Bethel ridge

[coriantonk]

I have only been hunting for three years,  this year will be my 4th.  My first year out we saw alot of elk in the bethel and surrounding units, but the last two years all that I saw was a small herd of cows. From the looks of the camps I drove past not too many people were having any better luck.  Is this a nolmal cycle, or do I just have really crappy luck?

[700xcr]

Weather has alot to do with it. This year modern fireams is opening up a little later. Need the snow at lower elevation and will see more elk. They funnel in the Bumping and Bethel when snow line is at Cash Prarie.

[Fish4Fun]

There are always resident bunches that stay in the Bumping Bethel areas. As soon as they get moved and pushed after the first couple of days it is pretty tough hunting until the weather drives new animals in. The guys that know the areas inside and out are pretty tight lipped with any info. We average 2 to 3 elk every year in camp, my brother and I have knocked down 31 bulls between the 2 of us. I can count on one hand how many guys I have taken to my elk stand. All I can say is spend time in the areas and find the crossings and set on them, the areas are full of other hunters to drive them around.

2 ways to kill an elk in high hunter areas.
1) get on stand at known crossings and kill an elk.
2) Chase the elk around and let the guys on stand kill elk in front of you.

See now wasn't that easy   

[MIKEXRAY]

Quit giving out our secrets fish4fun, if everyone is on stand then who is going to chase my elk to me ?  Fish4fun is also right about the pockets of resident elk, they know their home range and are very tough to hunt. Been chased in the same mountains for years and avoiding hunters with the same tactics each year. I met a hunter last year who had the elk patterned & pegged with trail cams. Three days before the season the elk changed their routines ( presumably from the extra activity ) , he didn't get a single picture those 3 days before season & didn't see any elk for the whole season. Good luck . Mike

[andrew_12gauge]

this kinda reminds me of a story i heard from a wdfw bio up at the oak creek feed station once, he said that a bull with a radio collar stopped moving about 200 yards off of hwy 12 in a little hole and they were afraid he was dead but he ended up staying in that one spot for the whole modern firearm season and then got up and left only to show up at the feed station, those elk are very smart up there

[Fish4Fun]

Quit giving out our secrets fish4fun, if everyone is on stand then who is going to chase my elk to me ? 

Its ok that a few guys see this, cause there is a new pack of hounds....... I mean hunters each year to play.... dog. I just love the look on a guys face when he gets there and sees what the shot ahead of him just put on the ground. Those kind of guys just never learn the out come of chasing a bull elk. I know some guys cannot stand to see that many hunter in the woods. For us, well the tough choice is do we feed them Alpo or Dog Chow for bringing the elk right over each morning      

[steeleywhopper]

My favorite way to hunt is get comfy and watch the marching band walk through. When I was younger I would hike my butt off chasing everything to other people. Now I settle in for the day and wait for them to come by.