J
Jacobm
Guest
First off, I would like to thank all posters here on MM. I have been lurking here for most of this year and have picked up some very useful information. The knowledge base here is truly outstanding.
Later this week I am heading to Idaho for my first elk hunt in 25 years. Raising a family and chasing mid-west whitetails has taken up a lot of years and it's time to head out west.
I decided to book a drop camp in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness not because it's the hottest new elk destination but because it was a special place a young boy dreamed of while I read Outdoor Life and Field & Stream back in the 60?s. It's time to get working on that bucket list while I'm still in pretty good shape.
I would like all to know that I'm asking the following questions after doing numerous site searches over the past year on just these specific items. The information obtained has been quite useful but I'm hoping for responses that a bit more customized to my specific situation.
The area I will be hunting in ranges from better than 7,000? with granite peaks to 3,500? down in the draws. The area is heavy timber with a small burn and plenty of water. Camp is at 5,400?.
Being from the Midwest, I'm having a little trouble getting my mind set about thermals and how to hunt them. One of the locals has told me it's typical in that area for the currents to head down hill until about 10:00 am, up until 3:00 or 4:00 and back down after that. I'm sure there are factors (cloud cover etc.) that affect the timing. I have also spent time on Google Earth and have identified areas such as saddles, vantage points for glassing and north facing slopes to check out.
With the little information stated above, could I please get some input as to how you would approach hunting such an area? Not only hunting the area but hunting it as not to push the elk out.
I will be in camp two days before season and had plan to spend those days glassing in hopes of developing an ambush plan. If nothing comes of that, I thought of hunting low in the mornings, working up hill until mid morning, side hill during mid-day and then glassing in the evenings. I may be way off with this approach but welcome an comment or input. If someone would be willing to guess as to how a elk would typically move (feed bed water) I would be quite interested.
Again, thanks for all the quality information on this site and accept my apology for such a lengthy post. Wishing all a safe and successful season. MJ
Later this week I am heading to Idaho for my first elk hunt in 25 years. Raising a family and chasing mid-west whitetails has taken up a lot of years and it's time to head out west.
I decided to book a drop camp in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness not because it's the hottest new elk destination but because it was a special place a young boy dreamed of while I read Outdoor Life and Field & Stream back in the 60?s. It's time to get working on that bucket list while I'm still in pretty good shape.
I would like all to know that I'm asking the following questions after doing numerous site searches over the past year on just these specific items. The information obtained has been quite useful but I'm hoping for responses that a bit more customized to my specific situation.
The area I will be hunting in ranges from better than 7,000? with granite peaks to 3,500? down in the draws. The area is heavy timber with a small burn and plenty of water. Camp is at 5,400?.
Being from the Midwest, I'm having a little trouble getting my mind set about thermals and how to hunt them. One of the locals has told me it's typical in that area for the currents to head down hill until about 10:00 am, up until 3:00 or 4:00 and back down after that. I'm sure there are factors (cloud cover etc.) that affect the timing. I have also spent time on Google Earth and have identified areas such as saddles, vantage points for glassing and north facing slopes to check out.
With the little information stated above, could I please get some input as to how you would approach hunting such an area? Not only hunting the area but hunting it as not to push the elk out.
I will be in camp two days before season and had plan to spend those days glassing in hopes of developing an ambush plan. If nothing comes of that, I thought of hunting low in the mornings, working up hill until mid morning, side hill during mid-day and then glassing in the evenings. I may be way off with this approach but welcome an comment or input. If someone would be willing to guess as to how a elk would typically move (feed bed water) I would be quite interested.
Again, thanks for all the quality information on this site and accept my apology for such a lengthy post. Wishing all a safe and successful season. MJ
