Elk Behavior Question

[CiK]

I have a few questions about scouting and elk. 


I used to tournament fish for bass, and 9 out of 10 times…I could catch a bass off a stump on a point and come back 1 hour later and catch another.  That feature drew them in to the spot.  Does the same thing work for elk?


Let's say I am out scouting for elk in the early season.  While walking around, I bump some elk.


With your experience, how far do those elk go?  Will those elk return soon to that spot again or are those elk gone for good?


A part of me wants to believe that they might return.  If the habitat was good enough for them once, it would be good enough for them again.  And even if they don’t return, maybe another elk will use it soon.


Tony

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Many variables on that question. Type of terrain, how they were bumped, elk density, type of elk bumped, did they see or smell you, did you shoot at them, amount of sign in the area both old and new, is this a rutting area, are there new and old rubs. The answer is possibly.

 

[CiK]

Many variables on that question. Type of terrain, how they were bumped, elk density, type of elk bumped, did they see or smell you, did you shoot at them, amount of sign in the area both old and new, is this a rutting area, are there new and old rubs. The answer is possibly.

Ok, so I need to peel the onion more to really get at my strategy and goals here.I live in the Midwest.  I am planning my first Idaho public land OTC DIY hunt.  Boots on the ground before my hunt is not in the cards for me.  I am trying to play it out in my head what happens when I get to my computer created starting point. 

I would like to hike in, drop camp and then scout around.  I have listened to several public land hunters about getting in on there first few days of a hunt and scouting.  When doing that, what is a good strategy?  Do I just walk around aimlessly until I see elk?  I asked about bumping elk because I am worried I would.....and I was hoping they would come back like a bass.  Tony

 

[ribo451]

I agree that the answer is possibly.

This year I snuck into within 40 yards of a bugling herd bull and the wind swirled. He smelled me and ran off but his cows didn't. The wind held and I sat around while 19 cows fed and bedded down from between 12 to 50 yards of me for 45 minutes. Eventually a spike wandered in and I decided to shoot a warning shot over his back and they all ran off. The cows didn't really know what happened and even though the bull smelled me his cows stayed in the area and he was there with them the next day.

Then we spooked his cows and they left and didn't come back.

It does depend on how badly they were spooked. I only hunt bedding areas late in the season because it seems like if you bust them out of a bedding area they are likely to leave the area for a while.

It seems to me like the cows want to be in a place with bedding cover and food. If the cows are there the bulls will be there too. If you spook them and there is another place with bedding cover and food they have no problem moving.

As far as walking around aimlessly, I do that all the time. I have several areas that usually hold elk. I walk around mostly looking for fresh elk sign. Hearing bugles and seeing elk is nice but with heavy hunting pressure and now wolves, elk don't always like to talk. But even if they aren't talking they still leave footprints and poop lying around.

I would locate as many likely places as possible from online scouting so that when you are in the area you plan to hunt you have options. Sometimes the area will be perfect for elk and there will be no elk there. Maybe someone else bumps them before you get there or maybe they just like another place better.

The biggest factor in getting into elk for me is having several areas to choose from and looking at all of them until I locate elk.

Then I usually hunt that spot til I shoot one or run them off and then move to another area. Covering ground looking for fresh sign is a good way to start if you don't know the area and can't get there to scout.

 

[buglelk]

Hey Tony!


It sounds like you have the makings of a real adventure waiting for you! Congrats, you'll never be the same!


What weapon/season are you planning on hunting? Based on that, I'm sure we can give you some more detailed info that will be of help to you as you scout from across the country.

 

[CiK]

What weapon/season are you planning on hunting? Based on that, I'm sure we can give you some more detailed info that will be of help to you as you scout from across the country.

I am planning on an early archery hunt.  I keep reading to expect the woods to be alive later in September, but I think i will be going in earlier while the cows and bulls are still separated.  I would love to get away from the crowds, and realize I have to do my part in making that happen.  To help me though, I would like to look into non-motorized vehicles, high public land % in that area, low hunters per square miles if I can find accurate data on that. 


I am leaning towards Pioneer or Beaverhead.  I want to throw Diamond Creek out there but it looks like I might be too late already for that according to the Idaho hunting regulations.


I have an Idaho Hunt chip on the way so I can start digging into it a lot more.  This has consumed me......its like my second job now.    I don't mind being unsuccessful, I don't like being unprepared. 

 

[lang]

Non-motorized vehicle, you mean pedal bike?  If so it really depends on how vertical the trail is.  If it's much more than rollers I don't think they help much.  One direction will be fun, but the other won't and will drench you in sweat more than any steep hike.  One other issue is even a bike makes lots of noise that is very metallic and will spook game from quite a distance (compared to walking not motorcycles).  That being said you find the right trail they are a big time saver especially if you "have to" make a certain destination, and want to maximize travel time during prime hours. 

 

[CiK]

Non-motorized vehicle, you mean pedal bike?

Sorry for getting back to you so late.  I want to get away from motorized vehicles.  I would like to hunt in any area that doesn't allow dirt bike or ATV use.  Do those places exist for an early September archery hunt?

 

[turbo1967]

In prerut and very start of the rut like you mentioned the odds are very good that they will return to the same area with in a day or two, once the elk heard up in the rut they may be in the same spot latter that day or they may move miles . this is were the variables come to play.

 

[Catmandoo]

The fishing stump works because you know it is where the bass wants to be! In other words you know they relate to structure. Elk are basically the same way. When you find that sweet spot where they like to hang my experience has been that unless they are really pressured they will keep coming back. Especially in this pre rut stage you are planning to hunt. We have a saying that you have to hunt elk where they are. Sounds kinda silly but we sometimes want to hunt an area because it LOOKS good. Let the elk tell you where to hunt.

 

[Bull_Fighter]

I have a few questions about scouting and elk. 


I used to tournament fish for bass, and 9 out of 10 times…I could catch a bass off a stump on a point and come back 1 hour later and catch another.  That feature drew them in to the spot.  Does the same thing work for elk?


Let's say I am out scouting for elk in the early season.  While walking around, I bump some elk.


With your experience, how far do those elk go?  Will those elk return soon to that spot again or are those elk gone for good?


A part of me wants to believe that they might return.  If the habitat was good enough for them once, it would be good enough for them again.  And even if they don’t return, maybe another elk will use it soon.


Tony

Tony,

I would say that your best bet is to settle on an elk unit and do your scouting on Google Earth. You'll want to be sure to find a spot with very few (if any) roads. I'm talking dirt roads, by the way. If you can find a spot where the road ends and there are nothing but trails to open country, that would be great. If those trails lead to high ridge lines with a few north-facing slopes, great. Bring all your gear and hike in for opening morning of archery season. Do your "boots-on-the-ground" scouting while you hunt. No sense in scouting before you start hunting if you have limited time. Get up high on those ridges and break out your binoculars! Spot the elk from a vantage point and you won't bump them. They will be there for you to plan your stalk. If you go humping around these Idaho mountains scouting for elk, you're going to be out of gas by day 2, guaranteed, unless you're some freak like Cam Hanes. Let's say you can handle a few days of scouting on foot. If you actually luck out and take an elk, then you'll be wishing you had some energy left to pack it out. I've always been amazed at the power of glassing. Elk that you had no idea were around are suddenly visible through your binoculars. Go get em!

 

[CiK]

Thanks everybody for the replies.  Very much appreciated. 

I've always been amazed at the power of glassing. Elk that you had no idea were around are suddenly visible through your binoculars. Go get em!

I am starting to believe I need to invest in some quality binoculars.  I like the idea of glassing vs. wondering around aimlessly in the woods.  Thanks for your advice. 


Tony