Critique my Strategy after Saddle Mountain Failure

[bobcat]

"Reprod," short for "reproduction."

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Is this a OTC hunt or a draw tag?

Hunting elk in timber is one of the toughest things to do.  If this was an OTC hunt, I am not surprised you didn't see any elk.   

Draw - though the draw odds are very good apparently, and I believe they are 100% for out-of-state hunters ($$$).

My guess is that it probably gets hunted a lot and a few seasons hunting it are required to really learn the place and be successful.

[Bullkllr]

Don't feel like you failed; feel like you learned.

I wouldn't give a first-time elk hunter in an unfamiliar area more than a snowballs chance. You'd have to get "outhouse lucky" to knock one down. That's just reality.

[brew]

reprod to me are those areas of old clear cuts that you can't see into anymore.  I'm talking about 8-12' trees growing about 6-10 feet apart.  if you can actually get on a vantage point and look into it than it probably doesn't hold elk as every other road hunter has looked into it.  IMHO the reprod does hold elk as they can move around in those areas and still feed without being seen.  Obviously an elk is a big animal and needs to feed a lot.  What i look for in the reprod are thick creek drainages between big timber.  I've found that elk are more apt to use these travel routes than just a random area.  Find the most well used game trail on a creek drainage in the taller reprod and set up on the opposite side wind permitting.  you may only be able to see an area that is 60-100 feet long and watching that small area during the last few hours of light can be tedious but it can be productive.  I've always had more success in these areas during the evening hunt than during the morning. obviously there is no substitute for scouting but once you have an idea of what habitat holds elk you should be able to access the area via google maps/earth and be able to actually look at the terrain/cover and come up with a game plan.  clicking on a specific area will give you the lat/long coordinates that can greatly increase your odds.  good luck

[onmygame]

 

Don't feel like you failed; feel like you learned.

I wouldn't give a first-time elk hunter in an unfamiliar area more than a snowballs chance. You'd have to get "outhouse lucky" to knock one down. That's just reality.

 

[acnewman55]

.  What i look for in the reprod are thick creek drainages between big timber.  I've found that elk are more apt to use these travel routes than just a random area.  Find the most well used game trail on a creek drainage in the taller reprod and set up on the opposite side wind permitting.  you may only be able to see an area that is 60-100 feet long and watching that small area during the last few hours of light can be tedious but it can be productive.  I've always had more success in these areas during the evening hunt than during the morning.

This is exactly where we spooked that herd on day 1. But we didn't find them there again afterwards. However in the evening and morning hours we were up high classing, not sitting over the creek drainage. It was a very high traffic area though, lots of sign.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Humptulips]

I will disagree a little with some of the comments. I would say your basic tactics were OK but I would give more consideration to tracking the elk when you found tracks in the timber. Even when the elk head into the doghair if you have been tracking them it gives you a general direction so you can make a guess where it is best to glass in the morning.
Up until a few years ago I always hunted the timber. I learned from my Father. We would get on some tracks and keep on them 'till we jumped the elk. Now with more brush and less timber I spend more time watching the edges but I always pay attention to tracks to at least get an idea where they might be headed.
4 days hunting though, that is a lot to expect to get an elk in only four days hunting.
I would say you did about as good as you could of considering time and knowledge of the area.

[beav1980]

Scout ahead of time.  During season is not the time to be learning the area.  Sounds like u just had someone tell u where to go imo

[hoof rot]

As stated earlier, track em up n kill a bull....if u can track good and don't giv up u should kill a bull every year

[Randonee]

I just wanted to thank the OP for the post and everyone for the very helpful answers.  I hunted WA west side this year and had a similar experience to the OP.

[Magnum_Willys]

No failure at all - You are right on track !  For a four day hunt in an unscouted area your results were better than average.   The average success rate in washington for general bull is 6% or one in every 16 years.  Not sure Oregon.  If you repeated your hunt every year I'm certain your results would beat that average.   Many hunters go many years between even seeing a legal bulls.  Thats just the nature of the challenge.   Sure your odds will get better with more scouting and experience.  The number one thing you can do to increase odds in brushy westside  is make sure you take advantage of the opportunity when you get it.  When you do see that legal bull you must get a shot off - whether hiking, driving or what ever make sure you can get a shot off in 4 seconds or less.   Most people that struggle to get an animal regularly do so because they don't close the deal.  ELK ! one... two... three...boom!  No fumbling scope covers, mittens, sling, sight picture etc.   If you have more time great, most elk that have gotten away from me didn't give me that 3rd second.