to a stand, I turn around and go somewhere else. The elk are gone and won\'t be back that day. Rarely do any others come either.
