How early do you start scouting?

[moocher97]

Hey Guys-
 
When do you guys start scouting or when does it start to become effective for September elk habits? Planning on doing some summer backpacking trips and would like to scout during. 

[RadSav]

Depends on animals, westside/eastside and elevation.  Of course scouting can mean many different things.  If looking for last years rubs any time is good.  Can scout out trails and other terraine related things at any time.  But, trying to watch and scout for animals at elevation or on the east side I haven't found much value to it until the end of June or later.

[buglebrush]

Never too early to locate sign.  Rubs, Wallows, trails, etc...  I wouldn't start looking for elk to be in their september spots before July sometime

[CAMPMEAT]

Well, where I live, I do it year 'round when we can get into the hills when the snow allows.

[Nice Racks]

I put some cameras out last month in hopes of getting some pics of bulls that survived.

[Old Man Yager]

All year round. The more I learn and spend time in the woods, the better off I will be when season starts. God knows I need all the help I can get!!

[coachcw]

I believe  to many guys over scout!  Please limit the contact with elk just makes them tougher to hunt.

[Karl Blanchard]

Deer I scout with glass from a distance.  Elk I don't really scout at all.  Half the fun is to cover country, call, and find them.  Kind of like an adventure within an adventure.

[kentrek]

Being that I hunt the same areas every year for elk I don't need to scoute much...pretty much just find them the day before season an put them to bed .however I do like to try an get a photos (through the spotter) of the bulls in each area....day 8 and the chips are down its always nice to check out pics of that 320 class Rosie lurking in the thickness

Black tail I tend to scout more harder just cuz I like to know every buck in each drainage....then in the end of august il focus in on one buck an watch his habits everyday I can, after that I figure my ambush

[Big6bull]

I believe  to many guys over scout!  Please limit the contact with elk just makes them tougher to hunt.

I agree! please people stop educating elk. Bunch of yahoos running round bugling in the spring driving around on quads does us no good.

I never stop scouting! This means map research (you can spend a whole lot of time on this) permit or gmu research. And especially practice calling and scouting

[CAMPMEAT]

How about the so-called WDFW doing fly overs and scattering the elk before elk season ? I don't know if this if true or not, so why not scout your game animal. WDFW is not our friend.....

[Spawnstar]

Scouting isn't just about finding the animals, it's about learning the terrain, access points and people. So I start scouting as soon as the draw results come out.

[SemperFidelis97]

Honestly this time of year is one of the best times for me to scout the areas I hunt.  It becomes so thick by summer finding rubs, trails, and wallows becomes almost impossible.  I usually do a few loops through my area, and mark well used trails, and rubs from last year on my gps.  I also put cameras out year round to keep tabs on the local herds.  This is also a great time for me to reposition my tree stands as well, I would much rather disturb the area in February rather than August.  I am actually considering getting one of the trail cameras the will send pics to your cell for my better wallows, and such so I don't have to disturb them to check my cards closer to season.

[buglebrush]

I believe  to many guys over scout!  Please limit the contact with elk just makes them tougher to hunt.

[D-Rock425]

Been elk hunting the same spot since i was 13 years old.  I still make 5 or 6 trips a year over scouting.