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Thread: How do you solo hunt elk?

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    903

    How do you solo hunt elk?

    This will be my third year heading out to the Kootenays in archery season looking for elk. So far I’ve just camped at the truck and rode the ATV around until I found a spot to hike in a bit. 2 years ago I called a bull in to not quite close enough and last year I didn’t find any elk so I’m thinking of changing things up a bit and leaving the ATV at home and being more mobile with the truck but not able to get as far in with the grocery getter and just hiking.

    I just need to pick up a new sleeping bag before the season starts and I’m pretty much set up to hike in and camp as well.

    So how do you solo hunt elk? From the truck? Backpack in? I’d be curious to hear any strategies from guys who kill elk more often than not.

    Cheers!

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    4,368

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    I've done quite a few solo elk hunts with bow and rifle and been lucky enough to get some elk with both. For camp when hunting alone, I like to keep it simple and what works best for me is to either sleep in the back of my truck, or just throw up my backpacking tent and camp where I' am going to set off from the next morning. This is what I did last year.



    I think hiking in and spiking out is a great plan if you have a good area to hunt and it's still within your ability to get an elk out by yourself. I have several spots inside vehicle closed areas that I always intend on getting in and spiking out to hunt but I always seem to find some elk in the easier access spots and don't end up hunting the areas further back.

    If you are hunting by yourself, be very conscious or where you set up and call. In my experience, thicker is better. You want to make him want to come looking for the source of the sound and don't want them to be able to sit way back and scan from a distance.

    I also use a decoy (my old renzo's cow elk decoy is still kicking). You've fooled his ears if you can get him to come in but when he does, if you can fool his eyes and get him looking at something your chances of getting a shot go way up.

    I also don'y bugle allot. I have had a pile of success with cow elk calls.

    And always be ready. Any time you call, expect an elk may show up (and sometimes fast) I'd say about 80% of the elk I've called in during archery season came in without calling in return or making little to no noise ( like they are sneaking in to see what's up)

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Kootenays
    Posts
    4,570

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    I'd like to help you out, and would like to see you have a good hunt. What time of the season?
    Expectation is important. Manage it on the family side and your own.
    With the hours of sunrise and sunset the elk hunt is a marathon.

    I would not stay out on the mountain. Not really much need. Camp out of the truck. Better sleep.

    1) Glass logical areas in the evening. They'll be nearby in the morning. The moon makes a bit of difference on what you can expect. IE they can feed/move farther in a moon lit sky.
    2) Staying mobile and working out of a vehicle allows you to drive drainages in the late night hours. If you bugle well, you can send out a long high pitched searching bugle and if you get a hit, make a plan to be in close in the morning.
    3) Hiking in to areas where you would expect them to be and look for sign that they are there. Elk stink. So if you smell them, they are around. Within a day or so.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    903

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    Thanks for the advice guys and the PMs from Ron.
    I’ll be heading out on Friday September third and have the whole next week off to chase them. As far as expectations, I’m getting to the point in starting to expect some more. I’ve been at this about 7 years and killed one deer in rifle season. I’ve had several close calls with deer, bears and elk in that time. Almost all my hunting has been solo other than a couple days here and there so I haven’t been out with anyone with much experience to learn from. I think I’m getting to the point that I’ve learned enough that at some point I will start to see some better results.

    Because of this I think my family doesn’t expect me to bring home any meat lol.

    I feel pretty good about my calling as I’ve had a few elk interested over the past couple years both in archery and rifle season.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Kootenays
    Posts
    4,570

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    ^^ hunting the Kootenay and starting around the 3rd or 4th, depending on the weather, you are probably looking for elk mid slope and higher. The first few days of September, the elk are often still in their summer feeding and movement patterns. But, with the Bulls rubbing off around the 20th of August, they will start to look for the cows, join up with them or hang out nearby. We often find, that after the first 3days of Sept, with a little pressure and primitive instincts kicking in, the bulls will convince the cows to move off the summer range and up the mountain. This depends on insects, heat, water, food and lust. It only takes one old bull wanting to get things going, or one cow going in to estrus a touch early to set things off. (elk-chaos)

    Like in life, it's important to know, the bulls don't choose the cows. The cows choose the bull. Find the cows and keep your eye on them.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    903

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    That sounds like great advice, thanks.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    7A
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    20,732

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    If you've hunted the area before, you'll want to make a quick check of all the usual areas you know of and evaluate what you see for sign, or lack of sign. If you check and don't see much sign, since it's been such a dry summer, you'll want to look for some pockets that still have some water. Finding the water is key. Small creeks and drainages on north and east facing slopes will be worth a look. Aspen stands are also good.

    If you're hunting areas not familiar to you, then you'll want to find areas that offer food, water and sanctuary cover within a small area

    When searching for elk, you'll want to focus your efforts in the morning and evening closer to feeding areas. In the middle parts of the day, you'll want to be in heavier cover. Be careful about wind direction as you don't want to blow them out of their bedding area.

    Early September you may have good results using bull vocalizations to locate and call in bulls, as they may still be sorting out their pecking order prior to the rut and be interested in checking out the new bull in town
    Last edited by todbartell; 08-04-2021 at 09:59 AM.
    "If you ever go into the bush, there are grizzly bears lurking behind just about every bush, waiting to pounce, so you need a powerful gun, with huge bullets" - Gatehouse ~ 2004

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    east kootenay
    Posts
    35

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    KBC...i can add a couple of important things, but you may already know them. One is to seek out elk in north facing avalanche chutes. Hugely important in the heat. If there is a bit of water, thick timber and difficult to hike to, you have found elk ( and bear) heaven. And have you thought about hunting in an outfitters territory? This might be another bad year for them for clients what with border refusals for unvaxed americans. That means 2 years in a row. Maybe just maybe you can use a good horse trail to spike it closer to a bull. Do not feel bad about doing this because the underemployed guides will be peeking into those same drainages for their own benefit...beat them to it!

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Posts
    816

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    Quote Originally Posted by upnover View Post
    KBC...i can add a couple of important things, but you may already know them. One is to seek out elk in north facing avalanche chutes. Hugely important in the heat. If there is a bit of water, thick timber and difficult to hike to, you have found elk ( and bear) heaven. And have you thought about hunting in an outfitters territory? This might be another bad year for them for clients what with border refusals for unvaxed americans. That means 2 years in a row. Maybe just maybe you can use a good horse trail to spike it closer to a bull. Do not feel bad about doing this because the underemployed guides will be peeking into those same drainages for their own benefit...beat them to it!
    Great advice above.
    Do just that.
    It's especially rewarding to get one under the nose so to speak.
    They offer no deals to residents or blue collar so have at er.
    WSSBC
    BCWF
    CCFR
    BHA

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    903

    Re: How do you solo hunt elk?

    Haha good idea. Now how do I find these outfitter areas?

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