Mid day activity. (early season)

[iccyman001]

During this hunting season, 8 of my 9 days I had bull and cow encounters.
They were anywhere from 0630-1000 & 1545-2000.


With this being said, do you have areas that you will sit at mid day during the early season? (Over water? Right near the elk you put to bed? etc?)
Or do you prefer to pull out, get a nice lunch and then go in for an afternoon hunt?

 

[otcWill]

I pull out; not because I don\'t think they\'ll move midday but because I hunt high alpine basins and the wind goes to crap after about 7:45 am.

 

[Anonymous]

...

 

[cnelk]

Pull out and rest,
UNLESS its overcast and there is a steady breeze

 

[WW]

I\'m usually done by 09:00 - 09:30. That\'s when the thermals have switched where I hunt and the elk are usually bedded above me. Midday is a good time for me to fill my belly and take a snooze.

I only mentioned 09:30 because I can still get bulls to answer me that late in the morning and give away their bedding location. This lets me know where they will most likely spend their day, unless disturbed, and gives me a good idea on how to plan future hunts.

 

[Swede]

I need a rest during the day, so I usually get out of my stand about 11:00 AM for a midday break including lunch. Often I drive back to camp and get things set for an evening meal after dark. I also refill my water, and if needed grab some snacks. That said, I know I may be missing out on some elk by leaving my water hole. My stand is high enough that the midday winds are rarely a problem. I just chose to have a break, and early afternoon is a good time for that.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Does anybody else fight this? I agree that once the winds start to swirl the hunt is over until 4pm or so. I find myself fighting that clock, going too fast trying to find elk knowing I am on the clock. When I go too fast I bump elk but I keep looking at my watch knowing I don\'t have much time before it\'s over. opening day last year I set up a few times and cold called in areas with fresh elk sign but I didn\'t want to stay too long and waste valuable time with good wind. 2 times the same morning I had elk come in silent and blow out after I got up to leave. I was giving it 15 minutes or so. Apparently I am not a patient person.

 

[Swede]

Ucs, don\'t be impatient. If you want to effectively hunt in the midday and not push elk out of your hunting area, then climb into a good comfortable tree stand. Usually 25 feet high on a hill side is enough to foil errant downdrafts that time of day. I find more elk come around in the midday than in the early morning.