This is my first season Elk hunting. The season ends on the 28th and I've spent a total of 10 days in the woods. I have found lots of sign like droppings old and new spread about, a few rubs and a very obvious bedding area, but have yet to see an elk yet. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated even if I spot one over a mile away it would make me happy for my first season.
Tracking tips
- Thread starter Adam P
- Start date
tdcour
Veteran member
Make sure you are taking your time while glassing. Elk are very big but can hide surprisingly well. Also, if tou find fresh sign, follow it a ways and try to find them in their bed. Make sure it is fresh and not from the night before or you will be covering lots of ground trying to find them. Stay patient and quiet and hopefully you will find something!
Hilltop
Veteran member
Adam,
Sometimes elk in pressured areas can become very call shy. One locating trick that may help is to try calling in the middle of the night to try to locate an area that has elk. Bulls that seldom respond in the daylight may bugle more at 1am- giving away their general location. I have driven around in the middle of the night to locate elk on many occasions. I will drive NF roads, stopping about every two miles. I stop the vehicle, shut it off, and get out to just listen for a few minutes. If I hear nothing, I will bugle. I then wait about 5 minutes before driving to the next spot. Just idea- hope it helps.
Sometimes elk in pressured areas can become very call shy. One locating trick that may help is to try calling in the middle of the night to try to locate an area that has elk. Bulls that seldom respond in the daylight may bugle more at 1am- giving away their general location. I have driven around in the middle of the night to locate elk on many occasions. I will drive NF roads, stopping about every two miles. I stop the vehicle, shut it off, and get out to just listen for a few minutes. If I hear nothing, I will bugle. I then wait about 5 minutes before driving to the next spot. Just idea- hope it helps.
ithunter
Member
Timberstalker
Veteran member
I track elk all the time. The main thing is to keep the wind right, and don't follow "In their tracks" I will usually try to figure out which way they are heading then parallel them, stay 1-200 yards off of their track. Once the elk spread out and stop traveling you are getting close, this is where you will find a lot of freash green stuff and wet puddles of urine. I sometimes pull out at that point and come back in an few hours and try to be there when they start milling around again.
Just a couple weeks ago I did this on a herd in Wyoming, I traked them from daylight at 11:00a.m. I pulled out and came back around 2:30 p.m. about 30 minutes later less than a 100 yards away the herd bull bugled, seconds later he was 25 yards in front of me and bugled again. He never offerd me a shot, he also never knew I was there. That was the highlight of my Wyoming elk hunt.
Just a couple weeks ago I did this on a herd in Wyoming, I traked them from daylight at 11:00a.m. I pulled out and came back around 2:30 p.m. about 30 minutes later less than a 100 yards away the herd bull bugled, seconds later he was 25 yards in front of me and bugled again. He never offerd me a shot, he also never knew I was there. That was the highlight of my Wyoming elk hunt.
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HiMtnHnter
Active Member
Good advice not following in their tracks, especially if the elk might be wise to you. If you know which way they're going, try to predict their path (saddles, benches, etc). Stay off the track and parallel it. Go SLOW. They'll often stop and turn around and watch. Parallel the track on the down wind side. Use your binos to peer into the timber. If the area is not receiving much pressure, don't pursue the track in heavy cover. Try to find their feeding area and wait em out. Obviously the wind is your biggest friend or foe. Elk will tolerate noise, even movement, but your wind will send them packing every time, no matter what latest and greatest scent tech gimmicks you are using.
Againstthewind
Very Active Member
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
I always take a day or two to scout from a far. I find a few good vantage points where I can glass a huge area. Once I find them I try to pattern them the best as possible and find where they are bedding. I then move in watching the wind and thermals. I try to get as tight as I can before they move. I do zero calling till I think I am very close, I then sit and listen for as long as it takes for them to start talking. I never bugle anymore only a occasional cow call now and then. I am aggressive while I am trying to get close but I am a very patient once I am in close.
Timberstalker
Veteran member
Where I typically hunt glassing from a far is not an option, neither is patterning. So tracking is a very valuable tactic for me. I agree on getting in close without making a noise, but to do so in my neck of the woods, you have to track them down to get close.
Timberstalker
Veteran member
Adam, sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. Shoot me a PM, I think I can help you out for next year.