Post by: Giggles on May 17, 2012, 12:28:28 PM
Post by: dscubame on May 17, 2012, 12:46:14 PM
Post by: Alchase on May 17, 2012, 12:55:40 PM
Sorry
Post by: coachcw on May 17, 2012, 12:56:56 PM
Post by: fair-chase on May 17, 2012, 01:45:25 PM
I grew up on the heels of my uncle who preferred this type of hunting. He did this for both deer and elk. When I was young he tried to teach me the ways of a tracker. :rolleyes: It's definitely not for everyone. When I would tag along, or we were just sharing a base camp. He would disappear after cutting a track and end up back at camp 3-4 (sometimes 10) days later with his tag punched. Slow, tedious, and painstaking would be the best way to describe it. You can find game faster by glassing for them first, but there is a certain satisfaction out of walking down a single animal. It's very rewarding, I just don't have the required patience/persistence anymore. What I found to be the most difficult is that if you purposely set out to hone your tracking skills you will eventually have to make a choice wether or not to take other animals along the way that are not the particular animal you are tracking. That would be cheating after all. :chuckle:
Post by: Bob33 on May 17, 2012, 01:55:57 PM
I once tracked a cow elk in the snow for the better part of a day. I was really ticked when later in the day I found that another human had picked up the tracks and was in front of me following the elk. I studied the human tracks a bit more and realized they were mine.
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 17, 2012, 01:58:37 PM
Post by: boneaddict on May 17, 2012, 02:08:39 PM
Post by: iRem on May 17, 2012, 02:19:16 PM
Post by: 724wd on May 18, 2012, 09:49:05 AM
Post by: hunter_sean08 on May 18, 2012, 11:00:01 AM
Post by: funkster on May 18, 2012, 12:49:39 PM
My advice is when you are elk hunting every situation merits its own tactic. Don't get stuck using one method let the situation dictate what you do. Sometimes you can creep and crawl and sometimes you need to run to get into position :twocents:
Post by: Quackwhacker on May 19, 2012, 11:43:59 PM
Post by: washelkhunter on May 19, 2012, 11:49:59 PM
We where walking an old spur one sept morning and came to the end of the road and glassed a cut. On the way back I notice tracks that where not there before. We slowly followed the tracks and got on a herd of 13 elk with 4 legal bulls.
My advice is when you are elk hunting every situation merits its own tactic. Don't get stuck using one method let the situation dictate what you do. Sometimes you can creep and crawl and sometimes you need to run to get into position :twocents:
Good advice there.
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on May 20, 2012, 12:08:21 AM
In snow, I might follow a fresh track, but in September, I follow ANY track, get on game trails, and see where they are going...
To me, that is how I "hunt" them, look for tracks and droppings, figure out where they are going, get there, and do some "talking"
I have the most excitement by using low volume calls, from areas I feel Elk can hear me, and when I am right.. :IBCOOL:
I honestly believe that calling from main (human) trails, and roads, at full volume, will only work every once in a while, but walking through the woods on a game trail, making game noises, the only thing that seems to care I am there are those damn squirrels, but I have been looking the right direction on many occasions where a squirrel has told me to look, so I guess we are even, the tell on everything !!
Post by: slim9300 on May 20, 2012, 09:08:02 AM
I learned a really good lesson following a fresh track in the rain once: look up from the track often or you'll walk right into the critters! True story, 5 yards, big time busted.
Yep. Killed my first elk at 12 years old like this. Followed the fresh tracks with my head down for about a mile on an old grade until my old man and I were certain that we smelled them, only to look up and see them at 10 yards wide eyed. Lol. The stupid muzzleloader misfired and when they stopped at 75 yards to do a double take, that was it with cap #2. ;)
Also, for late season cow my partner and I have tracked down quite a few different herds over the last few years. In 2008 we followed the tracks in to their beds and jumped them at 40 yards. Because only one elk saw us and spooked the herd I started a string of regathering cow sounds. The half of the herd that started down the ridge stopped and started to come back. My partner and I peeked over the edge and timed shooting two separate cows at the same time. Both died within 60 yards of each other.
Roosevelt's are very easy to track down in late season when they are in herds of 10 or more. The skill comes in reading sign and knowing what to do when you bust them.
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