Low profile elk camp?

[Doublelunger]

What do you guys think about camping close to elk and maintaining a quiet, low profile camp? I think you can get away with a lot when you do it right. Its pretty cool when you wake up in the morning and walk a couple hundred yards and can be on elk. I'm going archery hunting in the back country this year with some horses and some ex rifle hunters that are used to going big with camp.  I'm going to try and convince them to go minimal....no wall tent, no cast iron skillet, no frying up bacon and sausage etc... What are your guys thoughts on it?

[zwickeyman]

I have camped close to Elk buts always just over the ridge where I know they will never get my scent, no fires, no noise etc. Tough to do with a few guys though, I am usually by myself or 0ne other

[Whobuff]

As long as the morning wind is in your favor and you aren't eating/ having fires at camp or causing a ruckus, you could probably afford to be closer to them.

I have repeatedly heard that if you do backpacking camps, you still want to be about a mile away. That way they won't stumble on your camp that is in or near the rut area.

I hammock camp and I don't need much to get by. I usually scout ahead of time for a good spot. I hunt all day and then set up my hammock at night, tear it up in early AM. Have a cup of coffee, quick bite and get to hiking before the sun rises. I only eat in places where there is minimal chance they can catch a whiff of my MRE.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Depends on how long it takes to get back to them.  If you can hike back in there in a reasonable amount of time, its not worth risking blowing them out of the country.  Ill hike a few hours to ensure I don't spook them on accident. 

[2MANY]

What do you guys think about camping close to elk and maintaining a quiet, low profile camp? I think you can get away with a lot when you do it right. Its pretty cool when you wake up in the morning and walk a couple hundred yards and can be on elk. I'm going archery hunting in the back country this year with some horses and some ex rifle hunters that are used to going big with camp.  I'm going to try and convince them to go minimal....no wall tent, no cast iron skillet, no frying up bacon and sausage etc... What are your guys thoughts on it?

No thinking involved as the next few sentences are experience based.

This is a bad idea.
Live in style if they have stock (unless you don't want to babysit the stock which I get.)
The elk could care less and might actually be attracted to the stock during the rut.

[Shawn Ryan]

I typically camp close to elk by myself.  Careful about noise. No fire.  Basin is about 2 miles wide and my camp does not seem to drive elk out. I've had bulls bugle all night near camp and some during the day. Had a bull grunt within 100 yards of camp one afternoon while another hunter and I were talking and hanging out.  He was lonely.  He knew we were there and escaped our efforts.

I've truck-camped, wall tent, no fire, fairly quiet and still had elk within 1/4 mile of camp. Those elk don't stick around as much.

I think sound and smell matters.

[WSU]

I'd rather hike a mile in the dark each morning and not worry about it.  It doesn't add much time at all.

[crabcreekhunter]

use the stock if they are available and have a nice camp, had elk right in camp and shot a few elk from a horse trail leading the horses in thick timber.  Doesn't seem to bother them much, I think sometimes its better they know you are there somewhat and they aren't quite so skittish, sounds kind of weird but never have worried about it too much.

[fishngamereaper]

use the stock if they are available and have a nice camp, had elk right in camp and shot a few elk from a horse trail leading the horses in thick timber.  Doesn't seem to bother them much, I think sometimes its better they know you are there somewhat and they aren't quite so skittish, sounds kind of weird but never have worried about it too much.

  We constantly have elk walking around camp. From the Rimrock to the Naches. Doesn't seem to bother them. They are used to campers anyway, whether its high country or low country. As for fires. They don't seem bothered by that either. Again, they are used to fires. Just go be normal. Its when you try and sneak around on them when they get skittish. From a high vantage point I watched a bull elk in the Rimrock a few years ago walking in decent cover about 400 yards from a road and within 200 yards of several big camps. Seemed pretty content to be there.

[kselkhunter]

I've had elk walk through camp both in backcountry and while camping near a road.  In backcountry, I've popped a bull up from his nap 400 yards from camp one morning.  And called a young cow in 200 yards from camp another.   If you're drunk and banging on pots, then yeah maybe the elk will stay away.  But otherwise, they've come close to camp multiple times.  Including some cows tripping over my guy wires of the tent one year.

[huntingfool7]

Can't imagine talking horse people out of their horses or a decent back country camp.  Some styles just don't go together.  Likely be hunting with a different group in the future.

[Doublelunger]

I'm a little surprised, sounds like most of you guys don't worry about it to much. That's good though, it'll give me a little more comfort when my father-in-law is frying up bacon and perking coffee.

[Skyvalhunter]

 

[7mmfan]

There's something to be said for maintaining as low of a profile as possible, and minimizing your presence, but I think theres even more to be said for being comfortable on a back country hunt. I don't know how long you plan on being back there, but having a comfortable camp where you can get a good solid nights sleep, eat well, and get out of the weather is as, if not more, important than minimizing yourself. Practice basic self restraint, like not yelling and screaming, banging pots and pans, and stinking up the place unnecessarily, and you'll be fine. Fire especially does not bother them, its one of the most natural smells in the wilderness. A lot of old timers like to get their clothes good and smoky and rub some pine or fir boughs on themselves for cover scent.

Also, I know of WAY to many elk that have been killed from camps by guys sitting around the fire in the morning instead of climbing the mountain. Not saying its the best way, but theres some consistency to it.

[bracer40]

I used to hunt with guys who killed elk while a small warming fire burned at their feet...modern firearm..