Hunting 20' tall thick regrowth? And thick river bottoms?

[emerson]

Due to the scarcity of animals in the open around PG I'm trying to mix things up. Lots of regrown cut blocks that I've seen animals escape into. I'm thinking of trimming viewlines to see the game trails running down into the river bottoms. Becoming very familiar with a smallish area. Hunt the travel routes and bedding areas. When moose/elk are hiding calls don't work that well. Access to the river bottoms from above is simple, just not easy. Trimming basic trails for walking quietly close to the rivers too. Any suggestions from those who have hunted these types of areas? I'm not ready to give up on hunting yet, just trying to have more success.

[emerson]

On the plus side I rarely have any other hunters competing for animals in the thick stuff.

[Keta1969]

Have hunted blacktails in small patches like you describe. Because the area is small pay close attention to the wind and have more than one way in. Also use your nose if you are downwind you may smell them as they could be close. Have smelled bucks before and elk especially if it's wet. When they are close quite often they will freeze and let you walk by rather than break. Just really need to use all your senses and slow and patient.

[Wild one]

Really thick bush don't walk sit and wait or if time is right sit and call

Its not a game of seeing numbers but instead keeping the animals unaware of you because in thick stuff it's close close range. You can walk and see more game but no shot opportunity or sit and when you see game they are calm and more likely to give you a nice shot

If you can't handle sitting hunt rainy or windy days so you're sound is covered. If you walk super slow and long pauses

[emerson]

I thought blacktail hunting might be similar. On the plus side this hunting isn't hours from town. I don't mind sitting, got tired of walking all day. I'll keep adding to my knowledge of these small areas and the game trails in them.

[emerson]

2 yrs ago I had a big bull come to a call in the thick stuff. Too slow on the trigger though. Also, good thought about the wind. I can access most of these areas from either side if I do my scouting and prep correctly.
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[boxhitch]

...... Trimming basic trails for walking quietly close to the rivers too. Any suggestions from those who have hunted these types of areas? .......Sight lines are important ;)
I'm a fan of the Corona brand saws. Their folding Razor Tooth with the 10" curved blade makes short work of christmas tree size pruning jobs, and I always carry their 18" curved blade on the quad and snowmobile.

[Ourea]

Regen is tough hunting.....
Game is very comfortable in higher stem density timber however.

Break out the saw and keep creating shooting lanes.

[todbartell]

I would say that calling elk in the timber can be very effective, much more so than in open country. We have shot them under 10 yards in the past.

[VFX_man]

As a kid in the Missouri Ozarks, We hunted thick brush that could have a deer within 10 yards of you without you knowing it -- our solution -- Go UP!
Get a treestand up along the edges and yes, cut some clear sightlines/shooting paths.

That being said, I have been primarily ground [built debris blinds] hunting up here for the past 4 years and have not connected. So make sure you are on a good spot by scouting and dropping some trail cameras [which I did this year].

BC is a little "Bigger" in the hunting approach you need to take, but I am still thinking "Smaller" and need to re-look at my approach me thinks. I'll know next week :)

[emerson]

All good points. I'm getting excited about nailing down an area a few klicks square 1 day at a time.