High country hunting

midwesthunter

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So I am looking at doing my first high country hunt this fall. (if I draw) Sept season open on a Thursday. So my thinking is leave Fri before season opener and scout for 4 days and hunt for 3. My buddy who has same points and wants to come wants to leave later only giving one day to scout and more to hunt. We both have never high country hunted before, he elk hunts every year in CO on OTC tag, (9 years and still no bull) I told him this will be very different then the style he is used to hunting.

Now if he doesn't come on this hunt I can take more time off to hunt for more days if needed. Wouldn't it be better to spend more time scouting than hunting in a area you have never been before?
 
In my opinion, it would depend on what your goal is for the hunt. Are you after a decent buck or are you looking for a chance at a whopper? If a fair representation buck is your goal then I would scout less and have fun poking around the country during the season (for me, it's more fun with a weapon in hand). If a big buck is the goal, I would scout more days than hunt and cross my fingers that 1. I can find a big one 2. It won't get bumped by other hunters 3. I'm on him at opening light.

It sounds like the Wyoming rifle opener is what you're looking at?
 
It depends on the quality of buck you are looking for and the weapon you're using. If bow hunting, you will likely need more than 7 days to get two bucks down; one buck is tough enough, and according to most hunt's success rates, not likely to happen at all. 3 days to get two great bucks down with a rifle is asking a lot as well. If you have only 7 days, I would be packing a weapon for at least 5 days of the 7. If you can extend your amount of time beyond the 7 days, then maybe scout more. If you have more time than your buddy, then you could come down early and he come the day or two before. If he has had difficulty getting an elk down in 9 years, then I can understand why he wants more days to hunt, and maybe his standards aren't quite as high as well.
 
Where I hunt in the high country weather can be a factor. What happens when on the day of your hunt you find it is a fogged in rainy windy mess and it doesn't change all day? A couple days and you have only 1 day left to hunt! I don't think I take that chance. We have had bad weather and missed at least two days each of the last two seasons, not fun.
 
I'd rather have more time for scouting. Going into an area blind is asking for lots of wasted time! access, habitat, water, quality/quantity of animals etc... so many things that you are now trying to figure out while under pressure to fill your tag at the same time.
If you go early to scout, you can simply bust your butt hiking to check areas out to either cross them off your list or to check out while hunting. You can't cover lots of ground while hunting cause you don't want to skip over areas that look good.


Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"
 
If he has hunted CO 9 years and not taken an elk then I would do the opposite of whatever he suggests.

I think your plan is fine, but I would also not worry if you shortened your scouting time by a day or two.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-15-16 AT 10:23AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-15-16 AT 10:17?AM (MST)

Your plan is ok, so long as you spend a lot of time studying google-earth, maps, etc. You can do a lot of scouting at home that will save you a ton of time and energy once you get there.

Make a list or mark on map a few prime locations to check out when you get there. When I venture to a new area, I prioritize the areas that appear to be most promising on my map. Have your GPS handy.

We went to Idaho for first time last year. Studied maps and google-earth like crazy. That, along with knowing elk behavior, led us to a spot where my buddy shot his first ever antlered animal, a 6-point bull in a OTC unit. And we saw a ton more elk...right where we thought they'd be.
 
If at all possible, I'd go there at least once to look it over. Maybe in August.

The thing about scouting right before the season is that EVERYBODY does it. People will come pouring in a few days before the season and they'll often pressure the deer into cover and/or knock them out of their normal routines. It will definitely be tougher to locate critters right before the season.

Personally, I'd spend more time hunting if you are just coming once. If you are new to the high country, it's also probable you'll burn out your legs and feet before the season. It's hard to pace yourself once you are on site. Even if you find one while scouting, he might be blown out of the country or buried in timber by opening day.

As has been said, it depends upon your goals. But it's always safer to have weapon in hand and hope to find a stud.

Best of luck
 
Thanks everyone for the input. I have a lot to think about, and have a lot of time to do scouting from home om the computer.

My goal is a big mature buck. But with that said, doesn't mean I will hold out till the end for one either. But I won't shoot a young small buck either just to punch my tag. Honestly not sure what my expectations are for quality.

The chances of bad weather does raise concern for the shorter hunt.
 
My short answer is "NO" it is not better to be there that many days prior to the hunt.

First: You want to have as many opportunities as possible to harvest an animal. You can't kill an animal before the hunt starts. 3 additional days during the hunt will provide opportunity to kill your buck, not just see it from afar.

Second: It doesn't take 4 days to acclimate unless you're really low right now. So don't worry about that.

Third: Deer you scout prior to the season will either be there for your season anyway, or, they get busted of there by other hunters that come in the day before the hunt, so having the additional 3 days prior to the hunt aren't necessarily all that beneficial.

Fourth: High Country hunting is nothing to take for granted. Having a companion is always, always safer. It is often more productive in locating animals and killing animals. Tim Burnett and Remi Warren make it look easy, but they are exceptional solo hunters.

If I were you, I might hike in on Tuesday. Scout that evening, all day Wed, and then be prepared to kill a buck on Thursday morning. If you friend can be there for that, great. But this would give you some additional days to hunt, rather than just scout.

Good luck on your tag and on your hunt..!!

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Another thing to keep in mind is your physical condition . On my first high country backpack hunt , I was so sore and exhausted from three days of scouting that I was almost physically useless once the season started . I was out of shape and basically wasted most of the hunt whining about how bad my legs and back hurt . Get in the best shape you can , it will pay off .
 
I agree with the physical conditioning. That's probably more important than the scouting vs hunting days as if you get a bit of altitude sickness you'll be shot. I've done high country hunts and ever time with the exception of last year I lost a day or two because of it (head aches, fatigue etc) Last year I busted it and lost 30lbs and was in the best shape in 20 years. Made a big difference and was able to put on miles without ats. With that being, and if your up high I would give a few days to get acclimated.
 
If it was me I'd rather have my gun in my hand as much as possible. So I'd say scout less if it means more days hunting. By the end of the hunt you should have stuff figured out.
 
I would leave home two days before the season, that way you can spend a full day getting to where you are planning to camp. Are you packing in or planning on hunting from the vehicle/camp? Either way the extra days of scouting are not necessary, it would be pretty frustrating to see a shooter buck and not be able to shoot him.

Make sure and go slow when you are hunting and glass a lot!! If you do bump a deer you can possibly get a shot if it is during the season. If you bump him the day before the season you will probably never see him again. Patience will pay off, remember you are not trying to see if there are deer in the area you are trying to find the ones that are there. Most of the high basins I venture into have deer in them somewhere, i normally see them as they are running the other direction. Walk slow, stay off of the skyline and glass slowly.

Two sets of eyes are better than one but you will want to get on the same page before going. Like others have said, getting one big buck is going to be a task. Killing two of them will be a big chore, I would also make sure your buddy is not going to shot a forky on opening morning. More than likely once a shot is fired all the deer in that particular basin will be gone, at least for a few days. If it were me I would split up and hunt different areas so you can find more animals, you can always meet up if you need a spotter to guide you into a buck.
 
I'd definitely spend more time hunting than 3 days.
As for whether to go that early or not, in my opinion depends in part on how many people you expect to be pounding the hills. If you expect lots of pressure, then the hunting might be real poor after about 4-5 days, so maybe your extra days should be on the front end. However, if you expect little pressure, then I'd suggest hunting as many days as possible.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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7 days trip last year was HE!! 2 great days scouting and seeing good bucks, Last 5 days was fog and rain/hail and cold could only see about 25 yds on the good days, saw flashes of deer here and there when the fog would roll off the mountain for short periods and stopped raining for a few minutes here and there. No hunt is going to be pretty everytime. Still it was 7 great days spent on my favorite mountain. Got to be there to see em and hunt em.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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Thanks again for all the responses. I plan on packing in and moving as necessary.

I don't think the pressure will be to bad, but I plan to try and get away from horse trails as well.
 
If you are talking about Colorado, I thought all early Sept hunts opened on Saturday. Either the 3rd or the 10th??

As most stated, I would want to hunt more. Get there a little early to have time to get familiar with the country and get adjusted to the altitude, but only 3 days of hunting is cutting yourself too short.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
To do it right you will be camping at around 10,000 feet. There is very little to no water there. I always do my "homework" in August and have a deer and the area I will be that year figured out then start packing water in with me all August. It doesn't sound like that will be an option for you, so just know that you will have to drop anywhere from 800 to 1000 feet for water. with that in mind, if I were you I would give yourself at least 1 day before the season to scout that morning and gather water the rest of the day. Good luck!
 

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