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Author Topic: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign  (Read 4061 times)

Offline pianoman9701

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Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« on: July 04, 2017, 09:01:50 AM »
I've been unsuccessfully hunting the same area for some time because it's familiar to me. But the choked woods there offer little forage or meadows and what it does offer is inundated with archers. Off to the WDFW and spoke with a gamie about a new area. Got some tips. First scouting trip a month ago produced little and I was stopped by the snowline. Yesterday, I was able to get into the area I wanted to scout and found a good wet, meadowy area with lots of sign. I followed the tracks of a large group - probably 15 animals or so - into heavy cover. So, I got home, uploaded my waypoints into Base Camp and opened it up in Google Earth. Got a picture of a really nice herd! I'm psyched. Got my camper. Probably have a partner. In the right place. It's go time!
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Offline Magnum_Willys

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2017, 09:09:07 AM »
I've been unsuccessfully hunting the same area for some time because it's familiar to me. But the choked woods there offer little forage or meadows and what it does offer is inundated with archers.

Sounds like the gp ! heh

Offline vandeman17

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2017, 09:16:28 AM »
When do you plan on hunting it? Often times elk love those meadows and use them all summer just to disappear right before season.  :bash:
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Offline jrebel

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2017, 09:44:21 AM »
When do you plan on hunting it? Often times elk love those meadows and use them all summer just to disappear right before season.  :bash:
:yeah: :yeah:

What you find this summer will not be what you find when hunting season comes, especially if there is any hunting pressure.   With that said, I have found that elk do not go far.  Find adjacent wooded north facing slopes with good cover.  That is where you will want to concentrate come hunting season.  Find areas that the average joe does not want to go and that is where the elk will be.  Find these areas now and make sure you have a quiet route in and out....then when hunting season comes go and sit on a trail.  Good luck filling the freezer.   :tup:

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2017, 10:00:36 AM »
I've been unsuccessfully hunting the same area for some time because it's familiar to me. But the choked woods there offer little forage or meadows and what it does offer is inundated with archers.

Sounds like the gp ! heh
Yep
"Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of criminals and madmen will have no positive effect on the future acts of criminals and madmen. It will only serve to reduce individual rights and the very security of our republic." - Pianoman

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2017, 10:04:12 AM »
When do you plan on hunting it? Often times elk love those meadows and use them all summer just to disappear right before season.  :bash:
:yeah: :yeah:

What you find this summer will not be what you find when hunting season comes, especially if there is any hunting pressure.   With that said, I have found that elk do not go far.  Find adjacent wooded north facing slopes with good cover.  That is where you will want to concentrate come hunting season.  Find areas that the average joe does not want to go and that is where the elk will be.  Find these areas now and make sure you have a quiet route in and out....then when hunting season comes go and sit on a trail.  Good luck filling the freezer.   :tup:

Yes, I'm aware they move and will continue to scout right up until the season. I've also found a really protected north-facing slope and some of the trails point right at it. With my replaced hip, I won't be doing any steep and deep. But, I do plan to wait along the trails. This area's really wet, too.
"Restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens based on the actions of criminals and madmen will have no positive effect on the future acts of criminals and madmen. It will only serve to reduce individual rights and the very security of our republic." - Pianoman

Offline nwmein199

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2017, 04:54:43 PM »
When do you plan on hunting it? Often times elk love those meadows and use them all summer just to disappear right before season.  :bash:
:yeah: :yeah:

What you find this summer will not be what you find when hunting season comes, especially if there is any hunting pressure.   With that said, I have found that elk do not go far.  Find adjacent wooded north facing slopes with good cover.  That is where you will want to concentrate come hunting season.  Find areas that the average joe does not want to go and that is where the elk will be.  Find these areas now and make sure you have a quiet route in and out....then when hunting season comes go and sit on a trail.  Good luck filling the freezer.   :tup:

If you dont mind me asking...why the north facing wooded slopes? Would this be specific to east/west side elk or both?

Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2017, 05:06:27 PM »
When do you plan on hunting it? Often times elk love those meadows and use them all summer just to disappear right before season.  :bash:
:yeah: :yeah:

What you find this summer will not be what you find when hunting season comes, especially if there is any hunting pressure.   With that said, I have found that elk do not go far.  Find adjacent wooded north facing slopes with good cover.  That is where you will want to concentrate come hunting season.  Find areas that the average joe does not want to go and that is where the elk will be.  Find these areas now and make sure you have a quiet route in and out....then when hunting season comes go and sit on a trail.  Good luck filling the freezer.   :tup:

If you dont mind me asking...why the north facing wooded slopes? Would this be specific to east/west side elk or both?
Cooler in the summer time/early fall.

Offline pianoman9701

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2017, 09:46:08 PM »
 :yeah: Wooded  slopes give them cover. It's where they bed down during the late morning, early afternoon.
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Offline nwmein199

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2017, 08:00:59 AM »
Thank you for the feedback, this helps me a lot. Thinking back of where/when I have seen elk during hunting season is making more sense now

Offline yakimanoob

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Re: Scouting a new area - Lots of sign
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2017, 08:19:59 AM »
This is pretty much my strategy (find lots of feeding grounds near cover with water for when the pressure picks up) as well so I hope y'all are right  ;)

That said, if we have a repeat of last year and the snow starts falling in the high meadows before opener, I've got a few backup areas in mind as well. 

 


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