No elk

[Nobull]

Last year I hunted the muzzie season on a mesa at 10,500 ft. It rained everyday except 3 of the 12 days scouting and hunting I saw plenty of deer (within 20yds) but no elk. There was plenty of sign, tracks, droppings and scrapes, but no hair. My question, where were the elk and should I change locations.

 

[elks96]

Seriously. You hunted one area one time and did not kill an elk. I would say yes try someplace else, like a good ranch in TX... It is hunting. You have to work for it and take the time to learn the area and the animals. You said you saw everything but and elk. They were there you just were not good enough to figure me out. If you move you will be starting all over again from scratch and likely in the same situation you were in.BTW one of the biggest bulls taken in thee tire state last fall was on the Mesa...

 

[Nobull]

Not complaining, just looking for answers. As I said saw plenty of deer but no elk. Was thinking that the elk would be around if the deer were. I hunted the same area the year before, same results. I admit I'm still learning as it was 40 years since I killed a bull. I decided 3 years ago to start elk hunting again. Maybe you could say my Bucket List.

 

[Phantom Hunter]

You might need to look a little lower if the elk were not up at 10500. I have found that at least in early Oct. I see more elk between 8500 and 9500 than at 10500 +. Different areas require looking in different places, just a thought.

 

[txhunter58]

The question I have is was he hunting THE mesa (Grand Mesa) or A mesa (some other mesa). There are certainly elk on Grand Mesa. If it was somewhere else, he might indeed have to look elsewhere. Usually when I elk hunt I rarely see deer.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Nobull]

Thanks, I was hunting a different mesa. May have to try lower this year. Years ago I would see very few deer where I found elk. At 10,500 was surprised at the numbers of deer. Just trying to figure them out.

 

[mntman]

since you said you hunted it two years in a row, guessing its a unit needing zero points or OTC. Probably heavy pressure, so I would be hunting the thick nasty north facing slopes near to where you are finding the fresh sign. They will not be out in those pretty meadows and thin aspens during the day if there is any sort of hunting pressure.
If you can see for hundreds of yards in every direction, I would not be wasting my time there, I would be in the stuff where you can't see more than 50-80 yards. That is where the elk are gonna be.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"


Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

 

[Coloradoboy]

Elk are where you find em.... If it was easy every one could do it year in and year out. Best advice is hunt a unit year in and year out and learn it to the best of your ability. Once you start to find elk start taking mental notes each year on where the elk like to feed, bed, where they go when they get pressured etc, etc. I've honestly haven't been to successful still hunting dark north facing timber where you have little visibility day in and day out. Ultimately, you end up bumping more elk than you end up seeing or getting a shot at, especially with a muzzleloader. I've been the most successful in going in deeper than average guy, covering more country, and using my optics. It can be shocking sometimes what getting 3 plus miles away from the roads can do for a guy in a highly pressured area.

Coloradoboy

 

[elks96]

Nobull,

You are getting some good advice here... Stick with your unit, go further, hunt harder/smarter and figure out where the elk are at, when they are there and why. If you are finding sign it is just a matter of time before you will figure those animals out. FYI, I hunted for 7 days this last year with out seeing an elk, in a unit that I have hunted ever since I was a kid and have had a 80% success rate with my archery tags. It was on day 8 I found the elk and killed my biggest typical bull yet.

As Coloradoboy said it right when you have to consider what others are doing. It is amazing what heppend when you find areas where others are not hitting. Be it a 3 mile hump in or that special spot 1/2 miles off the road. The elk know people, they know our habits and will adjust. I have found tons of elk short distances from the road, just in spot that people over look, hike past, etc. Keep working your unit and things will work out.

Do you call at all? If so what is you calling sequence like?

 

[Calif_Mike]

One other thing to consider is time of day. If you are hunting an OTC unit with much pressure the elk will move first half hour and last half hour, or sometimes first and last minutes. So be in the woods in the dark and don't come out until after dark. Looking at most of my pics from Colorado, they are very dark as we shoot them early or late.

 

[BeanMan]

My advice: Go lower, go steeper, go thicker, and go farther.

 

[upsidethehead]

sweat more

 

[DesertGhillie]

Hike until you hit private!

 

[Hondoarcher]

Put up some trail cameras. It allows you to determine where the elk are at what time of the day. You can also see what kind of quality you are looking at.

Here is a good example of a Honey Hole that I found. I documented the time of day all of these elk were hitting this area.

http://youtu.be/7YHjNlSs_qE

Good Luck.

 

[Nobull]

WOW! Thanks for sharing your Honey Hole. Now I know why I did'nt see any elk, they were all at your Honey Hole. Wish I could set out cameras but 1200 miles makes it impossinle. Hoping to get to Colorado this summer for some scouting. I could never espect to find a honey hole like yours on public land. Don't hurt to dream though. Thanks again.

 

[earlyriser]

Nice video. What type of camera were you using?

 

[Zeke]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-14 AT 01:17PM (MST)[p]If I may, I will add my thoughts.
Years ago when I first started taking my son elk hunting, he'd always wonder why we were headed back into the nasty country, in the evenings, when all the other guys were headed out. I told him it was because most guys would rather be in camp by dark than shoot an elk.
It's shocking how many bulls we've killed within the first 1/2 hour and last 1/2 hour of legal shooting hours.
Public high pressured areas still hold elk but you just have to be willing to always walk in the dark.
Now I'm older I just stay all day in the country. It's a bit too tough to come out for a mid-day nap so I just do it in the field snow or sunshine!
You've received lots of good advice and mine is just meant to supplement what the other posters have said.
Remember: elk are usually killed early and late only. Last year was an exception for me, I killed a bull at 10:30am. Weird, but I guess there are exceptions to every rule!
Zeke