Opening Day Question

[AutumnPulse]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-30-06 AT 06:38PM (MST)[p]Ok,

Here is the scenario. It's opening day, the mountain you are hunting will probably have 2-3 other hunters on it, but no one as far in or high as you. (at daybreak) The temp is hanging in the mid 30's, and no snow. There is good browse on all sides of the mountain, but obviously less on the Southern exposures. There are random clear cuts on all sides and water is available on all sides within a mile or so. The weather is clear to partly cloudy.

I generally don't sneak hunt until mid-day on the opener. And being that it is the opener, the elk shouldn't be so spooked as to not come out in the clearings, just yet. What side of the mountain would you choose and why?

I am wondering if the direct sunlight or lack of it will play a role as to their preference. What do you think?

What would you look for and take into consideration when choosing the opening day first clear cut?

Obviously everything will change about noon, when the elk figure out that it is hunting season again and go commando. And your knowlege base will change after being up there and judging the actual situation.

I will be scouting pre-season, but the hunt is 6 hours away, and I will most likely get to do it once for a couple of days. I imagine that alot will change in the 45 days in between. (rut, archery season and possible fires)

I am just sittin here alone, shiverin' from a strong attack of huntin withdrawal and killin time, till I can focus on anything else again. Got mytopo.com, google earth, and my tape recorded conversation with the area biologist goin' strong and thought I would throw this out there. I am happy to hear anything ya got to tell.

Autumn Pulse

"Be a straight-shooter in all that you do."

 

[WAsharpstick]

I thought I had it bad but taping the bio that takes it to a whole new level

Modern season is so different in that the animals have been hunted for two months all ready. There is also the ever present "ELK CAMP" somewhere nearby with cigarettes and booze going for a couple of days along with the people who show up the night before and still need to sight the rifle in with the mismatched box of bullets before the shooting starts. So I would say that the elk are hip to the fact that the orange army is near and have already adjusted there patterns acordingly.

SO if i was you I would look at the hill and say if I was an elk and did not want to die where would I go??

The answer should be the deepest darkest hole that no sain man would look.

The other option would be to let the other hunters bounce them like a ping pong ball and figure out where they are going and wait on there escape route.