Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 09:54:29 AM

Title: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 09:54:29 AM: I have access to hunt a small 7 acre place on the west side that sees almost daily action of elk. 3 legal bulls and a bunch of cows (10+). There’s one major problem though. They don’t stick around till legal shooting light. In the past 2 months I’ve gotten maybe 3 pictures of elk at a time when I could legally shoot them( out of thousands). The owner wants to take a few out as there damaging his yard and I told him I would try to help anyway I can.

Is there any way to keep the elk in a certain area for longer? I just put a salt block down this morning and will have to see if it helps. I’m also archery hunting. As for predators on the cameras, the only ones I see are coyotes daytime and night time.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: MR5x5 on November 27, 2023, 10:23:12 AM: Hay and/or apples instead of salt this time of year might be a better option.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: buglebuster on November 27, 2023, 10:28:28 AM: Only thing I can think of is some sort of food to hopefully keep them there longer, but could prove to be a tall order if they always leave before light. Do you know where they head and potentially get permission from adjacent property?
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 10:29:59 AM: There are 4 full grown apple trees where they spend some time in. Didn’t seem like it kept them around long enough. Hay like from the feed store? Would that be over the limit for baiting though?
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 10:32:33 AM: Quote from: buglebuster on November 27, 2023, 10:28:28 AM
Only thing I can think of is some sort of food to hopefully keep them there longer, but could prove to be a tall order if they always leave before light. Do you know where they head and potentially get permission from adjacent property?

That’s probably the next step if I can’t get them during the day. They head 1 of 2 ways, either towards the river or to the property with more timber.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: MR5x5 on November 27, 2023, 11:47:32 AM: Quote from: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 10:29:59 AM
There are 4 full grown apple trees where they spend some time in. Didn’t seem like it kept them around long enough. Hay like from the feed store? Would that be over the limit for baiting though?

Get a bail of hay and gallon of molasses from the feed store. Punch four deep holes in the bail and pour a quart of molasses into each hole. Think giant hay sugar daddy. Should do the trick for a couple days.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: brew on November 27, 2023, 11:50:45 AM: Quote from: MR5x5 on November 27, 2023, 11:47:32 AM
Quote from: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 10:29:59 AM
There are 4 full grown apple trees where they spend some time in. Didn’t seem like it kept them around long enough. Hay like from the feed store? Would that be over the limit for baiting though?

Get a bail of hay and gallon of molasses from the feed store. Punch four deep holes in the bail and pour a quart of molasses into each hole. Think giant hay sugar daddy. Should do the trick for a couple days.
That sounds like it would do the trick but remember maximum bait size is 10 gallons :dunno:
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: jackelope on November 27, 2023, 12:08:58 PM: They almost definitely will not hit the salt this time of year.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: hughjorgan on November 27, 2023, 12:19:45 PM: Quote from: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 10:29:59 AM
There are 4 full grown apple trees where they spend some time in. Didn’t seem like it kept them around long enough. Hay like from the feed store? Would that be over the limit for baiting though?

You can buy cubed alfalfa from the feed store. Should be easier to get to your intended bait sight and stay under the 10 gallon regulation.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Klickitatsteelie on November 27, 2023, 12:26:34 PM: Good quality alfalfa is your best bet, the problem you will have is the 10 gallon rule. 10 head of elk will have 10 gallons of alfalfa eaten up before daylight. If the alfalfa is in a stack not cut open and not directly at an initial bait site I don’t think it would be considered baiting but I could be wrong
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: LDennis24 on November 27, 2023, 01:00:08 PM: Quote from: Klickitatsteelie on November 27, 2023, 12:26:34 PM
Good quality alfalfa is your best bet, the problem you will have is the 10 gallon rule. 10 head of elk will have 10 gallons of alfalfa eaten up before daylight. If the alfalfa is in a stack not cut open and not directly at an initial bait site I don’t think it would be considered baiting but I could be wrong

:yeah:
Buy a stack of alfalfa and store it on your property to sell in February and March when everyone else runs out.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Griiz on November 27, 2023, 01:13:08 PM: Quote from: LDennis24 on November 27, 2023, 01:00:08 PM
Quote from: Klickitatsteelie on November 27, 2023, 12:26:34 PM
Good quality alfalfa is your best bet, the problem you will have is the 10 gallon rule. 10 head of elk will have 10 gallons of alfalfa eaten up before daylight. If the alfalfa is in a stack not cut open and not directly at an initial bait site I don’t think it would be considered baiting but I could be wrong

:yeah:
Buy a stack of alfalfa and store it on your property to sell in February and March when everyone else runs out.

The owner of property will love that when even more elk come hang out for the free snacks.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: 300rum on November 27, 2023, 01:17:55 PM: I would pay attention to the weather, look for one of those real foggy mornings where it takes longer to get light, you might be able to trick them. Same thing happens at night, a few times every hunting season the moon comes up after the sun goes down and it stays light just a little bit longer, in fact it can get dark and then brighten a bit when the moon comes up, it gives you just a bit more light especially in dark timber. Sometimes it tricks those animals and they start at their normal "brightness" and are a little further ahead, heading into their nighttime feeding areas. You are looking for the opposite, having them hang just a little bit longer before they head for their daytime bedding area.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Dark2Dark on November 27, 2023, 03:32:55 PM: In my experience, elk will hammer alfalfa once there is snow on the ground and food is hard to come by.

Once things green up and there is real food, they typically stop showing any interest in it. That continues until the snow returns.

I have had them totally destroy a stump that had molasses/apple syrup on it. I guess that’s what I would try. I kinda doubt it would be appealing enough for them that they would deviate from their daily return.

In the winter, they will hang out and eat alfalfa till it’s gone.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: buckcanyonlodge on November 27, 2023, 03:37:22 PM: What will you do when you shoot/wound one that goes off the property?
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 04:00:56 PM: Thanks for all the input everyone, I'm gonna get some molasses and Alfalfa tonight and hunt at first light again tomorrow morning. If no elk are around (like today) i'm gonna set up the cameras and set up the bait to try again.
If i shoot a elk and it wanders off then i will go knock on doors like ethical hunters are suppose to do. The owner knows all the neighbors and there friendly towards eachother.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: Longfield1 on November 27, 2023, 05:26:53 PM: I just went to Coastal to grab the molasses and alfalfa but they didnt have any molasses. Anyone know where to find some locally (around auburn kent area)?
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: JWBINX on November 27, 2023, 05:43:42 PM: Wet oats, this will contain molasses.
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: lewy on November 27, 2023, 05:46:48 PM: wet cob
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: bearpaw on November 27, 2023, 05:57:55 PM: depending where you get it, sometimes called sweet cob too
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: tvandy45 on November 28, 2023, 12:30:56 PM: In my experience salt does absolutely nothing for west side elk. Has to be some type of valuable food source that makes them want to be there over other options. Its possible they are getting good feed elsewhere such as a clover agg field or something. If thats the case you might be out of luck because its hard to pull them away from that stuff
Title: Re: How to keep elk on your property till daylight?
Post by: highside74 on November 28, 2023, 01:41:29 PM: I'm westside and have tried almost everything. Apples #1. I knock on doors and carry buckets all summer and go through hundreds of gallons all for free. Best places are homes that have apples sitting under the tree. Most of the time you are doing them a favor by cleaning up the apples. #2 Whole corn NOT cracked. Cob molds and turns to mush plus they don't care for it as much as straight corn so save your money. You can get whole corn at Walmart sometimes this time of year for $13 for 50#. BassPro has it for $10. Tractor supply has it but it's twice as much I think. You don't need to add anything to the whole corn. I've done piles of corn with stuff like apple mineral and without. The deer and elk both prefer the straight corn. Another thing they both like is the horse alfalfa pellets but don't care for alfalfa hay. They like growing alfalfa and growing winter rye. Planting winter rye early fall would be a homerun for late season.