Scouting, w/pics, questions

[wooltie]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the advice from this forum.

These are from the weekend.  First year elk hunting on the wetside for archery.  Pics taken from a bench on drainage located on an ESE slope at around 1500', from a mountain that peaks at 3400'.  Uphill the terrain was more vertical, lots of blowdowns, but still navigable.  These areas were more flat, open, lots of ferns, vines, soft mossy ground.

Saw a few elk tracks and plenty of bear prints.

Does this look like elk habitat? 

I've been scouting a lot and hope I'm identifying good areas.  Next I'll scout the north slope.

I'll be hunting in the timber.  No clearcuts / meadows.  These areas were more open as I mentioned earlier.  The opposite terrain I saw was the thick jungle climb over logs fallen sticks PITA type stuff. 

[snarkybull]

i hunt the willapa hills, so the terrain and the elk are a little different.  take my comments with that in mind.  i guarantee they behave somewhat differently wherever you are.

look for HEAVILY used elk trails.  follow them til you find an intersection.  sit on it and watch.  or put up a camera.

there isn't really any elk food in those pictures.  and there isn't very good cover, either.

[Alan K]

Sword ferns are a major food source for elk.

[snarkybull]

Sword ferns are a major food source for elk.

absolutely true, but seasonally.  they eat them when the leaves and grass are sparse.  i.e.  october-march.  september is different.

[wooltie]

Does elevation play a roll?  Meaning, if you have areas with 1000' floors and 5000' peaks (no snow), would you first scout high up then work your way down?

Or does that depend on the herd in question.  Meaning, some herds spend time high up then come down as the snow melts...others lay in the lowlands?

Thanks guys for any help.  Not looking for honey holes or anything, just looking at the topos, google earth, then scouting with the garmin on foot.....and when I survey huge units riddle with creeks, drainage, highs and lows, it is difficult to narrow down a place to start.....thought I suspect herds consistently hang in certain areas in a unit.

[snarkybull]

i start on the ridge or the creek.  either one, just follow it top to bottom until you find where the elk cross it a lot.  then start following trails.

[swwaoutdoorsman]

Looks like good country killed elk in similar environments but there ha always been an creek or swamp within a mile or so. I personaly like steep drainages they always seem to hold elk. If that bench has a water source near you'll do fine 

[wooltie]

Looks like good country killed elk in similar environments but there ha always been an creek or swamp within a mile or so. I personaly like steep drainages they always seem to hold elk. If that bench has a water source near you'll do fine 

The bench spans 3 creeks.

I'll look for some grassy areas and explore some more vertical areas.....every time I go to a vertical place they're riddled with blowdowns....take a 15 minutes to go 15 feet....but if that's where they hide then I guess I better get cracking....

[WSU]

It depends on where you are.  For example, the elk weyerhauser tree farms often go only a very short distance from the clearcuts they feed in at night, especially when it is right next to thick reprod (which is their favorite bedding area).  It just depends on what kind of habitat is around.