Elk hunt question

jic3558

Member
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10
How many out there hunt all day(pre-daylight through dark) continuing through mid-day(glassing or still hunting timber) versus hunting morning and evening with lunch at truck/camp? I've done both. Just interested in what everyone else thinks and favors.
 
Depends on where I'm hunting or how deep I'm into the Forest. Mid day can be great hunting as well. If we are deep we'll stay all day. If we aren't too far and there isn't any sign of elk we'll head back and go to another spot.
 
Usually the places I go to hunt are so difficult to get to, I don't want to spend the energy to go out and come back in to the hunting area in the middle of the day. At least for the first couple of days of the hunt. I take a lunch and a book/kindle to spend the slow times and usually take a short nap in the middle of the day, but stay in an area where I could see an animal at any time.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
I usually stay out all day & come back to camp after dark. To me
every hour in the field is worth it!! I can sit in camp anytime,
but when hunting season is open I make the most of it!
 
Like was said it depends.

Early archery when days are long and hot, I go back to camp usually if it ain?t too far. Or finds shady spot to nap and hope the bugs let me sleep.

Late hunts, or in cool/cold weather, I hunt all day.

During archery I don't want to bump elk out of their beds.
 
I have hunted the same area for elk for roughly 15 years. I have killed a bull every year but two and both those years I got shots at bulls. My style of hunting is hike in the dark in the morning, return to camp in the dark. Maybe this is why I kill every year??? Or maybe I am just in a good spot??? Idk the answer because I like where I hunt too much to see if there are better spots. This year I killed a five point elk on the general season unit but I logged 34 miles on the boots and almost 50 miles on the mountain bike to kill my bull. So, Staying out all day and getting after it is the only way to get it done if you are physically able. I hunt for meat, not antlers, which is probably another reason I have better odds. Not too picky when it comes to elk. They taste waaay too good to let em just walk away! I'll post up this years elk hunt with picks later on. Got to use the old red neck deer cart behind the mountain bike again lol!
 
Dark to Dark we walk backcountry to many miles to go back for lunch. At least 10 miles in and 10 out back to camp dinner at 11pm. I am older now so do this hunt sleep in and do a local evening hunt the backcountry again at ODark 30 the next day. Steep country, loose 15lbs. On a 10 day hunt.

))))???->
 
Stay out all day. ESPECIALLY in early season when it's hot. I chase bugles until (if) they quiet down. Sit a tank or wallow the rest of the day. You'd be surprised how many elk come into cool off in hot weather . Many times I've been out in mid day and bugles start up at times when least expected!! Most of the time it's hard to kill one from camp ?
 
I'm out from well before daylight to well after dark! You don't have a chance unless you are out there in it!

Obviously if it's hot, full moon, and dry the elk likely won't be out as much during daylight. If it's slow I often lay down and take a nap and wait through the slow times for them to move....possibly at a good waterhole, wallow, or area they may come back out of the deep, dark trees. If it's decent weather and the elk are out all day I often spend the majority of time using my eyes to glass and legs to cover lots and lots of country. If I know a particular bull is hanging out in a particular drainage I may just sit in a couple key locations all day (or several days) waiting for him to expose himself rather than spooking him to the next county. A lot depends upon the particular situation, topography, terrain, weather, hunting pressure, length of hunt, access issues.....there's a lot of stuff to consider!
 
Early archery I tend to stay out all day. I'll chase all morning and then sit water in the middle of the day. Evening sometimes I'll just stay on water, or I'll go back to chasing. Although, there are definitely the days when I decide to head back to camp for a little while for a good brunch!
 
It's usually to far back to camp, so I stay all day, it is nice if you have the luxury of camp being close enough to do morning and evening hunts.
 

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