Locating in areas with lots of logging roads

A

Alder

New member
Jan 2, 2013
209
There is one area I hunt that is all open gate Forrest and there is seldome more than a mile or two between roads. How do you locate elk in areas like that? I don't want to walk along calling from the roads, and the roads run along most every ridge.
 
If the roads follow every ridge then then you don't have much of a choice but to follow them and search for the elk.  But that is no reason to believe that it will be less productive.  The fact that the roads remain open during the season is what may or may not impact your hunt.  If there are a lot of roads then the elk will be accustomed to it and you should hunt as if the roads aren't there.  When you see other hunters on the roads you can either move on or watch them to see if they stir up some movement for you.
 
That makes sense. Do you think calling from the roads is a bad move? There are not a lot of other hunter during bow season and very few people in this area use calls.
 
One of the places I hunt here in north Idaho has lots of logging roads, some used regularly and some abandoned. The elk do not really care too much about the roads and will in fact use them to travel and bed on if there is not a lot of people in there. Often though the elk will be reluctant to come up onto a road to a call if they do not see another elk. You probably should try getting 20 yards or more off the road when a bull is coming in to your call so he's less likely to hold up.
 
Calling from your truck is a bad idea, calling while slowly walking a road is not. I have located many elk by calling every 100 yards or so while walking along a road. Just make sure you give them time to respond, then make you move towards them off the road ;)
 
Thanks. I have always worried about just walking along a driveable road with a call. But the roads are sure the fastest way to go from ravine to ravine.

How much time do you give them to respond?
 
I don't think roads are terrible to hunt off of either. There is one place we hunt in Montana, that has a freeway within 2 miles, a state highway within 2 miles and a scenic byway within 2 miles and roads all over where we hunt, but for whatever reason nobody ever hunts it and there are elk all over the place. Sometimes people overlook these kinds of areas because alot of archery hunting people want to get as far away from roads as possible so they don't bother with the easy way haha. I just moved to northern Idaho and have to start learning the area. I have already found a few places that could be great that have roads not to far away that could get overlooked so I will try them this year and see what happens.
 
I know some folks say to wait 15 minutes or so since some elk are a little lazy and take their time in responding but if I'm hunting while walking a road or trail, I walk really slow so I can still hear any response. I may wait a few minutes per call but then start walking slow and call again in about another 100 yards. When going slow 100 yards can take 10 minutes so it turns into another good time to call.
 
I used to hunter western Oregon and there are a ton of logging roads.  Many times while hunting deer i come around the corner and they is a herd of elk standing on the road or bedded down in the ditch next to the road.  I usually walk the roads and glass in the areas that had been cut down five or so years ago and i have spotted a ton of elk in those areas.  i will also call every once in a while from the road to see if i can get a response and if i do i will close the distance.
 
I use logging roads in a couple areas and when i locate a bull i dive off and go get him,the worst thing is hearing an engine shut off then a bugle and then the vehicle start again thats what i call city hunters!!!
 
linds1007 said:
I use logging roads in a couple areas and when i locate a bull i dive off and go get him,the worst thing is hearing an engine shut off then a bugle and then the vehicle start again thats what i call city hunters!!!
Click to expand...

That has happened to me many times, just hate it.
 
Be careful when hunting near roads not to assume that a response must be another hunter. Sure if u hear a motor...but hunt with the same discernment as if u were in the backcountry.  A few yrs back I bugled about 100 yds from a well used road.  A bugle immediately answered and I could hear a tree being raked.  I assumed it was a hunter because there was even an intersection right near the response.  The raking also sounded a bit fake.  I moved away from the sound to avoid people and set up again.  That bull snuck in behind me and screamed again scaring the poo out of me.  When I got back to my truck I checked out the road where the response came from.  Sure enough there was a fresh rub right there on side of the road with fresh elk tracks...no tire tracks.  Funny thing is, if I didn't know the road was right there I never would've assumed that was a phony response. 
 
here is a video of a bull i called in across a road, i also messed up on several other elk on the same road lessons learned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-6b1EMG5SM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
Nice bull even with only one side still present.  Probably would of a been a great bull having both sides.
 
Nice video AFTeamRoper.  Nice to be able to listen to the bugles with lots of clarity and no hunter whispering going on. 
Man that gets my blood boiling...~100 days to go. 
 
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