Teach me your scouting skills please
- Thread starter Scot320
- Start date
I do not know that all of us that scout regularly do it the same, but I suspect there are common elements to it. The place to start is to determine that you are looking at elk country. For that I would go to the State Wildlife Department\'s web site and check statistics, then go to G.E. to get an idea where to start. Since I know the general public land areas here in Oregon, and that is my hunting State, I bypass that step.
I start with a general viewing of G.E. to look for quality habitat. Next I go to a good topographic map. This part of my scouting is vey important. This is where I start to focus on specific features I am looking for. My main goal it to find springs, bedding areas and funnels in close proximity to good cover. I like to switch back and forth from the map to G.E. to see how they relate. As an elk hunter I don\'t want to spend time checking out a spring in the middle of a huge meadow or near an open road. Also on G.E. I can see if there are big trees to hang my stand in close by.
After I have taken down the coordinates of 10-12 of these selected water holes in good cover, I am ready to plan a scouting tip.
When I get to a spot you have found on the map, I may not see what it was that was mapped. Sometimes it does not exist, but often it is just not exactly where the coordinates on G.E. or the map told me it was. I try to find the spring and look around the area for more good spots. I like to see as much territory as possible when I am out, so I usually take one path to the spring or whatever I am looking for and leave and go back a little different way.
I start with a general viewing of G.E. to look for quality habitat. Next I go to a good topographic map. This part of my scouting is vey important. This is where I start to focus on specific features I am looking for. My main goal it to find springs, bedding areas and funnels in close proximity to good cover. I like to switch back and forth from the map to G.E. to see how they relate. As an elk hunter I don\'t want to spend time checking out a spring in the middle of a huge meadow or near an open road. Also on G.E. I can see if there are big trees to hang my stand in close by.
After I have taken down the coordinates of 10-12 of these selected water holes in good cover, I am ready to plan a scouting tip.
When I get to a spot you have found on the map, I may not see what it was that was mapped. Sometimes it does not exist, but often it is just not exactly where the coordinates on G.E. or the map told me it was. I try to find the spring and look around the area for more good spots. I like to see as much territory as possible when I am out, so I usually take one path to the spring or whatever I am looking for and leave and go back a little different way.
Let?s take it one step further.
What is considered good habitat...what does it look like from a topo or GE. What makes one saddle better than that one over there... elevation, location, cover? Bedding areas...I know NE facing slopes with a bench in black timber is preferred, but how do you tell from GE if that\'s black timber or something else...why is this bench better than that one? Feeding areas...I\'ve been told that pressured elk like to feed in very small clearings verses large parks...what constitutes a small clearing...1000 sq. ft...10,000 sq. ft. ...are there trees scattered in these small clearings...is there water close by...what does it look like from GE.
This is probably second nature to a lot of you that live close to where you hunt or have spent 40 yrs. in elk country, but to a guy that can only spend maybe 120 hrs. of boots on the ground each year in elk country this type of information is extremely useful.
Most literature or open forums never go into the fine details needed to get a clear picture.
Scot
What is considered good habitat...what does it look like from a topo or GE. What makes one saddle better than that one over there... elevation, location, cover? Bedding areas...I know NE facing slopes with a bench in black timber is preferred, but how do you tell from GE if that\'s black timber or something else...why is this bench better than that one? Feeding areas...I\'ve been told that pressured elk like to feed in very small clearings verses large parks...what constitutes a small clearing...1000 sq. ft...10,000 sq. ft. ...are there trees scattered in these small clearings...is there water close by...what does it look like from GE.
This is probably second nature to a lot of you that live close to where you hunt or have spent 40 yrs. in elk country, but to a guy that can only spend maybe 120 hrs. of boots on the ground each year in elk country this type of information is extremely useful.
Most literature or open forums never go into the fine details needed to get a clear picture.
Scot
Scot
I will make a few posts here and there as I think of things that will help you or anyone else.
First. I have hunted a few areas that I had no previous hunting experience.
Some of those spots I had some intel from a guy or two that gave a general \'lay of the land\' but some were just cold scouting.
If you can, do some research online about an area you are looking at. I know for a fact that there is someone out there that has typed just a bit too much info. And that info can be built upon.
Also, someone knows something about the area. Try to find out who (other than the local warden) an then ask just a few specific questions (not honey holes) but things like where to camp, how from camp have you seen elk, hunting pressure, etc.
How close is private land? This is something that many overlook. You don\'t want to hunt in a spot where the elk can jump the fence and be safe for during your thing. But knowing where the private land is, will also give you good intel about how the elk could migrate or travel when pressured.
Roads/access is key.
Get a map, take a hi lighter and mark all the roads that can be traveled with a vehicle. Then take a different color and mark out any ATV/hiking trials/MC trails. Hash out 1/4 mile on each side of those roads/trails.
Mark out any private.
Once you do this, THEN starts looking at draws, ridges, saddles, meadows, etc... And the overall picture will become much much clearer
More to come
I will make a few posts here and there as I think of things that will help you or anyone else.
First. I have hunted a few areas that I had no previous hunting experience.
Some of those spots I had some intel from a guy or two that gave a general \'lay of the land\' but some were just cold scouting.
If you can, do some research online about an area you are looking at. I know for a fact that there is someone out there that has typed just a bit too much info. And that info can be built upon.
Also, someone knows something about the area. Try to find out who (other than the local warden) an then ask just a few specific questions (not honey holes) but things like where to camp, how from camp have you seen elk, hunting pressure, etc.
How close is private land? This is something that many overlook. You don\'t want to hunt in a spot where the elk can jump the fence and be safe for during your thing. But knowing where the private land is, will also give you good intel about how the elk could migrate or travel when pressured.
Roads/access is key.
Get a map, take a hi lighter and mark all the roads that can be traveled with a vehicle. Then take a different color and mark out any ATV/hiking trials/MC trails. Hash out 1/4 mile on each side of those roads/trails.
Mark out any private.
Once you do this, THEN starts looking at draws, ridges, saddles, meadows, etc... And the overall picture will become much much clearer
More to come
Lets say you want to hunt from a base camp that you drive a truck to. And then you will hunt the surrounding area, either hunt right from camp or drive a mile or two to other spots.
You won\'t know until season starts how many other camps are going to be in the area because I have that can vary from year to year.
Lets say there are two other camps with 1 mile of yours. Not a problem
Typically I like to hunt UP in the mornings. The wind is more favorable and it\'s easier on your body.
Why am I mentioning these things in a scouting thread? Because it all factors in.
As I look on GE I zoom in and see if I can see narrow parts of a road where there isn\'t any campsites. Then I look on either side of the road to determine what kind of terrain there is. Heavy timber? Mix timber? Aspens?
More than a few times these spots without any campsites,( or pullouts) have good elk spots within 1/2 - 3/4 mile.
Lets say the nearest pullout is 1/2 mile down the road. Not a campsite, just a place to park.
I will park there and hoof it down the road back to the place where I want to go up
You won\'t know until season starts how many other camps are going to be in the area because I have that can vary from year to year.
Lets say there are two other camps with 1 mile of yours. Not a problem
Typically I like to hunt UP in the mornings. The wind is more favorable and it\'s easier on your body.
Why am I mentioning these things in a scouting thread? Because it all factors in.
As I look on GE I zoom in and see if I can see narrow parts of a road where there isn\'t any campsites. Then I look on either side of the road to determine what kind of terrain there is. Heavy timber? Mix timber? Aspens?
More than a few times these spots without any campsites,( or pullouts) have good elk spots within 1/2 - 3/4 mile.
Lets say the nearest pullout is 1/2 mile down the road. Not a campsite, just a place to park.
I will park there and hoof it down the road back to the place where I want to go up
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
\"Scot320\" said:
Scot, if there is a certain National Forest or Wilderness area you are planning on hunting sight unseen, I always find it helpful to look it up on Google Images. Looking at landscape photos of the area sometimes helps me to figure out what I\'m looking at on GE
\"Scot320\" said:
NE slope, black forest are not important to me. I don\'t think there is any black forest in my hunting area anyway, and I have killed as many elk on a west facing slope as anywhere else.
To my way of thinking edges are the most important factor in good habitat. I want forest, including brush, and meadows mingled so that there are bedding areas water holes and feeding areas mingled and where good hiding cover is always nearby. Big black forests are often no better than a desert, as there is little forage around. I don\'t know everyone\'s definition of black forest, but the vast old growth forests of Western Oregon and Washington were very sterile as far as containing deer and elk was concerned. I used to hunt them within 200 feet of the perimeter of a 5-15 year old clear cut. Often deer and elk were bedded in that area. The deer and elk were near the edges.
Deer and elk are very adaptable, but if you look for maximum deer of elk per square mile, variety increases their numbers. Black forests and deserts have some, and big game will hide in a forest, but that is not necessarily the best place to start. Remember elk especially need to put on weight fast to prepare for the rut. From the green up to the rut is only 3-4 months. The elk are not hanging out where the forage is poor, lacking in nutrients.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,312
Some good info on here so far, but let\'s expand on this if we can, not only for Scot but for anyone else who stumbles on this. So, you mark off the areas within 1/4 mile of any traveled road. Now, where do YOU typically focus? How about some of the other \'rules\' that you hear about with elk hunting: hunt 2/3 of the way up the mountain, hunt north facing slopes, etc. Which of these pertain to you?
If someone were to hand you a map of five different areas and asked you where you would hunt in each of them, where would you typically find yourself hunting or scouting?
*Note: sorry Swede, I see you touched on the north facing slopes already. You posted that while I was typing.
If someone were to hand you a map of five different areas and asked you where you would hunt in each of them, where would you typically find yourself hunting or scouting?
*Note: sorry Swede, I see you touched on the north facing slopes already. You posted that while I was typing.
I\'m not going to ever say to hunt north facing slopes.
Is it a good place to look? Sure.
But so are East/West/South facing slopes too!
After hashing out roads/trails, I would rank spots to research in the following order:
1- small meadows
2- small streams/draws
3- benches
4- saddles
5- funnel spots
Is it a good place to look? Sure.
But so are East/West/South facing slopes too!
After hashing out roads/trails, I would rank spots to research in the following order:
1- small meadows
2- small streams/draws
3- benches
4- saddles
5- funnel spots
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,312
Completely agree with the slopes Brad. I also agree, for the most part, on your list. I would put streams/draws after benches personally, but that is just based on my experiences. The best draws I have seen were also funnel spots.
I know we are hitting this kind of like a shotgun with bits here and there, but it is good to also remember elk don\'t pasture like cattle. They move around a lot more. I assume this is a natural way to minimize there vulnerability to predators. The upshot of this is that a good area has numerous good foraging sites. Sub-irrigated meadows, where moisture stays near the ground surface until late in the Summer, can provide a lot of succulent grasses.
cohunter14
Administrator
- Jul 10, 2017
- 5,312
\"Scot320\" said:
The best small meadows I have seen have had some or all of these:
- Game trails leading to and/or through the meadow
- Dark timber nearby (within 200 - 300 yards)
- For some reason, the most successful have been in that 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the mountain
- Difficult to access (1/2 mile + away from roads and/or difficult terrain to get there)
- No water in or really close to the meadow
This is just my results, but it doesn\'t mean that they are correct by any means. I am hoping to stand hunt a small meadow next year that has most of these characteristics, but also has a spring in it.
One other thing I would point out is that a small meadow can really be an area in aspen trees where the trees thin out a lot. Not a true meadow, but one where you have a generally open area. We have found these areas as well where you can still have a multitude of shooting lanes with a rifle and easily have a shot if something were to come in.
Thanks guys, excellent information being posted here.
Do you guys typically try to be in position to hunt these meadows at first light or in the late afternoon, or do you hunt the transition areas between feeding and bedding areas.
I have run into the situation more times than not where the elk are on the move at the first sign of light.
Do you guys typically try to be in position to hunt these meadows at first light or in the late afternoon, or do you hunt the transition areas between feeding and bedding areas.
I have run into the situation more times than not where the elk are on the move at the first sign of light.
elkmtngear
New member
- Aug 9, 2017
- 1,152
\"cohunter14\" said:
I bowkilled my bull in an area just like that this Season...bordered by a North facing dark timber slope. Ambushed him over a huge, ripped up elk trail coming straight down out of the dark timber, crossing a creek, and heading out into the South facing semi-open Aspen slope.
Like Swede mentioned before...\"Edge Cover\" areas can be very productive where I hunt!
