Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Jayhole on July 11, 2024, 08:12:31 AM

Title: What would you do?
Post by: Jayhole on July 11, 2024, 08:12:31 AM: Last year was my first year archery elk hunting. I put a camera out towards the end of archery season and I finally got to check it last month. Nothing but hunters on camera during the last couple days of archery season. BUT, I got two legal bulls on camera. One the day before muzzy season opened and one on the second to last day of muzzy season.
Now I'm seriously considering switching to muzzy season and just posting up in that spot. Just waiting there all day every day and hoping something comes by. I'm still very new to this though and not sure if that's a good idea or not.
What would you do?
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: elksnout on July 11, 2024, 08:20:54 AM: I’d suspect those bulls were there during archery season. If you’re thinking that they still are in the same general area you may be correct or in the freezers of some modern firearms guys? I wouldn’t change weapons if it was me and that’s what you’re asking.

elksnout
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: kentrek on July 11, 2024, 08:23:23 AM: I would double the amount of cameras you have and get them out right now in the same general area.. hunt what ever season is better for your schedule
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: pianoman9701 on July 11, 2024, 08:23:46 AM: If the area you hunt has lots of archery hunters and few muzzy hunters, hunting early muzzy might be a good thing for you. How close to the roads are you hunting and placing your cams. A majority of hunters hunt within 1/4 mile of a road. Try going in farther and you'll get fewer hunters, the pressure will be less, and you may see more animals.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Jayhole on July 11, 2024, 08:32:31 AM: This is the only camera I have in that area. It's about 3 miles from a road. I believe there were three or four archery hunters on camera in just a couple days. Only one muzzy hunter walked by during the whole season. I suppose someone could have pulled the card and deleted photos.
Both bulls, both definitely different bulls walked by traveling the same direction, coming from the same direction and both around the same time of day. Like within 30 minutes.
I stepped in fresh elk poop last month when I was checking it and there are a bunch of cows and calves on camera in May and June.
I'll put more cameras up around that area.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Jayhole on July 11, 2024, 08:44:15 AM: Quote from: kentrek on July 11, 2024, 08:23:23 AM
I would double the amount of cameras you have and get them out right now in the same general area.. hunt what ever season is better for your schedule
Either season works because I've only got one week vacation reserved for hunting.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: NorseNW on July 11, 2024, 11:31:25 AM: I'll do you a solid - you hunt the archery season - send me the coordinates for the camera and I'll cover the muzzy season for you and report back. For all you haters out there - I'm just trying to help him out here! :chuckle:
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: NorseNW on July 11, 2024, 11:32:51 AM: Alright - honest answer is I would hunt muzzy just based on less pressure. I don't like people
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: bkaech on July 11, 2024, 08:47:59 PM: I find elk tend to rotate through spots, I don't suspect elk would be migrating from one spot to another every year between archery and muzzy season. If they were there during muzzy season last year, they will likely be there or near there during archery and muzzy season this year. Hunt the weapon season you want.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Jayhole on July 22, 2024, 12:41:55 PM: I guess my bigger question is, is posting up in one spot a good tactic? I spent 7 days following old elk sign around the woods last September and by the time I located elk, they had crossed into a off limits unit. I ran into two successful hunters during archery who both said they got theirs by just sitting in the same spot all day. Seems like with so many people moving around all day, sitting put in one spot isn't such a bad idea.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: dilleytech on July 22, 2024, 12:54:52 PM: Quote from: Jayhole on July 22, 2024, 12:41:55 PM
I guess my bigger question is, is posting up in one spot a good tactic? I spent 7 days following old elk sign around the woods last September and by the time I located elk, they had crossed into a off limits unit. I ran into two successful hunters during archery who both said they got theirs by just sitting in the same spot all day. Seems like with so many people moving around all day, sitting put in one spot isn't such a bad idea.

Sitting in one spot all day is great strategy and works pretty well. But it’s extremely hard to do. To me walking all day and finding the elk is a lot easier.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: bkaech on July 23, 2024, 08:32:48 PM: Sitting in one spot can be very affective if you are in the right spot (obviously). I don't have the patience for it so I don't do it much, but Elk will definitely use the same trails and spots over and over again, but not so much daily like deer tend to, more like weekly. At least in what I see...
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: geauxtigers on July 23, 2024, 09:52:59 PM: I have a camera setup to watch a cabin gate on the west side. The elk that frequent the area are pretty habituated to lots of people with cabins in the area.

That being said, the elk seem to be on about a 2 week rotation in our area. I will get zero pictures for 2-3 weeks, then they are in front of my camera everyday for 4-5 days. At least in our area, they seem to have a rotation. If you hit it right, they will be on the exact same trails for a few days in a row, then they keep moving and you won’t see them for 1-2 weeks. If you time it right sitting in one spot would probably be effective, although boring until they show up.
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Jpmiller on July 24, 2024, 06:32:38 AM: Every few years I try sitting in a spot all day. The only time I’m not ready to move by late morning is when it’s a spot I can see for miles and sit behind the binos or spotter or if the weather sucks and visibility is nought. That’s just me and my temperament. Maybe give it a shot and see if you can hack it. If you’re like me though and you can’t, it’s not like you’re rooted, you can get up and go looking. Good luck!
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Jayhole on July 24, 2024, 03:25:05 PM: Thanks for all the tips guys
Title: Re: What would you do?
Post by: Dark2Dark on July 24, 2024, 07:58:21 PM: I think sitting in one spot could be productive but I wouldn’t do it based on two bulls on a camera over the course of a full season last year. I would need to have proof of a lot more activity in an area than that.

I’ve done a lot of sitting and very rarely has it resulted in a dead animal. Last year a buck came out in the evening just like he was supposed to. That was one of the only times for me. I suppose it kinda worked for my Wyoming Bull last year, also.

But, the areas that I would want to sit are places I have seen lots of camera activity or found the elk lots of times before. A few areas, in particular, I know are really popular escape routes when the elk get pressured a little and I would probably hang out in those areas.

If I was going to sit, I’d probably put out bait of some kind. Not a super popular time of year for them to hit it but it would potentially help, a little!