Dark

[Deertick]

Do you start into elk country in the dark, or wait for a little light?

If it\'s dark, you might bump elk you don\'t see.

If you wait for light, you might be too late to find and intercept them.

Flashlights, perhaps? Will they scare elk (that you don\'t see) on the other side of the meadow?

 

[iccyman001]

Most of the areas that I plan on sitting I will go in dark.

When I go to what I call a \"staging area\" (area I want to set up in the morning, wait for light, start calling and then chase bugles)
then I am waiting for it to clear up so I can see enough to navigate the terrain quickly and quietly!

 

[AndyJ]

Where I have typically hunted, the wind gets very swirly about 45min to one hour after sunrise. In a perfect situation I have found a bull I want to pursue and I am working him well before daylight. My goal is to be drawing my bow minutes after legal shooting light. I am usually up and out locating elk 1.5-2 hours before sunrise. I can sleep midday. If I am in dark timber, yes on the flashlight but only to look directly down. More open timber, no flashlight. You need to move quietly and efficiently. Noise will carry a lot farther than your light, just keep it shining down.

 

[otcWill]

I am usually hiking in by 330am if not earlier. Elk don\'t bump much in the dark in my experience. The lights don\'t seem to bother em. That said, when I get near where I\'m going to hunt, I either my headlamp in my hand close to the ground or turn it off

 

[AndyJ]

I should add, if you don\'t know the area or where the elk will be and there isn\'t much bugling action, just wait until it is light enough to see. Plenty of elk have been killed just off the road.

 

[cohunter14]

Mine varies based on what I\'m trying to accomplish. Sometimes I want to be to a predetermined spot by first light and other times I start hunting right at first light and walk in. Many times it just depends on what I expect to encounter where I\'m walking. If I\'m traveling through an area where I don\'t expect elk to be, it makes it easier to travel in the dark. But I have definitely spooked elk in the dark as well and that is a crappy feeling...do I change my plans and sit tight until I can see and go after them or do I go to my predetermined spot? Not a fun decision to make, especially when you realize you could have slept in a little bit and probably had a shot at them.

 

[Bowfreak]

Good information guys. I was hunting with a friend last year and while we weren\'t able to locate bulls that were bugling a lot I still felt like I wanted to be to our spot early. A few mornings we were not and it cost us. Knowing what little I know now that is something I won\'t do again.

 

[Baby Huey]

I will go in before sun up. I\'ve taken a page out of night fishing for walleyes from the shore and switched to red beam headlamps. The red light doesn\'t spook the walleye as much as a standard white light, so perhaps that works for big game as well.

 

[WW]

Red lights are great for NOT spooking game. I have had deer come in while calling coyotes at night using a red light. They paid no attention to the light even when pointed directly at them from less than 10 yards away.

Also, the moon is your friend when going in before daylight.

 

[cnelk]

Depends on where I will be hunting that morning.

If I have a long hike into an area, I time it so I will be at the spot 30 min before light.
My timeline is about a 20 min mile when headed into areas.
2 miles means approx 45 min hike.
If daylight is at 6am, and I want to be there at 530am, I leave the truck at 445am
If I have to drive 30 mins to the parking spot, I leave camp at 415am
That means I get up at 345am

 

[Ol' Arky]

Depends on where I will be hunting that morning.

If I have a long hike into an area, I time it so I will be at the spot 30 min before light.
My timeline is about a 20 min mile when headed into areas.
2 miles means approx 45 min hike.
If daylight is at 6am, and I want to be there at 530am, I leave the truck at 445am
If I have to drive 30 mins to the parking spot, I leave camp at 415am
That means I get up at 345am

That sounds like my duck hunting schedule that we use to do 60 days in a row...

Then it dropped down to 40 or so days and now it\'s when I can.... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[bowhunter]

Depends on where I will be hunting that morning.

If I have a long hike into an area, I time it so I will be at the spot 30 min before light.
My timeline is about a 20 min mile when headed into areas.
2 miles means approx 45 min hike.
If daylight is at 6am, and I want to be there at 530am, I leave the truck at 445am
If I have to drive 30 mins to the parking spot, I leave camp at 415am
That means I get up at 345am

A 20 min mile is pretty darn quick if you are climbing much elevation. :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[Old School]

Depends on where I will be hunting that morning.

If I have a long hike into an area, I time it so I will be at the spot 30 min before light.
My timeline is about a 20 min mile when headed into areas.
2 miles means approx 45 min hike.
If daylight is at 6am, and I want to be there at 530am, I leave the truck at 445am
If I have to drive 30 mins to the parking spot, I leave camp at 415am
That means I get up at 345am

A 20 min mile is pretty darn quick if you are climbing much elevation. :clap: :clap: :clap:

That is very helpful information Brad. Thanks for sharing. (One of the many reasons I enjoy this forum is the practical tips given by experienced elk hunters). I was wondering about that as far as timing and hiking in. If I am gaining some elevation (about 500\') over the course of 2 miles and I\'m walking a defined trail, (not bushwacking) does that change the time in your mind or is it about the same - 20 minute mile?

--Mitch

 

[cnelk]

The areas I hunt are littered with old logging roads. Closed to to motor vehicle traffic - open to foot or horseback only.
You can make some good time penetrating the woods

 

[cnelk]

I was wondering about that as far as timing and hiking in. If I am gaining some elevation (about 500\') over the course of 2 miles and I\'m walking a defined trail, (not bushwacking) does that change the time in your mind or is it about the same - 20 minute mile? --Mitch

Mitch
If youre not very familiar with the country, plan on taking longer. You may get into elk in the pre-dawn and wait to hunt them.
I know my spots pretty good where I know there wont be elk [or shouldnt be] so that helps my time

 

[cohunter14]

Mitch, in an area I used to hunt I gained about 1,000 ft of elevation in just under 1 mile. That hike took about 90 minutes in the dark. Hope that helps just to give you some perspective. Probably the best thing to do is to give yourself some extra time opening morning and time it. That will give you a better idea. Walking roads or flatter areas in the dark is definitely different than walking uphill or downhill. As Brad says, if you aren\'t familiar with an area, it can also take longer because you will be stopping and trying to figure out if you are going the right way.

 

[Old School]

Derek and Brad - thanks for the responses. I\'ve got about a 2 mile hike in on an old closed road and I gain about 500\' of elevation. To be safe I\'ll plan on leaving camp with 2 hours to get there. Appreciate the input.

--Mitch