Elk Hunting Forum - Up or down?

[mainebrdr]

I would like to hear opinions and reasons for something I am still trying to decide for myself. When heading out from camp early in the morning do you start low or high? I have heard some say they start low, let\'s say at the drainage bottom, because very early, (before very light) thermals are probably dropping so it\'s better to start low.

I have also heard many say at first light they want to be at the top! Maybe to be where the elk are headed. It seems like the time between light enough to shoot and thermals starting to rise because of warming air would not be long and you could be stuck going up with the thermals! Not good!

I realize that actual air movement at that specific time and locale trumps everything, however what would be your thoughts?

 

[americanbwana]

I will always work into the wind. In most areas, this means working up hill until mid morning, or until the wind starts swirling.

At least that is the plan.

AB

 

[Bullnuts]

Depends...
First thing to remember is, elk aren\'t walking around carrying a watch. They don\'t go, \"Oh, look 6:00...better head to bed before the boss sees me\". Instead, elk will move as they see fit - some will start up early, some later in the morning, and some will bed right on the fringes of open country while others will head up into the deep stuff.
Personally, I want to be at least 1/2 the way to where I think the elk are going by the time it gets to be shooting light. I know there\'s no way I\'m going to catch up to an elk - even a walking elk - so I want to be in a position where I can call and cut the distance quickly as soon as I can see. Elk will typically slow down and feed their way along as they move through timber, so even if they leave lo w water or grass before first light, they will typically meander their way to beds and may not even reach their bedding areas until late in the morning. Being halfway there by the time they start to move and then being able to cut them off is a lot easier than chasing them up a mountain!

 

[Zpd307]

my question is this. this was also my first diy hunt ever, 2 years ago. there is an old logging road where we hunted in Colorado. when I first found the elk I was halfway up the road at around 9am, when all of a sudden 5 or 6 bulls started bugling at each other. they were at times 150 yards up from me. I would use the terrain and try and get closer and stop when I was afraid to move because I hadn\'t heard the bugle long enough to be able to pinpoint it. I would cow call and get a response but it was 150 yards ahead again. this went on for over a half hour and then they went quiet. so the next day I went to the same spot but got there earlier. my thinking was it would be easier to chase them down if I was already there, instead of continuously try and play catch up. guess what, I didn\'t hear a single bugle. my guess was with the morning thermals, they could smell me and they went through silent. I couldn\'t figure out where to sit that wouldn\'t get me busted.... so I don\'t see how being up high at daybreak would be beneficial?

 

[cnelk]

If the slope is broken up with a few small finger ridges, you can be close to the elevation as long as you have a ridge between you and the elk.
Then you could slip over the ridge when the elk are there and flank them.

One year, I hiked 2 miles out of my way to get the wind right and come in on elk that I knew were there.
Just for one opportunity.

I took a big fat cow that morning.

 

[Zpd307]

my knowledge of mountain terms is terrible, but I will try.... the area that we hunted was like a large oak tree. at the base of the trunk, \"canyon\"?, was the feeding area. the trunk also contained 3 creeks that eventually joined down by the tree roots, that started up in the tree branches, \"draws\"?. from what I found, the elk headed up the tree trunk in the morning but at some point they seemed to split up and headed their separate ways into each of the branches, and planted their butt on their own ridge. the distance between each outer branch was a long ways and I wouldn\'t be able to sit off the side to avoid being winded and then be able to run in when I did finally hear them bugle... man I hope this makes sense.

 

[Swede]

Without focusing first on being uphill or down, Ask yourself where you need to be to intercept, or call in elk, without being seen or scented. Often that is just across a ridge so when the elk comes, he has to get close before he can see the elk that called. Over a ridge can also give you protection from the wind. If you are still hunting , waiting for them to come to you, on their way to their bedding area, the same idea applies. Where can I wait and expect the elk to come to me and still I will not get busted?

 

[Zpd307]

that was what I was struggling with. where could I be to wait, but not get busted. I was still trying to find their travel routes at the time too.

 

[Bullnuts]

Without focusing first on being uphill or down, Ask yourself where you need to be to intercept, or call in elk, without being seen or scented. Often that is just across a ridge so when the elk comes, he has to get close before he can see the elk that called. Over a ridge can also give you protection from the wind. If you are still hunting , waiting for them to come to you, on their way to their bedding area, the same idea applies. Where can I wait and expect the elk to come to me and still I will not get busted?

I wholeheartedly agree with Swede\'s assessment and will add a few points. First, if you\'re behind the elk and they are moving up, unless you can throw down some very big and fast tracks, you will never catch them. 2nd don\'t be afraid to make a BOLD move when you know the elk are moving in front of you. Staying 150 yards behind them will turn into 300 yards behind in a hurry unless you do something. Skirt them or put some serious tracks down and cut that distance by at least half before you call again. 3rd, just because you don\'t hear them doesn\'t mean they aren\'t there. I ran into the same bull on five consecutive days as he traveled from food to bed. I got very close, just couldn\'t get a shot at him. He bugled a lot those first couple of times, but then was silent after that, but still used the same route. He had cows, so the lead cow may have played a big role in the direction and speed that he was going. Had I found a better ambush spot I\'m sure I could have killed that bull, but being the last week of the season I ran out of time.

 

[cnelk]

One thing to remember about \'up/down\' is that is difficult to call elk back to where they have already been. Not saying it cant be done, its just more difficult.
I have had better luck bring them in from the side.

 

[elkmtngear]

that was what I was struggling with. where could I be to wait, but not get busted. I was still trying to find their travel routes at the time too.

Gary if you are looking to ambush, you could get up VERY EARLY and get up into the \"trunk\". Staying close to the bottom of the ravine would keep your scent down, and you could approach elk from underneath on either sidehill as they moved up toward \"the branches\" in the morning, thus keeping the wind/ thermal advantage. You would just have to be ready to move toward the first vocal bull and try to cut him off.

 

[Zpd307]

thanks. so last year I found their food and travel routes. that was fun as I had spent the off season scouring google earth and I was glad it paid off. i must not have gotten in early enough that morning, because I bumped a pair, I am assuming a pair based on I thought I heard two set of hoofs trotting away, while traveling up the \"trunk\". I was at my ambush spot for 30-40 mins before shooting light. ugg, some days you just cant win. although I did hear one go through while I was there, but never did see it. by this time I was afraid to call for nothing was responding to calls by this time, 6 days into the season, and I figured it would just turn around and go the other way.... I haven\'t been very confident the last two years when I know an elk is in the area. I am hoping all the info I am learning here will cure that

 

[elkmtngear]

ugg, some days you just cant win.

Yeah, winning this game takes many days sometimes!

There\'s really no \"magic bullet\" for non-vocal elk. Makes it very hard when they do not play fair.

But, it sounds like if you are up in that drainage on the \"right day\"...it would make up for the losses

 

[elky McElkerson]

i\'m a rookie.

but in my tiny brain..i think i need to see an elk before i can kill an elk. i love seeing elk country..right or wrong, i tend to head up to look for vantage points.

 

[Zpd307]

I am glad that all of my researching has been able to get me into elk. it would be really demoralizing hiking that much to not seen fresh sign or hear anything. i say this as my buddy was in the same area, but refused to go where i went, so we hunted solo. once he quit hunting with me, he didn\'t run into anything the rest of the hunt. I just need to learn what to do when I do get into them. slowly but surely....