Looking for a little Idaho Panhandle elk inspiration for the weekend

[luvmystang67]

So I was up there for 4.5 days of hunting, never saw an elk in the woods.  Saw some driving to and from hunting spots, found some wolf kills, buddy got a wolf with his bow a week or so before we got there, but I'm looking for some inspiration, hear me out a little here.

We came with bad weather, so they weren't talking much.  Where we are in Idaho its thicker than snot.  In most places its about 1000-1200 vertical feet from road or hilltop to the valley below (not bad, but a pain).  Elk would talk first thing, and shutup about 7:15am at the latest.  They'd start talking again right about dark.  At one point, on the 4th day, after the elk stopped bugling, my buddy looked at me and I said well, what do you think.  He's harvested probably 5 elk in the last 9 years and he looked back frustrated and said "I dont know, I'm bad a hunting elk, I have no idea what to do".  Which really kind of mirrors how I was feeling.  Four days of not seeing anything will make you feel that way.

The elk are certainly where we were, as soon as we'd walk out of an area at night, 3-5 bulls would light up the places we had spent all day milling around, but running into one when you can only ever see 30 yards ahead of you is like needle and a haystack.  The worst part, is that we didn't even have a strategy to try, we were out of ideas.  Also, our entire hunting camp and everyone we talk to in the area seems to believe that elk in that space simply do not basically ever "come" to calls.  They might respond long enough to have a second hunter make a move, but they dont ever pursue.  I'm sure thats an overstatement, but its so rare that most people we talk to have never experienced it, even when you start in close.

So, some questions for the masses:

1. Wind, rain, lightning, all independent or together, where do the elk go?  Do they go down low?  Stay where they are and nose into a deep thicket?  Go down low, be quiet and go about their lives, stick into the thick stuff?  What is an archery hunters move in these conditions when elk arent talking that might actually produce a bull?  If they're holed up in the thick stuff... and dont come to calls, are you just basically hosed?

2. When they're talking in the morning and are obviously on the move (you can track the calls) and then the shut up, what are they doing?  Are they bedding?  Feeding? Getting frisky?  What are they most likely doing?  Also, their patterns blow my mind.  Sometimes you'll track them bugling, coming up from the valley to the top of the ridge and think that might be the pattern, only to have them hole-up on the top for a day or so without going anywhere.  I just never have any idea what they're thinking.  A pattern would be a heck of a lot more useful like valleys at night to feed and ridges to bed, but sometimes it works in reverse or they dont travel at all?

3. Where do they like to be in good weather?  Is there more feed up top generally?  How often do they need water?  Shouldn't they be moving around most of the day in the rut?  What do you make of a bull who is by himself without any other bulls or cows obviously nearby?  One just traveling alone in the rut?

4. What do you do when you dont know what to do?  Sit in a stand over a water hole and just hope for the best or walk around the woods and more than likely bump something that you'll never get a shot at.  What are people's strategies here?

5. I've heard tons of cow calls in SW wa... every time the herd separates, its cow and calf calls.  Sometimes I even hear cow calls at the edge of a clearcut when there's no pressure.  They talk a lot in the SW.  I've NEVER heard a cow call yet in Idaho.  Do they just not talk period?  Am i better to try bugles if I've never heard a cow call in the area.  It just kind of blows my mind.  We even broke up a herd a couple of days ago and no cow calls when we were in between them on a logging road (never saw them, but we clearly spit the herd).

I've been hunting elk for 15 years or so, I still just feel like "I don't know what to do, I'm a bad elk hunter"  I need some inspiration.  Even if the strategy is wrong, at least its a strategy.  I'm almost out of strategies, because I feel like the elk always do something different than I expect.  HELP!

[boneaddict]

Basically most don't hunt the Ne corner or the Pan.   It's tough.   When it happens there, it happens fast and is REAL.    You obvious are where the elk are.  It's just a matter of some patience and luck.   Bout all I can tell ya.

[pd]

I won't address the entire post, just #2 and #5.  Just 

#2: I have experienced the very same thing in those woods: Patterns of movement from the dark into the early morning hours, with bugles to pinpoint the herd's movement, and then silence.  This is a bedding move.  It is awfully hard to sneak up on them in the thick woods, and if they hear you they can sneak away, but if you are there for 4 days without luck, that's what I would do.  Find their beds (there are dozens of beds, unfortunately).  When the herd is moving at dawn, and the bull is bugling his location, GO AFTER THEM.  You have to get as close as possible before they bed down.  This is not the preferred strategy on Day One (pull back and wait is better), but on Day Four, you have to get aggressive.  Go in silent, do not call to them when they are bedded.

#5.  I have exactly the opposite experience.  Plenty of cow talking in the Panhandle woods, not so much in SW WA.  Elk are very chatty critters, and cows & calves talk all the time (when not pressured or scared).  Yes, the elk in the Panhandle talk, a lot.

They say "don't leave elk to find elk."  I think you did the right thing (you didn't leave the elk when you knew they were there).  However, you have to do the second half of the equation: Go find the elk.  You know they are there.  If they are not talking, there is a reason.  I know it's thick in there, but find a way.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Get after them when they are talking.  No bugling close to the roads.  Close the distance and listen to them.  If you have multiple bulls bugling at each other, try some cow calling when you are close enough and see if they respond.  That has worked well for us later in the season with the satellite bulls.  They usually get very excited if they think a cow broke away from the herd and is heading their way.  Generally the herd bulls will run their cows off this time of year rather than fighting as well. If there are wolves around, they will shut up, not much you can do there.   

[luvmystang67]

Thanks for the comment.  At least it validates that I'm not a complete idiot.  I go from frustrated to mad that these animals are so much smarter than I am.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

No your not an idiot, these elk are smart.  One day you can get them fired up bugling and raking trees and get right in on them, the next day they could care less and just move on.  You have located elk, hard part is over, now you have to outsmart them.  They spend 365 days a year surviving.     

[andrew_in_idaho]

Maybe try still hunting in likely bedding areas midday, have a cow call handy and do a little cow talking every so often and also if you make any noises. The keyword here is slow


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[Jimmy33]

I hunt the panhandle every year and I have some pretty good luck up there. My suggestion is to drive the roads and locate bugle until you find a bull that is receptive. I assume that you don't care if it's a huge bill or not and just want a chance to kill something. Once you find a bull that's receptive you need to be aggressive. Don't waste your time walking areas and glassing. Hit as much area as you can.


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[kentrek]

Storms suck

If it's bad lightning they seem to go down, get skittish

When I'm lost I try to hunt all day....cover ground...locate elk

If you know a bedding area and the elk still don't talk maybe slow play it until you get really close....try super soft calf calls to get some random cow chatter...then crank it up with a bugle

I'm a really bad elk hunter too tho so take the for what it's worth....definitely experienced your pain this year

[luvmystang67]

I set up a stand over a high spring/water hole.  Highest on a mountain that i know of.  Didn't really know how good the spot would be or not. Set a cam up, didn't hunt the next day cause a guy was hunting bear with dogs, then the 3rd day I hunted it, had a cow come in right under me and drink for 15 min (super cool), checked the cam after she left and the day prior I had 2 - 6x6 bulls on there, a velvet spike and a cow... at noon and 6pm.  UGH.  Then I had to go home.

So close, so sad, think I've got a good "backup" plan for when they're not talking.

Still haven't had one come to a call there.

[lamrith]

They got quiet the week you were there.  Not sure if it was the low pressure that came in with the rain or what, they were talking early in week and then just shut down a few days.  We did not have lightning, but I heard thunder rolling off in the distance.    I ended up striking out myself as we spent 2 days hiking around trying to find non verbal bulls, and the other days dealing with swirling winds.  They starting squaking again Sat night since I left camp 7am Sunday.

[Magnum_Willys]

Idaho last weekend - 3 bulls bugling wouldn't come in - I circled them and pushed towards my son.  We were 350 yards apart with the bulls screaming between us.  Was a burn area we could each see 100 yards.   Worked another 200 hundred yards until I could see my son.  Where did they go ?