Seeing animals...need help putting the sneak on em'

[Little Fish]

Ok guys, I'm back with more questions. I took your previous advice to heart and had a successful weekend of seeing lots of elk. Now I need improvement getting close enough for a shot. Any thoughts / tricks/ tips for getting close? What works when you see animals hanging out in the middle of a clearcut? Maybe you can share a few stories of how you put the sneak on them?

Here is a tip I picked up this weekend...one guy I talked with said he's successfully put his bow behind his head, limbs turned up, ducked down and walked in on elk in the middle of a clearcut. Apparently the limbs look like antlers? I've never tried it, but hopefully get a chance in the near future.

[Geno]

Not sure that would work, would be kinda funny to watch though.

[elkaholic]

I would love to see that in action......

[funkster]

I have seen this work one time on hunting show. The guide used the tri pod from the camera to get really close to a herd of elk.They use the oars all the time on video's when hunting moose.I don't think it is to far fetched,let us know if it works.

[WAcoyotehunter]

Try not to look too lifelike...someone might mistake you for an elk 
Watch where the elk enter and exit and try setting up there.  Sneaking on them will be a challenge. 

[high country]

If you are seeing animals, figure where they are coming from and going to. set yourself up on their route and watch the wind. elk are ceratures of habit and if you see them at 8:27AM today, there is a good chance you will seethem at the same time tomarrow. if you spook them you may never see them again.

figure out the travel path and ambush it....that is my advice. walking in on a heard of bedded elk is not the tactic I would try unless it was the last hour of the last day.

[boneaddict]

I wouldn't do hat you are asking.  High country has it figured out with the ambush theory.  should be very evident by trails where they are coming and going from.  You'd be better off to go at midday, with little fuss and detect them then "stand up"

[Little Fish]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am headed out again this weekend and will post up any success I have.

[bankwalker]

sounds like a great idea to me. ive seen crazier stuff work before. so using a bow as makeshift antlers to get in close to elk just has to work.

[hogsniper]

Ambush them from their feeding and bedding areas....like the others said...Pretty crazy if that bow trick works but good luck..keep us posted on how it goes down...take care  justin

[Mike450r]

Sneaking on elk in a clearcut is tough.  If they are on the far edge from you which they typically are for me right on the timberline I would say play the wind and get about 30 feet into the timber and get to em, has worked for me numerous times.  If they are in the center of the cut and the wind is right do the same thing making sure you get to the direction that it looks like they are heading.  You should be able to identify it as a well used exit from the cut by the ground in the timber.  If you rolled up on the cut in a rig only to see elk in it do not stop, elk are not like deer and as soon the rig stops they start moving out.  Just keep rolling, stop down the road and get back there on foot.  I have also belly crawled to the edge of a landing and shot elk that were hiding right over the edge.  As far as the bow/antler trick I have seen that done on a few hunting shows for moose.  The deer family does not judge distance well, when moving on them when they know you are there you have to limit side to side or lateral motion, if slow enough they can be fooled into not knowing you're advancing closer.

[M_ray]

Ditch the bow on the head idea it might work for you one in a 1000, I prefer to try for them without being seen either using the terrain and putting the sneak in on them (I have spent 2-3 hrs several times on my hands and knees crawling) or if that is not an option then as others have said find thier trails in and out of the area and use the wind in your favor for a set up. Or at times a combination of both, get as close as you can and wait them out for a shot.

[Skyvalhunter]

The antler thing works for moose when they are in the rut. I have brought them in using a mooses scapula on the Yukon but they were in a rut craze then. Elk are a little smarter than that.

[high country]

The antler thing works for moose when they are in the rut. I have brought them in using a mooses scapula on the Yukon but they were in a rut craze then. Elk are a little smarter than that.

and elk are herd critters, you ain't foolin' one pair of eyes.....could be 10...20...50

In a wierd way it might work, I have a buddy who says he dons white coveralls and paintes his gun white. he claims he can walk backwards into a flock of geese and blast away.....never seen it just heard it.