Good post OP....I haven't had success harvesting an elk yet, but I can relate that scouting is very important for hunting another species that I have had quite a bit of success at: whitetails....
Bushwhacker
Good post OP....I haven't had success harvesting an elk yet, but I can relate that scouting is very important for hunting another species that I have had quite a bit of success at: whitetails....
Wildlife for BC residents
I can speak to the scouting be a key factor for success. Just a few years back, I was one to be hunting two days every weekend and spent half my summers setting and checking cams. Great fun. I knew the pockets and in fours years harvested 3 elk in a highly pressured area of region 8. Well along came marriage and two babies in the baby carriage and guess what? Kiss my scouting, cameras and hunting good bye! Well not totally, I do still get out hunting occasionally, but with family trips and shortage of time, the scouting is a thing of the past. I found out how important continual scouting is in the last few years. I have returned on occasion to those areas and have found how they have significantly changed from both a vegetative perspective as well as a hunter pressure perspective. Both have changed significantly and the animals with them. If I was out scouting, I would have been aware of the changes, but instead I found out on a day I went hunting and was seriously disappointed. The time is soon coming when I can take the boys on such outings, and I am eager to introduce them to what our wilderness has to offer. Scouting is HUGE!
There was a time I thought all parties that cared for wildlife and habitat conservation could find common ground. I was wrong. Adapt....
Senior Member
For us, every fall hunting season is essentially scouting for next years fall hunting season and so on. Just when we think we figured something out, we learn a new lesson. A lot of people that are very confident with their success, are usually in areas where you see a lot of animals. Put them in a tougher area where you might see nothing, even when sitting for hours, and you realize those people just don’t have experience with those type of areas or they avoid them. I know because where I hunt it is not very remote but most people are just driving through or right on by to areas that increase their chances. Everyone’s idea of a normal hunting experience is quite different. I’ve met up with guys that were so mad with their partners for bringing them to this area and wasting their trip. These guys are used to walking and bumping into animals. We are successful but it’s a very tough hunt. I don’t scout at all. My work expects a lot of overtime hours.
Senior Member
Maybe we are just arguing semantics (when trying to define what is most important) but I think I will disagree with you. You can plunk a guy down in the best area and give him all the info in the world and he will mess it up. Being in the right spot and knowing what the animals are doing is not the most important thing for success, it only gives you the opportunity for success.Originally Posted by masoncade1992
When hunting, you have to make multiple decisions in the moments that can make or break your hunt. Even sitting in a stand is not a guarantee. I have hunted all my life and had a Dad that taught me well and we are successful year after year. I got a friend into hunting and he came with us for years and we set him up in great spots and guess what? he blew it time and time again. Rifle and bow it didn't matter, he just made the wrong choice at the moment of truth and it cost him some great animals.
Also, I have taken young hunters with me and held their hand as the shot their first moose. I was right beside them and told them what to do at exactly the right time. I am confident those hunters would not have harvested a moose without me there.
So my point is: there is so much more to hunting than just being in the right spot and knowing what the animals will do. You have to know how to hunt. How to walk quietly, when to give one more soft call, when to shut up and freeze, when to take one more step, when to raise your gun, when to draw your bow, when to shoot and when to wait, when to start tracking, how to track, etc etc etc. All of those decisions made ONCE you are in a great area are so much more important than scouting ahead of time.
That's why I think a great hunter can go into an area blind and learn on the fly and read his surrounding and make all the right choices and come successful.
I'm not saying scouting is not important I'm just saying it's not the most important.
Member
I can attest that skill is very important, hence why my original post said 60% of the equation. However, if you do not find the game, you will never have a chance to test and improve your skills. You could be the best hunter, however if you are in an area that does not hold game , it is a mute point. Now a days, you can watch youtube, read books and talk to ppl on the "how to hunt said game" , but again even with those skills you need to find the game. When I was a kid my dad was a decent hunter, but he never scouted and as a result the ratio of dead game was not great.
The more game you put your self in front, the more you learn all the needed skills. Trial and error is the grandfather of learning to how to put game down year to year.
Just my two bits
HuntingBC Champ
Scouting is no doubt important because it adds knowledge. Boots on the ground in an area are great as well but you can also spend all your time scouting and never accomplish a thing if you don’t know what you are looking for. If you are a hunter who can look at maps, sat photos, or even drive into an area and look at the area with an idea where game is scouting can seal the deal. Often these hunters can run reasonably high odds even in areas they hunt because they understand the game they are hunting
In the end in my opinion understanding the species you hunt trumps scouting because this is the only way to effectively find locations worth scouting. Scouting and applying knowledge is a deadly combination but you will hear time and time again about hunters scouting areas and investing time to see nothing and that is because the lack knowledge to scout effective areas
The argument of guys who run high success without scouting they often have knowledge of the species. Odds are they actually do a form of speed scouting first couple days without even realizing it lol. I know this is what I do
Mule Skinner
^^^^^
Having an understanding of specific habitat requirements for a species is a key arrow to have in the quiver.
Best place to start.
Removing yourself from pressure areas will increase your odds as your opportunity is not being affected by blind hunters stomping around. Game learns and adapts quickly.
End of the day, if you do not know the area and the animals in it what can you expect?
Guys that spend a lot of time in the field can adapt to new areas and find game far quicker than a blind hunter in a prime area.
Seen this play out many times.
I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with keyboards and forums. - F L Wright
Try and be kind to everyone but fear no one. - Ourea
HuntingBC Champ
In end I think we can all agree knowledge is a huge factor. Those that have knowledge of a location, habits of animals within it and the species it self no doubt have an edge.
Scouting is just one of the valuable tools to gain knowledge to increase ones odds but not the only factor at play
Those who blindly cover ground no doubt fill tags as well but it is a crap shoot. Not talking just road hunting either lots of highly motivated hunters who cover miles on foot passing through great locations without even slowing down
I tell hunters all the time when finding locations to hunt think yards not miles. There is large tracks of forest that go for miles along roads guys only stop on if something crosses. It’s crazy what a guy finds on short very slow still hunts or sits with in a km of busy main FSRs even
HuntingBC Champ
90percent of game 10percent of area.
90percent of game harvest 10 percent of harvesters
HuntingBC Champ
I generally only hunt moose. It's pretty simple
find fresh tracks.
Make cow noises.
When u hear bull, start making bull noises.
When U see bull, shoot bull.
The only thing u have to worry about is hitting the rut
If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.
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