I have always considered the best time to scout for a bow hunt to be during, or right after the season. Things change including where the animals are, and they transition from summer patterns to the pre-rut, then rut during the hunt. Preseason scouting only gives you a starting point. I assume the same is true for rifle season, but the elk have gone through the archery, deer and maybe some other hunts before the rifle elk season starts. The elk have been pushed around for a couple of months already. Weather can become a big issue also, so how do you go about effectively scouting for an OTC public land rifle elk hunt?
How Do You Scout For A Rifle Hunt?
- Thread starter Swede
- Start date
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,332
Swede, I think you are right that you can learn more by scouting during the season than at any time. However, our seasons are not near as long as archery season, so that time is limited. For instance, the first rifle season in Colorado is five days long. But there is also quite a bit that you can learn from a summer scouting trip as well.
A lot depends on what season you hunt, but I think a lot of our scouting is similar to archery hunters. We are looking for sign such as game trails, rubs, scat, etc and trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle: where can they bed, where can they feed, where can they go to water, and what are their escape routes. Game cams can be used to put these pieces of the puzzle together as well. I also look for good areas to make ground blinds, good areas for glassing and try to decipher how much pressure there is going to be and where it is going to come from. Old camp sites will tell some of that story, but truthfully you will never really know until the season starts.
A lot depends on what season you hunt, but I think a lot of our scouting is similar to archery hunters. We are looking for sign such as game trails, rubs, scat, etc and trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle: where can they bed, where can they feed, where can they go to water, and what are their escape routes. Game cams can be used to put these pieces of the puzzle together as well. I also look for good areas to make ground blinds, good areas for glassing and try to decipher how much pressure there is going to be and where it is going to come from. Old camp sites will tell some of that story, but truthfully you will never really know until the season starts.
I\'m curious about this, too. For the first time, I\'ll be hunting in November instead of early Sept. It\'s a cow elk hunt in a protected area where hunters cannot camp, place trail cams, or scout after September. I\'ve spoken with others who have hunted that area, and for the most part, elk use the same bedding areas year-round. Hunting pressure often pushes them around geographically, but not necessarily elevation-wise. It\'s heavily forested, dotted with meadows, and has plenty of small creeks, springs, and seeps. So instead of looking primarily for water sources (like I would in the desert heat of archery season), I plan to focus on finding some of those well-used bedding areas, possible winter feeding areas, and game trails between them. Vehicle use is also restricted, so I\'m also scouting for good spots to glass from that I can get to quickly on foot (or mountain bike, if there\'s no snow yet).
Is there anything I\'m forgetting, or focusing too heavily on?
Is there anything I\'m forgetting, or focusing too heavily on?
I hope some others step in to help you on this Chica. The last time I rifle elk hunted was when I was still in my 20s. It seemed to me, you worked very hard, and either got lucky; or you learned over time where the elk traveled, when the pressure was on, and ambushed one. For me it was a hit and miss proposition. I could increase my luck by staying out all day, and wearing out a lot of boot leather. It was not a winning formula, but by the time the hunt was over at least I was ready to return to work to rest up.
Try reading this thread: http://www.backtrakoutdoors.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=2013
I learned a bit from the above thread. Summer versus Fall grasses. In CO, mid to late September a hard frost can do a number on the higher grasses. Summer grasses may be parched by early September, so the bulls are coming down lower to feed in meadows soaked by seasonal creeks and then head up at daylight to cooler bedding.
The smaller meadows with seasonal creeks flowing into Fall leads to higher quality grasses. Those smaller meadows stay greener longer, plus may be shaded by forest and not get so dried out. Can you ask someone what the elk are eating in November?
If you encounter meadows in Summer that get hit by intense sun in Summer, those won\'t have good grasses in November. Look for feed in Summer that has some shading and gets plenty of water to keep it green.
Are there any aspen groves? Aspen groves may have better grass into November. Aspens next to timber (security) are a good place to look. I found a place like this for late September hunting after the elk have 3 weeks of hunting pressure.
I learned a bit from the above thread. Summer versus Fall grasses. In CO, mid to late September a hard frost can do a number on the higher grasses. Summer grasses may be parched by early September, so the bulls are coming down lower to feed in meadows soaked by seasonal creeks and then head up at daylight to cooler bedding.
The smaller meadows with seasonal creeks flowing into Fall leads to higher quality grasses. Those smaller meadows stay greener longer, plus may be shaded by forest and not get so dried out. Can you ask someone what the elk are eating in November?
If you encounter meadows in Summer that get hit by intense sun in Summer, those won\'t have good grasses in November. Look for feed in Summer that has some shading and gets plenty of water to keep it green.
Are there any aspen groves? Aspen groves may have better grass into November. Aspens next to timber (security) are a good place to look. I found a place like this for late September hunting after the elk have 3 weeks of hunting pressure.
I used to guide rifle hunters. In CO the CPW has interactive maps that show the winter migration routes. By late October the elk have already started working down those routes, and will be coming from the deep, dark areas they\'ve been pushed into by bow and muzzleloader hunters. mature bulls will generally be alone or with a couple others of similar age groups, while you\'ll often see cow-calf groups with a raghorn or two.
Some of the migration routes are so accurate that my local game warden and the sheriff hunt exactly on one of those brown arrows, about mid-way between summer/early fall range and full winter range. They kill elk every year.
For those without the luxury of those interactive maps, you should be able to talk with the biologist and get the same information. Hunt those ridges and funnels, figure out where others are hunting and the direction they\'ll hunt, and let them push the elk to you.
Or you can walk slowly through the timber and hope to spot something and try to shoot it before it runs away, like Stillhunter. But for rifle hunters who can reach out some distance to shoot, I prefer to hunt smarter, not harder.
Some of the migration routes are so accurate that my local game warden and the sheriff hunt exactly on one of those brown arrows, about mid-way between summer/early fall range and full winter range. They kill elk every year.
For those without the luxury of those interactive maps, you should be able to talk with the biologist and get the same information. Hunt those ridges and funnels, figure out where others are hunting and the direction they\'ll hunt, and let them push the elk to you.
Or you can walk slowly through the timber and hope to spot something and try to shoot it before it runs away, like Stillhunter. But for rifle hunters who can reach out some distance to shoot, I prefer to hunt smarter, not harder.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
i killed a good elk with a rifle. i didnt scout. i drove out from California, met up with my brother in texas. we both went into NM together and simply hiked into an elk infested area.
we were both recreational snipers. i rarely big game hunted, but i killed jackrabbits every weekend. 400-500 yard shots. we both got so good with rifles it was insane. we reloaded and memorized our gear. putting my crosshairs on a jackrabbit that far out is amazing. my duplex dot sometimes covered the entire white dot of the rabbit. we blew those things up!!
back to the elk. we hiked in kinda clueless. we both figured if we found elk, it would be an easy chip shot. low hanging fruit. rookies!! we felt the only challenge was to find the elk..see the elk and plunk a 180 grains of nosler partition into the thing. and that is exactly how it played out. \"bugle!\"..
\"bugle back!\' trot trot trot.
BOOM!
i got really really lucky. my brother repeated the formula the next day with an even bigger elk.
we were both recreational snipers. i rarely big game hunted, but i killed jackrabbits every weekend. 400-500 yard shots. we both got so good with rifles it was insane. we reloaded and memorized our gear. putting my crosshairs on a jackrabbit that far out is amazing. my duplex dot sometimes covered the entire white dot of the rabbit. we blew those things up!!
back to the elk. we hiked in kinda clueless. we both figured if we found elk, it would be an easy chip shot. low hanging fruit. rookies!! we felt the only challenge was to find the elk..see the elk and plunk a 180 grains of nosler partition into the thing. and that is exactly how it played out. \"bugle!\"..
\"bugle back!\' trot trot trot.
BOOM!
i got really really lucky. my brother repeated the formula the next day with an even bigger elk.
elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
\"Swede\" said:
I\'m pretty delusional. Haha. A season veteran elk hunters told me I ruined myself. I think he onto something. B
Sent via Jedi mind trick.
Thanks for the responses and info.
I\'ll review the thread you pointed to, mtnmutt.
Rifle season is new to me. I\'m too used to scouting for archery season, so it\'s a good reminder to think ahead about what the vegetation, cover, and water will be like in November, rather than September.
And aspen groves...I know there are some in my unit, so I\'ll check those out, as well.
I\'ll review the thread you pointed to, mtnmutt.
Rifle season is new to me. I\'m too used to scouting for archery season, so it\'s a good reminder to think ahead about what the vegetation, cover, and water will be like in November, rather than September.
And aspen groves...I know there are some in my unit, so I\'ll check those out, as well.
iccyman001
New member
- Apr 30, 2014
- 5,489
\"ABQ_Chica\" said:
Ma\'am, please keep us in the loop on your hunt.
I am very interested to see how it plays out.
I\'ll try to start off the NM season with a bang, you finish it off with one! :upthumb:
