Elk Scouting Tips..... New or Previously Hunted Areas.

[WapitiTalk1]

I see a lot of discussion on various forums about the best way to go about elk scouting to maximize our opportunities come hunting season. Let's get the premier thread going on tips and tricks to most effectively scout for the upcoming season (whether it be stick and string, smoke pole, boom stick, or hatchet jack). Some of the methodology bleeds into each type of scouting (new area or previously hunted) but for the most part, they are a bit to a lot different... Please start your post with "new or previously hunted area" and offer a tip/trick that has worked for you in the past to help you when you finally step foot in the elk woods. RJ

[yakimanoob]

I see a lot of discussion on various forums about the best way to go about elk scouting to maximize our opportunities come hunting season. Let's get the premier thread going on tips and tricks to most effectively scout for the upcoming season (whether it be stick and string, smoke pole, boom stick, or hatchet jack). Some of the methodology bleeds into each type of scouting (new area or previously hunted) but for the most part, they are a bit to a lot different... Please start your post with "new or previously hunted area" and offer a tip/trick that has worked for you in the past to help you when you finally step foot in the elk woods. RJ

I'm new at all this, but something that's been helpful for me so far is to look more for sign and feed/shelter/bedding areas rather than looking for the animals themselves.  Figure out what they're doing, then scour the maps for as many similar areas as you can possibly get to during the season and appropriate glassing locations for the feed and transit areas. 

[pianoman9701]

I decided to hunt a new area this year after 20 years of dwindling animals in near Mt. Adams. The first thing I did was call the WDFW and spent half an hour with one of the LEs going over maps. Then, I started taking day trips to the areas we talked about. I've marked sign and sightings with the GPS and then uploaded them into Garmin Base Camp once I get home. I start looking for nearby features to check on during future trips - water, north-facing slopes, saddles, and road access to those features and download those into my handheld. I also then look at Google Earth. When I go back to the woods, I confirm the features and the access points and whether there's any sign or animals, and find new spots and repeat. So far, so good.