Where to set spike camp

[83mulligan]

How much consideration should be taken to thermals when setting spike camp?  Thermals will be descending at night and early morning, right, so is it bad to be on top?  We will be hunting Idaho in areas 7600 to 9500 feet.  Is it best to not be on top of the mountain or ridge lines so scent isn't rolling downhill first thing in morning or is it ok to be up high and wait for thermals to switch before making a move down on elk we've located?  I'm a flatlander, so i'd rather hike up once with camp on my back and not have to do it each morning.  Thoughts?

 

[alaska76]

This is a good question:
Im not from ID; so take advice from folks over there.


That said, I dont think it matters. I've spiked in CO 400 yards from a bedding area without buggering them up at all. Matter of fact, had a bull bugling every night for a week straight so close i could hear his hoofs on the ground as he walked by the shelter. It was like clock work, and he could not care less. Cool the first couple nights, but aggravating when your trying to sleep! Revenge was served on day 6

 

[montanaelk31]

Imho you should give them plenty of room. I would suggest camping midslope off to the side of them, preferably downwind, or to where most prevailing winds blow. This way you can go high or lo.  Depending on what they do. I would rather hike 20-40 minutes further than rolling the dice. Midslope is my vote.

 

[ribo451]

I agree on giving them plenty of room. I try to keep my scent to a minimum with my hunting gear but my camp gear might smell horribly for all I know and even if they aren't smelling you your gear could run them off.

I like to camp roughly a mile from where I am hunting if it's feasible. If you are hunting somewhere where there aren't good trails or roads then camping closer might be the way to go but I don't want to go to all the trouble of scouting and then hike into an area and set up shop just to run the elk out of there and have to start over again.