My "dumb questions" thread

[Lark Bunting]

I\'ll dedicate this thread to my dumb questions.

Here\'s a start, when I am reading about a \"Bench\" or a \"shelf\" or a \"Saddle\", how big are you talking? Is a bench defined by area? Where I hunted last year it was mostly rolling hills with an altitude difference of only ~1000\'. There were saddles every 1/4 mile or so. There were small flat spots on the hill sides but they were only 50 yards by maybe 20 yards, is this a shelf? We found finger ridges but again, the difference between the valley and the ridge was only 100\'. I know there were elk back there as we found a lot of old sign.

When you refer to the bench, saddle and shelf...what kind of area are you talking about?

 

[timberland]

The easiest way to see a saddle is to skylight a ridge. Any dip in that line where its the easiest for you to cross the ridge would be a saddle. The larger the dip and the steeper th terrainr the better the saddle. The best saddles are gates from one section of habitat to another. I believe the size of a bench and the quality is relative to the surrounding topography. Quality benches lie in travel corridors with steep areas above and below

 

[Swede]

Saddle or bench, what you are looking for are places to find elk or other big game I assume. Good saddles are the places where animals commonly cross from one side of a ridge to another. A good bench is a relatively flat place on a mountain side where a few elk or a herd will bed for a few hours. These locations can be discovered by looking at maps and researching them on the ground.

 

[cnelk]

A bench that I would consider interesting would be approx 30-50yds wide and 60-100yds long.

A saddle that I would scout would have significant slopes on each side, a funnel if you will, to make crossing easier.
But sometimes any gentle saddle will have a game trail thru it.
One of my favorite saddles is only 50yds wide and only one game trail thru it.


Here is sample topo

 

[Swede]

Brad: I trusted it would not be long before you jumped on a dumb question thread. We just have to speak up when we find a question we can handle. :lol:

 

[Deertick]

I would think elk would define benches, shelves, and saddles functionally, not by size.

A fairly small bench might be real attractive if it\'s on a very steep slope, making it difficult to approach.

A fairly large bench might be real attractive if it had \"one-stop shopping\" for elk without leaving it for a mid-day snack of growing grass.

And a saddle might look shallow until you factor in deadfall, which might make it functionally more of a funnel. With whitetails, hunted in fairly flat country, there are still \"saddles\" ... we just call them \"funnels\" ...

Since I\'m not a real experienced elk hunter, I just try to think like an elk. And if I were an elk, I\'d use steepness to isolate me from hunters and competitive bulls ... but I\'d want to be on fairly even ground that would allow me to bed, stretch, have a mid-day snack, or wallow, and never leave that isolation that steepness provides.

 

[Swede]

Tick, you have it figured out pretty well. Ultimately a ground check will reveal how much a bench is used. If you see several new and old beds and some new and old rubs, you probably have a good bench.

 

[cnelk]

I can honestly say that overall I dont hunt saddles or benches very often.
As they are no more than a brief attraction or use

 

[OldMan]

I take what Brad doesn\'t hunt. I hunt probably 75% benches, but they have to be of a good size..

 

[bowhunter]

I can honestly say that overall I dont hunt saddles or benches very often.
As they are no more than a brief attraction or use

I remember once you said \"E L F\" Brad. See I am paying attention to my mentors

 

[ORelksniper]

E L F ? I must have been asleep in class.

 

[timberland]

I\'m guessing \"Elk Love Flat\"?!?

 

[cnelk]

Yes.
its been my experience that...

Elk Like Flat

Think about where you have most of your elk encounters.
Im guessing its more flat than steep

 

[OldMan]

Yes.
its been my experience that...

Elk Like Flat

Think about where you have most of your elk encounters.
Im guessing its more flat than steep

I\'m curious why you don\'t hunt more benches? All the ones I hunt are flat.

 

[cnelk]

If I come across a bench, [which I determine to be \'flat\'] I may or may not set up a calling sequence from that point.
Depending on the wind/thermals.
The bench is a variation in the slope and can play tricks with the wind.

 

[OldMan]

You know me. I don\'t call. I do find elk using benches to bed down. That\'s why I like them.

A bench full of bedding down elk is like candy to a baby for me,

 

[cnelk]

Pete,
You are exactly right!
Elk love to bed down on those benches.

And why is that???
Because the terrain and wind is ALWAYS in their favor.

 

[OldMan]

The wind can\'t come in 4 directions. I can always find a way in. If I can\'t at the moment i\'ll try when I can.

Patience is my middle name.

 

[Lark Bunting]

Alright, next dumb question... Do you play the wind?

Not in the typical sense, keep the wind in your face...I mean, in a cross wind. If you know the wind is sustained from right to left, do you aim a few inches to the right to accommodate the wind?

If so, could you post up a picture like one of Phantom\'s posts like the X marks the spot but instead, X marks the spot and a yellow mark to show where your pin would be?

 

[Bob Frapples]

What would you consider your maximum range? I\'ve practiced in 10-15 mph cross wind before and had to aim 6-8\" to compensate, that was at 70 & 80yrds. Fletching cross section, speed and arrow weight will all come into play. I doupt in most wooded situations anything under 40 yards would cost you 3\" or more in drift. I\'m sure some can crunch some numbers for you though.