What special tactics, if any, do you have when you are in areas with large private \"No Hunting\" lands in the general vicinity? Where I hunt the elk quickly migrate onto the private land, and stay in their sanctuary until the guns start blazing away there, well after my season.
Hunting Near Private Land
- Thread starter Swede
- Start date
I would say understanding funnels or pinch points leading to the private land would be beneficial. Setting a stand at a good location and be patient until hunters pressure the elk enough to migrate. If I was going to hunt this way I wouldn\'t be picky on what animal I filled my tag with. Food and water will play a big factor in getting the elk to cross these points once they are in the sanctuary. The rut may play to their curiosity as well, with calling, but may prove difficult if they have a herd in front of them. I have hunted private/public boundaries with deer and had success, but not elk. Deer tend to have patterns and feel comfortable with their \'home\' turf. Even when bumped they may not travel far. From what I have read from others this is not the case for elk. They can and will travel far.
Overall I would avoid areas of conflict like this. Not exactly a how to hunt it, but rather another option or area to hunt. That might be the best play.....stay away and hunt new grounds.
Overall I would avoid areas of conflict like this. Not exactly a how to hunt it, but rather another option or area to hunt. That might be the best play.....stay away and hunt new grounds.
There are a couple of hunting grounds we have that are near Private Land (PL). These areas are not as clear cut to align with your question, as the elk know the private land is there, but it isn\'t an all out migration to that PL. We mostly bow hunt the areas and will also hunt the 2nd rifle seasons as well (mid Oct).
There have been road closures near this area as well lately, so that helps keep a lot of hunters out (since it is a good trek to get to this area) and has the elk a little more dispersed on the public side, as it is good elk country (water, feed, bedding areas, etc.). We know a few pockets of dark timber, oak brush and aspen that the elk frequent, so we mostly still hunt through these areas - both bow hunting and rifle hunting. During rifle season, we will try to set up in areas we have found elk using as corridors or feeding areas in the mornings and evenings as well.
We don\'t call very often, but if we do, we set up a few hundred yards from the property line and perform some cow calling sequences. There are always bulls bugling in a basin on the PL, but we haven\'t had any come up out of there onto public for calls. I mostly do this when I am taking my lunch break, but have tried it a few times late afternoon.
Not all of the elk stay on or go into that PL, so we have a good area that took us many years to find and we have a good idea of where to find elk, but we are always learning. Since these elk are not totally focused on getting into the PL, we always have shot opportunities every year by still hunting the public land in the area.
There have been road closures near this area as well lately, so that helps keep a lot of hunters out (since it is a good trek to get to this area) and has the elk a little more dispersed on the public side, as it is good elk country (water, feed, bedding areas, etc.). We know a few pockets of dark timber, oak brush and aspen that the elk frequent, so we mostly still hunt through these areas - both bow hunting and rifle hunting. During rifle season, we will try to set up in areas we have found elk using as corridors or feeding areas in the mornings and evenings as well.
We don\'t call very often, but if we do, we set up a few hundred yards from the property line and perform some cow calling sequences. There are always bulls bugling in a basin on the PL, but we haven\'t had any come up out of there onto public for calls. I mostly do this when I am taking my lunch break, but have tried it a few times late afternoon.
Not all of the elk stay on or go into that PL, so we have a good area that took us many years to find and we have a good idea of where to find elk, but we are always learning. Since these elk are not totally focused on getting into the PL, we always have shot opportunities every year by still hunting the public land in the area.
I know a couple spots that are near some private land. It\'s basically a crap shoot.
Sometimes they are there sometimes not.
It frustrating because your hunt is limited and short at best.
I like to have more room to roam and have longer hunts, away from fences.
And yes, elk know exactly where the fences are and what they mean
Sometimes they are there sometimes not.
It frustrating because your hunt is limited and short at best.
I like to have more room to roam and have longer hunts, away from fences.
And yes, elk know exactly where the fences are and what they mean
I\'m lucky enough that the elk migrate on and off private land where I hunt. They will stay on private for a while though so, like others have mentioned, I hunt them very carefully when I find them \"near\" (within 2-3 miles) private land. I do a lot of leaving them alone. I hunt the highest terrain that elk use and the thermals are more unpredictable than 99% of elk country. I have to be out of their general area before 8:00 am and can\'t move in on them until near (within 45 min) of last light. For these reasons, I spend a lot more observing and planning than I do hunting. This strategic planning/observation leads to relaxed elk and high odds when I make my move. In short, I am extremely careful not to bump them unless I\'m going to get a shot.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,332
Most of the hunting I have done near private land is where the private land is also hunted. This helps to keep the animals moving back and forth, so they can\'t just go to the private land and stay there. Truthfully, I don\'t know what more you can do if there is private land that isn\'t hunted. Try to get them before they move to the private or otherwise move on to a new area once they do.
I used to hunt near private land. The reasoning was that \"at least I\'d see elk.\" :lol:
Private land isn\'t always a sanctuary. Much of it is hunted pretty darn hard, particularly in rifle season. If I were an elk, I\'d be careful with the idea of \"Let\'s just head to that section of private over there.\"
I figure that you aren\'t going to coax elk back from any sort of sanctuary, but those elk are sort of \"live decoys\" and more elk will show up. Hunt those elk.
Private land isn\'t always a sanctuary. Much of it is hunted pretty darn hard, particularly in rifle season. If I were an elk, I\'d be careful with the idea of \"Let\'s just head to that section of private over there.\"
I figure that you aren\'t going to coax elk back from any sort of sanctuary, but those elk are sort of \"live decoys\" and more elk will show up. Hunt those elk.
JohnFitzgerald
New member
- Mar 31, 2014
- 1,108
I try to avoid areas near private property. Too many hassles to worry about. Elk hunting is hard enough without more.
