Elk Hunting How far down the game trail you go

[j270wsm]

I’ve found bulls bugling oct 20th

[Ourea]

Another good question to consider is at what elevation does the majority of elk habitat exist at.

All the best gear is not of use if you struggle to find elk consistently.

[BRrooster]

We hunted the early morning till late morning, heard bulls bugling till late morning. we didn't bugle too much. Just till we got a result. Then cow called.
We found lots of rubbed trees and got into the place where they had spent the last month. Thought we pushed them out with our hunting , but a week later,
my son got his 6 pt , after we had had to go home . They came back. We hunted a river bottom and the surrounding cut blocks.

[madcalfe]

I hit the timber pretty hard. It all depends how far your willing to pack one out. This is my first year out of 5 not getting a elk although I only hunted for 2.5 days. But I find cow chirping every 5-10 mins while you walk and then let out one bugle every 30min or so works the best. I’ve shot all 4 6 points within 50 yards in thick timber. Don’t hunt blocks unless you want a satellite bull

[bruce44]

Thank you everyone for all the knowledge. Coming from an immigrant family, I'm the first hunter. I'd like to become more successful so I can take my Dad out to bag his first big game before he gets too old.

[limit time]

bruce44

What is ideal elk habitat? What are the key ingredients that make up that habitat?
Answer those questions and have a full understanding of them and you are well on your way to finding elk easier.
So many hunters burn a lot of boot leather walking around like blind mice looking for elk.

Perhaps try this approach.....
* Learn to identify prime elk habitat.
* Hunt for said habitat.
* Factor in that elk get along with pressure like oil and water so the more isolated the habitat the better.

I can say from experience the isolated areas (mountainous areas in this case) that contain slides, saddles, rips of spruce and considerable water are what elk thrive in if they are not pressured.

Remember, elk travel in herds, they weigh up to to 800 lbs so they will leave a lot of sign if living in an area.

can you maybe add some pics of the examples you mention ?

[valtro12]

Remember, elk travel in herds, they weigh up to to 800 lbs so they will leave a lot of sign if living in an area.

Elk can weigh alot more than 800lbs. I know this for sure because I got a nice 6x6 Elk this September and its hanging weight at the butcher was 606 Lbs. The live weight is about 175% of the hanging weight, so 606 Lbs x 175% = 1060 Lbs live weight.

Also, to put this in perspective, I shot a large moose(9x8 rack) a couple of years ago and its hanging weight was 600 Lbs, slightly less than the Elk I got this year! I was surprised that the Elk weighed more than the moose.