When do you think is the best time to start scouting? I like scouting just before the season starts so I have a good idea of where the elk are a month or so before the season. I know elk will sometimes have large roaming areas and not come back to the same place for days but if I can find a good spot with water shelter and good escape routes I will try and stick with that when the season comes.
Best time to scout
- Thread starter Fullabull
- Start date
Kmbingham92
New member
- Dec 30, 2012
- 283
The closer to the season the better but it really helps to hit the area as often as possible from about July on. If you have not already hunted the area you can never spend enough time in the area finding water holes and wallows not located on maps.
Bugle Em In
New member
- Dec 30, 2012
- 33
I like to put trail cams out come mid-summer. In MT we have to have them down by the first big game season (which stinks). From there its scouting the old fasioned way. The key for me was finding a "bull hole" where the bulls hold up all summer / early fall.
I will usually hit the area about the middle of May or early June. It depends on the snow melt up where I hunt. I will go in and drop my cameras off and some supplies for the upcoming hunt. I try to make as many trips as I can up to about a week to week and a half before the hunt starts.
Garrett Weaver
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 168
3-4 months before season. I'm going to start spring bear hunting so I can hunt while I scout.
I'm lucky and live fairly close to my elk unit. I try to get "eyes on" elk in my unit year round. I believe knowing where they move between seasons gives you a better "complete picture" of their lives. Where I hunt deer on the other hand is rather far. I will make one big trip mid summer. They'll normally be in the same general area during archery season.
I think at the end of the day, spring, summer, and post-hunt scouting can be beneficial, but the best time to scout is when you can carry your bow. While most hunters spend the middle of the day at camp taking a nap, we utilize the middle of the day to find new areas, check wallows, check trail cams, etc. It seems every year we kill an elk in area we hunt for the first time. Summer scouting can be fun and productive, but bulls will roam (a lot) once September rolls around, even if you think you've got them figured out. This year we hunted 9 days, and found vocal elk in the middle of the day on 5 of them, just by checking out new spots we hadnt hunted yet.
DIRK DURHAM
New member
- Dec 18, 2012
- 132
Where I hunt, I like to start wandering around the mountains as soon as the snow melts- which is usually but the second week of July. Im not trying to put my eyes on elk as it is heavily timbered country. Im looking for rutting sign from the previous September. Rubs are a dead give away and can be used as a timeline of when bulls rutted in a particular area. Old rubs that are several years old with no new ones around will make me keep looking in other areas, but lots of 1 year old rubs accompanied by old ones- you can bet I will be there in September 
As we get close to season, Im looking for fresh elk tracks and trails that are beat down. Overgrown trails and not too many tracks sends me packing in other directions.
As we get close to season, Im looking for fresh elk tracks and trails that are beat down. Overgrown trails and not too many tracks sends me packing in other directions.
Bullhunter
New member
- Jan 2, 2013
- 903
Around july i will start getting out there and marking spots on my GPS. usually spend every other week out in the woods on my day off until season comes around. This year i will be setting up a trail camera so it will help me out a little more.
