Trouble with waiting for the rut?

[airsix]

TL;DR version:
Planned the perfect hunt, scouted in August, elk literally everywhere, everything was lining up forelk-heaven, came back mid-September to find a guide service had paraded half of Alabama through my little slice of Idaho for the previous 3 weeks leaving the elk in panic mode. Silent and immobile until after dark. Stampeding at the sound of a call. Saw hundreds in Aug, saw 1 on my hunt. (packed in, 5 days, 50 miles on foot).


Questions:
1) How are you finding elk to hunt during the rut that haven't already been heavily pressured during the early weeks of the season?
2) Do I give up on rut hunting and just sit a water hole on opening day before the clown parade comes to town?
3) But seriously, how are you finding elk 3 weeks into the season that still act like elk?




PS- 3 years ago this great area we hunted was part of an otherwise desolate management unit. It was the gem in an otherwise wasted space. Then the F&G moved it into the neighboring unit - a very productive unit. Now I know why. The guides have unit-specific permits and wanted this area covered by their permit.

 

[cohunter14]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck airsix. And that would really be crappy if that's why the F&G changed a boundary around.


The bottom line is you should be able to find huntable elk during the season. I've been primarily a rifle hunter for most of my life and even after getting chased around by the orange army and rifles going off, you can still find elk. The key is to find out where those elk go after they are pressured. Your current area might not be a gem anymore, but that doesn't mean that it can't be if you find their escape route. Figure out where the elk went when they were chased out of there and you could once again have a gem of a spot to yourself. Instead of looking at the outfitter as a bad thing, look at it as an opportunity for them to move the elk to you.


Hope that helps! Also keep in mind that finding elk in the summer doesn't always help you find them come September. I learned that the hard way as well. When September rolls around, the bulls are going to go to the cows. Not saying that is what happened in your situation, but that certainly could have played a part in it as well.