Hunting in dense timber?

ID_Paul · Jul 14, 2012

I grew up hunting open desert country, and have realized that I am too dependent on seeing long distances to be comfortable and confident. Over the past few years, there have been instances where my dependence on spot and stalk methods prevented me from finding the elk. Once, I knew the elk were in a certain steep, dense patch of timber and brush, but I had no idea how to get in closer. It was dry and hot, with no way to move quietly.

On opening day last season, I was in timber and spooked an elk. In that area, though, I could easily see 50-75 yards and the ground was fairly clear. I took my boots off and stalked in my socks. I saw her twice more, but never long enough or clear enough for a shot.

The next day, I had the good fortune to have a strong storm soak all the dense stuff, and the third morning of my season I spotted elk on a barren ridge, about a mile out, drying off in the sun. After dropping out of sight and closing the distance, I got my elk.

I drew another cow tag in the same area this year, and don't want to lose opportunity if the weather isn't as cooperative. Any tips you can give me on how to hunt in the thick timber and brush would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Paul

BLooDTRaCKeR · Jul 14, 2012

I always get busted in thick timber while elk hunting. The best way to hunt that type of terrain is to have a couple of guys at different levels pushing the timber in the same direction a hundred yards (or so)apart from each other. When elk get bumped from their beds, they usually circle. If you bump elk, sit down and wait for 30-45 minutes. They will usually run ahead of you, down and circle around back into the same area you bumped them out of. They bed in those areas for a reason and they will not move far.

Hunting timber is an afternoon activity when the elk are already bedded down. Just do not hunt timber areas close to the clearings you will be hunting in the evening because you might bump them out of their routine for a couple of days. I got lucky once and had a pair of spikes feed below me in dense timber while I was walking through at 2:00 pm. They did not see me and I was able to drop one of them with one shot right in his tracks luckily because if he would have ran down hill, I would have taken a fork and ate him where he died because the pack out would have killed me.

Elk have every advantage over you when they are bedded down in dense timber. They will hear/see/smell you and be gone long before you will ever realize they were even there in most cases.

Good Luck on your hunt.

beech18 · Jul 15, 2012

I agree. Once they bed down in the timber the odds are in there facor and they will hear, see or smell you before you even know they where there. From my experience Ive noticed they usually have the wind in there favor from coming in behind them, if in a small group they are usually looking down hill so coming in from below they'll see you. If in a large group there looking all over. Killing one while bedded in the timber is no easy task esp on OTC/general area's.

My method which some will not agree with. I try to hunt them in the mornings or evenings before they bed up or after they start getting up for the evening. Intercept them from feeding area to bedding area's. In my opinion if you bump them during this time the odds are less they will not change there overall routine rather than bumping them from there beds. Then I have 2 options for middle of the day. 1) Take a nap so if I have to make a hard push in the evening Im not worn down in that case. 2) Looking around scouting new area's.

Idabow · Jul 15, 2012

Walk slowly and quietly. The elk have the advantage because they can smell you for one, and they can see you moving better than you can see them laying down. Movement is much easier to see. They are laying there, looking around and they will pick up movement every time. How many times have you spotted an animal because of movement?

I've bumped tons of elk while moving through the timber. I walk very quietly, looking in all directions. Sometimes, if you're lucky, the will jump out of there beds, but not run off. This happend a handful of times to me last year, but I was archery hunting. They would get out their beds and look around, and feed off.

Several times I've come within 40 yards of elk bedded that knew I was there, but never moved. I was walking on a very open hillside last year and there was a lone pine tree and a few bushes around it. i was just walking down the trail, and when I got within 40 yards the tree exploded in a dust cloud as two cows and a calf busted out of there. They could see me coming for a mile. If I'd walked a different trail, they likely would have not ever moved.

But, I tend to agree with beech18, especially when rifle hunting. If I know where the elk are bedded, I will just stake out the area and wait for them to come out in the evening. I find that busting them out of their bedding area tends to negatively affect that spot, if only for a couple days.

That ain't a camel toe, that's a moose knuckle!

kawboy · Jul 15, 2012

I love hunting the dense timber, I even got lucky and have shot a few bulls there. Most hunters I have been with only use their optics to view things far away. In the dense timber I use my binos to pick out hair or part of an antler. It is very difficult but if you go very slow and use your head and optics, you can find them before they find you.

I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!

Elkhunter96 · Jul 15, 2012

Use the afternoon wind to your advantage. Killed several bulls in thick timber going slow and letting the wind drown out my noise

TheFever · Jul 17, 2012

Although I haven't had success still hunting, I have found it helpful to walk the game trails to minimize the noisy crap I have to walk on. Does anyone do the same?

>>>---->
For the love of the game

DownThePipe · Jul 17, 2012

>Use the afternoon wind to your
>advantage. Killed several bulls in
>thick timber going slow and
>letting the wind drown out
>my noise

I agree with this if you are hunting an area where you know there are other hunters.

However, if you can be fairly certain that the elk won't get pushed out, I think the best thing to do is sit down, and let the afternoon winds settle, and be ready right when you think the elk are getting up. If you are hunting the rut, this can be a fantastic time to make a bull think that he has a new bull coming into his area for the night. Obviously, the number one factor here is that you are downwind of the elk the entire time. If the winds are swirling, like they are in the afternoon, you may need to back way off.

Also, if you've never backed off a herd of elk and gave them another go the next day, then you've never really hunted elk!

Alamosa · Jul 17, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jul-17-12 AT 09:54PM (MST)[p]Sounds like you are hunting an early season or not expecting any snow.

I killed my very first one in black timber.
Although I really didn't know it at the time I was doing several things right.

It was a dry year and I knew I couldn't move quietly. I was fortunate enough to find some deadfall interleaved with 4 or 5 still standing trees. Even better - it was within range of a small creek. I was able to conceal myself well in this sort of natural blind. Creek noise provided some audio cover. I am sure I stunk bad but it is usually pretty dead air in black timber. Odor will spread from your post like liquid leaking across the forest floor. I had been waiting there 2 to 3 hours so my stink was beginning to spread when I got lucky and elk came to water.

Binos will show you things in timber that you never would have seen otherwise.

If you actually have snow in the timber then you are golden. Often powder snow remains for a long time in the black timber because sun never hits it. You can move much more quietly, you will detect movement more quickly, it will absorb sound, and it will show the history of recent activity.

ID_Paul · Jul 17, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jul-17-12 AT 10:20PM (MST)[p]Thanks all for the great replies. I see some confirmation of things I had wondered about, and some new ideas too.

Alamosa - I feel like I was lucky to have that storm last October - can't count on it to make it easy for me this year. The instance I mentioned it being hot and dry was a November a few years ago.