Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Meattoeat on July 18, 2021, 10:04:57 AM

Title: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Meattoeat on July 18, 2021, 10:04:57 AM: So I’m stuck, and I’m looking for some help.

I’ve got multiple bulls on camera. Mostly during the morning evening and night. Multiple times a week.

I know where the cows are at least morning or evening. I think they’re bedding on private.

I’ve found the water in between and the food.

But the place I continue to see them none stop on camera is this decent sized green meadow it’s maybe 20-30 yards wide by 90 yards long and there’s a few sections like that split by trees. How do you approach this. I don’t think I can get in there without blowing my position, to much noise, depending on the wind direction there won’t be a way to not wind myself.

Hunting archery so I’ll be up there the middle of September and hopefully calling will help. But not sure what the play is going to be.

Is covering tons of ground still the right game plan when I know where they’re at five or take?
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Alan K on July 18, 2021, 10:26:42 AM: Sounds like a good tree stand spot, especially if you're hugging private land that you don't want to risk blowing them out to.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Meattoeat on July 18, 2021, 11:34:05 AM: Well aware they may not be there come September. But judging by the area I do think they’ll be either still there (at least until pressure pushes them onto private) so maybe I’ll just sit on that spot every chance I get
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: huntnnw on July 18, 2021, 12:38:43 PM: Wouldn’t be worried about noise. I’d be worried about being seen or winded. Elk make allot of noise when moving . I’ve called elk in just by breaking stuff and rolling rocks
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Meattoeat on July 18, 2021, 03:27:22 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on July 18, 2021, 12:38:43 PM
Wouldn’t be worried about noise. I’d be worried about being seen or winded. Elk make allot of noise when moving . I’ve called elk in just by breaking stuff and rolling rocks

True that, guess I’ll just keep poking in every evening until hopefully one shows up. Assuming they’re still there
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: snarkybull on July 19, 2021, 02:14:00 PM: If I have a spot with good shooting lanes, and I KNOW the elk are going to go through there, I create or find some sort of blind and sit on that spot sunup to sundown day after day without announcing my presence by calling. Obviously they change locations and patterns in September, but in my experience they still use the same travel lanes.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: vandeman17 on July 19, 2021, 03:20:40 PM: Quote from: Meattoeat link=topic=262513.msg3561441#m :twocents:sg3561441 date=1626647242
Quote from: huntnnw on July 18, 2021, 12:38:43 PM
Wouldn’t be worried about noise. I’d be worried about being seen or winded. Elk make allot of noise when moving . I’ve called elk in just by breaking stuff and rolling rocks

True that, guess I’ll just keep poking in every evening until hopefully one shows up. Assuming they’re still there

This is the most important aspect. In my experience, bulls will be ok using a meadow in the summer and you can get tons of pics but come september, they disappear. I would just pick a spot that you think you could ambush but I sure wouldn't put all my eggs into that basket.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Hogey3 on July 19, 2021, 09:59:08 PM: Are you hunting alone or will you have a caller with you? If you have a caller, I'd get to the area super early in the morning and figure out the wind before the sun comes up. Make your approach and set the shooter up on a trail near the edge of the meadow and send your caller back in the trees a bit and run a calling sequence. As long as you play the wind right you aren't going to spook them out of there by ripping some bugles.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: TYG509 on July 20, 2021, 09:29:24 AM: I agree with Hogey3. Even if you are hunting alone, you can do a cold calling sequence. Find where they are consistently heading to in the mornings and get between them and their food. Keep the wind in mind, but start calling and give them a direction to head in. I would try cow sounds before any bugles. You might get a bull to fire off, but you do not want to challenge bugle him and have him run his cows out of town.

I really like Paul Medel with ElkNut. Look at his youtube videos on cold calling sequences. They are really helpful!
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Blacktail_Obsessed_19 on July 20, 2021, 05:00:04 PM: Biggest thing is its so hard to call a bull in when headed to his bedding area. you might stop him a few times if he's fired up and im not saying its not worth a shot, I called a bull in at the break of dawn last year for my buddy and he killed him, but he was also a satelite. most times they will keep moving to the bedding area. if their bedding area isnt too far into private you might be able to call him off private if everything is right. if the wind sucks (im not sure of exact scenario) sometimes its a lot better to wait until evening time to do anything. I would say, keep studying the area but dont blow them out. whenever you check trail cams always check your wind and try going at different times of the day when you know they arent there and see what the wind is doing. it can very well change from july to sept but it might do the same thing almost every day. most times elk like to move against the wind. in sept if your by yourself send out a locator call, see where hes at then move in on them as close as you can without blowing them. once you get to a spot you comfortable with many times this has worked for me, call once you get close like a grunt or something small. they will get up, immediately once there up rip a bugle. that bull will come in and give you a chance. Now these are all different scenarios and tactics and im not saying they will work everytime, this is what has worked for me. always have your wind right. do not ever just bomb into an area with elk when your wind is at your back. they will win every time. im not a professional so take what you want from this
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Meattoeat on July 20, 2021, 10:09:18 PM: I’ve been learning it a lot. It’s a blessing and a curse how much they’re coming in and out, there’s only really one or two trails out but a bunch of different ways they’re coming in.

I’ll be solo calling. I posted it up on a veterans page I’m on and had a few hits for people who wanted to come help and share advice and obviously hopefully
Tag one also, but most of the responses I got are people
I think fishing for areas more or less.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: hunter399 on July 21, 2021, 03:53:27 AM: Don't ask me I suck a$$ .
And not in a good way.
But really ,if you strike out the first time ,keep at it.
You know they are there.where they hang out ,that half the battle.
You'll catch up to them,just put your self in the area as much as possible.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: huntnnw on July 21, 2021, 05:46:13 AM: if they move through there pretty consistently I wouldnt even call. Soon as you do that you have given up your location and they will be looking if they come in
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: snarkybull on July 21, 2021, 07:23:37 AM: :yeah:

Ambush is easily the best way for me to seal the deal. Way easier to consistently get a clean shot off if they aren't as wary. I save the cow call as a backpocket trick for when I just can't get a clean lane, or if they heard me.

If they stop going there on their own in September, then by all means try to lure them in, but I would recommend trying ambush first.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Newb2020/509 on August 15, 2021, 01:33:24 PM: I'm new so take what I say with a grain of salt but if you know there bedding area and now there feeding area, and there is only a couple trails out. I would either go in before sun rise and find a good spot on the trail and catch them going from feeding to bedding or in the evening going from beding to feeding. Also if you can locate the water source try and get a cam on that as well. As from what I have learned they elk will get up mid day to water. So that gives you couple more options. Again I'm new only my second year but I have read as much as I can. Also that guy up the post said elk nut on YouTube, I agree with him and there are others and he also has a app that's like 10$ worth every penny for me, but again I'm new.
Title: Re: Tactics, approach, the hardest part.
Post by: Meattoeat on August 28, 2021, 05:49:45 PM: I was thinking the same, but have ran into a couple cameras going towards the water. I’m thinking maybe since this isn’t like a sucluded spot that it’ll get pretty heavy pressure. And that people will hit water hard so getting off water and away from where other hunters will target might be my shot. Especially if I’ve got the cameras up all summer with no people walking through.

Quote from: Newb2020/509 on August 15, 2021, 01:33:24 PM
I'm new so take what I say with a grain of salt but if you know there bedding area and now there feeding area, and there is only a couple trails out. I would either go in before sun rise and find a good spot on the trail and catch them going from feeding to bedding or in the evening going from beding to feeding. Also if you can locate the water source try and get a cam on that as well. As from what I have learned they elk will get up mid day to water. So that gives you couple more options. Again I'm new only my second year but I have read as much as I can. Also that guy up the post said elk nut on YouTube, I agree with him and there are others and he also has a app that's like 10$ worth every penny for me, but again I'm new.