??? of the Day ... Elk Hunting from Treestand

[Founder]

Question of the Day - During a pre-rut hunt, is hunting from a treestand the best option? Or is still hunting best?

Let's hear about some experiences? How have you had the best success?

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
Will you LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook! I need a friend....

 

[elks96]

>Question of the Day - During
>a pre-rut hunt, is hunting
>from a treestand the best
>option? Or is still hunting
>best?
>
>Let's hear about some experiences? How
>have you had the best
>success?
>
>Brian Latturner
>MonsterMuleys.com
>Will you LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!
>I need a friend....


Never understood how anyone could tree stand hunt for elk! I would much rather be on the ground with the wind in my face and sneaking through bedding and feeding area. Where I hunt the water and elk are scattered enough that they never seem to feed or water the same place twice!

 

[sagebrush]

In AZ, we sit water. There isn't that much of it.

 

[idahobone]

We've always had great success calling in lone bulls opening week of archery. Seems like the herd bulls already have herds by sept 1 though, so you wont be calling them in. We never still hunt although we've sat at a water hole a time or two if we hear them comn. Once theyve been called in seems like they chill out till prime time.

 

[Coloradoboy]

I know guys who've done well out of tree stands early. There is a lot of water in the areas I hunt so it's difficult to impossible to isolate a specific one to hunt. I've always done the best targeting north facing timber stands that contain wallows, Springs etc. Still hunting with the occasional soft cow call has always worked well. Every year seems to be different. This year I had bulls screaming and chasing cows opening day of archery. Previous years I've had to implement early season tactics in the middle of September when the rut was non exsistant.

Coloradoboy

 

[2f350s]

I hunt CO & NM and have done well both ways. I prefer still hunting and calling when hunting early and actually hunt from a tree stand in a huge aspen thicket where I can see both sides of a canyon that elk move thru where I hunt; it gets darn cold though! I think it works because its no the norm for elk rifle.


2f350s: Spend the money on additional licenses and HUNT more!

 

[bowhunt]

I have shot most of my archery elk sitting on trails that lead between bedding and feeding, or feeding and water.
I have killed several on little seeps.
the guys I hunt with have had great luck out of tree stands.
I usually build me a little ground blind as I sit.

 

[Stonefly]

I agree with Bowhunt, I place my stands on travelways between bedding areas or feeding areas and water. To many guys set water and don't understand that when Elk approach water there guard is up. I'd rather catch them doin the b-bop down the trail 200 yards from the water. With that said Little buck does great in her ground blind at water... go figure...

 

[BeanMan]

I took my first two archery elk, a bull
First and a cow the
Next year, from a
Tree
Stand over a wallow. I like to still hunt
In the mornings and sit
A
Stand in the evenings.

 

[Gator]

Morning and evening I sit over water holes or wallows with decoys spread around the water,IF they have fresh tracks.
Late morning, early afternoon I still hunt in to bedding area's

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[tmbr_hntr]

Over the last few years I have been sold on open country elk hunting early season. Spot, get very close and figure out a game plan. If I need to call to get them that last little bit closer I will, or if I don't need to I won't. Being able to see them and figure out how to get very close to them I feel gives me an advantage over sitting and waiting for them to come to me.

 

[elkun]

elkassassin puts tree branches out of his truck windows and does both at the same time. !(!something about his portable tree stand?)

 

[jims]

My preference is to hunt on the ground so I can stay mobile and follow elk from a distance. When conditions are right (wind, thermals, cows, etc) I make a move. It was nearly impossible to pattern bulls this year...one day they would be in one draw and in another draw the next. I've often found that it is often tough patterning bulls to a specific draw, bedding area, etc.

The wind often constantly swirls and changes directions during the day. I'm not sure if that would be a very good scenerio...especially in a tree? I've noticed several years where wallows were used super early...possibly only used as early as when bulls first shed their velvet. I've also noticed that wallows were used very little closer to and during the rut. It may be possible from a tree if there is limited water (for both drinking and possibly wallowing) or a particular draw, patch of trees where bulls wander and bed.