Where do you hunt elk in the middle of the day????

[Legacy]

Hunting mid-day (especially during the heat of September) is a risk. They feel safe in their bedding areas and seems like there is always one or two cows on alert with their eyes peeled, ears up and nose in the air looking for unusual movement, noise or scent. If you bust them out of their bedding areas, they may move a long way. Much better off to hunt solely in the early morning and late afternoon hours.

[br8kitoff]

It really depends....After years of hunting an area one could pattern Elk, not exactly but you will have ideas where they go when pushed from one spot.  Alot of that will have to do with the amount of pressure.  If it's not alot then the odds are that they don't go to far.  Hunting mid day really depends on pressure and how far I've already hiked, temperature.  I've snuck in from down wind....SLOWLEY... and they have just slept.  Although it's rare to catch them all asleep at the same time.  If they notice you they will investigate and as long as they can't smell you they will usually casually leave because you look like you don't belong and they cant figure it out.  If they catch your scent in a swirling wind they will bug out with a quickness....and then depending on pressure may go a ridge or two over to the next "cool" area.  That has been my experience

[tlbradford]

You will see way more midday hunts on TV and vids, because that is when the light is best, not because it is typical.

[rasbo]

You will see way more midday hunts on TV and vids, because that is when the light is best, not because it is typical.

very good point

[bowhuntersd]

I see alot of people talking about not hunting "bedding areas", I may be wrong but Elk don't have "bedding areas" like deer and other animals. They will bed down in mid day but not usually in the same areas day in and day out. I prefer to hunt elk mid day. I've had more up close interactions with elk between the hours of 11am - 5pm than I have in the morning or evening. This is just my opinion and I'm sure some people don't like my techinque but if I was you, like other have said get in the timber, go slow and listen.

[carpsniperg2]

we hunt alot of country, when elk hunting. when we have found elk mid day. it has been on the shady side of the hills or a area with shade and water.

[heavy hauler]

i always  eat lunch in a spot with a vantage or  if its dry   i eat watching water(wallow or a tank)  dont waste  your mid day snoozing in a spot with zero chance of seeing a elk.  if you  are going to take  a mid day nap   plan it out.  a  natural funnel is also a good idea

[sako223]

Mid day in the steepest thickest stuff that you can see and still swing a gun.
We have seen them laying on ground so steep they have two legs extended to stay put.

[ridgefire]

the last few bulls that have been taken in our camp have been around noon. i used to go back to camp after the morning hunt to eat lunch and nap but now i stay out all day, plenty of time to be sleeping and lazing around the rest of the year. i am a fan of putting on miles during the midday looking for bulls that are bugling, when you find them it seems like these are the bulls that are the easiest to call in. the bull i called in last year for by brother only took three bugles to kill, was 1130 in the morning, i shot my bull at 1145 and my other brother shot a bull at 130. had four different bulls going crazy last year at 230, all in the same bowl, some of the reasons i hunt from dark to dark now.

[nontypical176]

A lot of it depends on where you're hunting and what time of year.  I hunt the most in late muzzle loader season, late nov. until dec. 15, because of work its the only time I have off.  There isn't a whole lot of light in a day that time of year, so I hunt all day.  It seems the elk have been pushed so hard by the bow and rifle hunters that quite often they are up feeding trying to fatten up for the winter, and at any point during the day you might see them.  I hunt the west side and spend a good amount of time pushing elk in the thick stuff.  Seems like in the west they don't run as far because there is so much cover.  My easiest hunt was early december a 4x4 stepped out of the thick firs at 2 in the afternoon and I was able to sneak down and shoot him right in the road.  I have chased elk in circles all day in a thick patch of reprod only to see glimpses of them as they spooked off.  Got several bulls that way too.

[PA BEN]

Was up a draw at noon. Hotter they hell up in the NE corner. Sat down to eat my lunch, I let out a bugle and right away I heard animals up the draw and a big 6x6 walked in. Didn't say a sound, looked around and walked back where he came from. Didn't have a shot at him. When I'm hunting I carry a Diaphragm  in my mouth, I make a cow call every now any then, if there are bedded down elk in the area they think you are another elk. Also, if you jump a heard scream at them with your diaphragm call. We were hunting our way back to camp one time, it was hot and dry just couldn't be quite at all. So I would cow call as I hunted we walked right on to a bedded down heard. I do believe we got that close because I was using cow calls. They jumped up and ran, I screamed at them and a cow came to a dead stop and looked at us, my bow partner shot her.  

[jrebel]

Get in your stand, blind or spot early and stay late.   I have seen elk all day long in my stand.  It makes for a long day in september but it is worth it when you put one in the boiler maker.

[wapiti hunter2]

Elk do move during the middle of the day.  Check out the times on the photos.  I will move about slowly but won't go into their bedding areas until the last day of my hunt.  I move, sit and watch, move, sit and watch, repeat.... and loop around to my evening stand.  On the last day of my hunt I will go into their bedding area.  If I blow them out then I don't care.