North Slopes?

ChubbyTuna · May 4, 2009

I'm starting my reserch for this years elk hunt. I have hunted deer for 25 years but have just started elk hunting and archery hunting the last 2 years. Man, I wish I would have started earlier as I am hooked. I'll be hunting OTC late August in S.Utah and middle/late Sept in S. Colorado.

I was hoping someone could give this elk rookie some pointers on hunting north slopes and why they are good areas. From what I have learned so far, north facing slopes with dark timber and water is what I'm looking for. I was planning on glassing early and still hunting the N.S. dark timber all afternoon. Maybe sitting some water holes.

Do elk move up from the open areas below into these areas in the mornings and back down in the evenings?
Is it best to be in the dark timber early and let the elk come to you or try to find their travel routes and intercept them.
How does cooler weather affect NS use and when do elk start using South slopes.
Is NE or NW slopes better at different times of the day.
What do you look for on maps/google earth when scouting.
I've read that elk need lots of water. Do they tend to bed near water sources?

Thanks for any help and looking forward to posting some success photos later this year.

fishinghunter14 · May 4, 2009

Alright ill give you my $.02 on Elk hunting. i have been huntin elk for 7 years now and have shot 1 cow...now i have hunted all kinds of ways and have always been right along with my dad til i could hunt by myself the past couple years. but number one rule for hunting elk is GET OFF THE ROADS AND HIKE. yes there are the many guys that drive the roads and end up gettin a suicidal elk walk out but i am opposed to just road huntin. rule number 2 is SCOUTING i have learned that when you actually get out into the areas and find where the elk are it helps 200%. i have never been a guy that sits and watches one side of slopes or kind of trees or areas... there are a ton of elk out there and all elk have different views on where they wanna be. rule number 3 IF YOUR NOT SEEING OR HEARING ELK MOVE. this is one that everyone follows and sometimes a little to soon but i have always learned walk a ways stop and glass walk somemore and ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. this past year i new wear a bull was walked 2 miles to get to his area and was walkin with my head down for 10 feet looked up and glassed and then looked to my right and connected eyes with him at 15 yards. i personally cant look at a map and say ok this looks like a slope with elk i really dont believe it works like that elk move and depending on the weather you arent gonna know where there gonna go unless you scout. i hope this helps a little bit and message me if you wanna talk about it more

$MAVERICK$

ChubbyTuna · May 4, 2009

Thanks for the reply fish. Getting away from the roads has never been much of a problem for me and I almost never see my camp in the daytime. I'm also very familiar with my hunting areas geographically BUT I'm usually there in late October for the deer hunt. Just looking for some warm weather advice and particularly some north slope tips.

fishinghunter14 · May 4, 2009

I hunted the warm weather last year. elk will feed early and go to the trees if there is some snow on the north slope thats where they are. a lotta times they will bed in the snow. from some past experience with a little snow there are by bushes somewhat in the open kinda hiding their figure. usually hard to tell if its a bull or cow. i like to spot and stalk and move slow. if there is no snow you gotta get into that dark timber and really move slow its hard to glass in them so walk like 10 feet and look in every direction at every possible angle you can. i have noticed the elk usually stay outa the aspens in warm weather. you will hear them leave that dark timber if you spook them and usually wont stop. I am a big believer in hunting all day also my dad would always go out early in the morning and head down around 10 or so then go back up around 3 and i hate that. i feel if your hunting all day your gonna get a better idea of where there at and when. hope that helps a little bit more let me know about more questions. but usually Warm weather north slopes and cold weather south slopes it all comes down to keepin warm or keepin cool if it hot look higher.

$MAVERICK$

SMELLYBUCK · May 5, 2009

You asked if the elk move up into the timber. Where I hunt,they don't feed below the timber. They feed on the south aspect and slip over the top into the timber early in the morning. Just know elk don't limit themselves to timber. They like it because they have a hard time keeping cool, but its not the only place you will find them.

I have the best luck finding elk, by getting a vantage point where I can several miles in multiple directions. If nothing is spotted in the first 90 minutes of light, its unlikely I'll see something.

I'm not an archer and I don't like hunting timber. If I was to hunt archery elk in the timber I'd look for fresh droppings around a wallow and set up a tree stand.

Rem308 · May 5, 2009

If I were archery hunting ,I would put in some serious scouting time and find active wallows and try and find a good spot for a tree stand.We have taken 4 bulls with a muzzleloader hunting wallows.
If I were rifle hunting,in the area I hunt I would watch for escape routes.The hunter pressure keeps elk moving all day.Saddles and dark timber that show elk sign will be in there escape travel.I just set it out and watch the first day or two.I let all the other hunters do the leg work.