pre-season scouting

[sparky300winmag]

I went out last weekend to check out a couple of new spots for the upcoming hunting season.I went up one area as far as i dare with my truck( the rest of the road will have to wait for a quad ride) and i turned the truck around and bingo there was a bull elk watching me on the side of the mountain he was at least a 5pt but as i was fumbling for my camera he scooted up higher and behind some trees and out of site.
The next day i went to another area i've never been before and saw lots of mulie bucks and a nice 4 pt whitey buck.I also ran into about 7 cow and calf elk.
I was basically looking for more areas to hunt , but do you think the elk would stay in the area or would they put on the miles?When should a guy do some serious scouting before the season?

[Jelvis]

Gee sparky300 it would be nice to have that energy you have and the money and truck. lol.. Do it well your young and enjoy it from now til hunting season, young fella, I'm going onto 63 and don't get out enough lol.
Sold the big rigz and will try to get out ths season for a young moose and huge buck deer.
Keep up the good work and take some photo's in the KOOTs
Jelly Bing jelly bang jelly boom!

[gwillim]

In the summer I head into the mountains and call it scouting. In the fall I head into the mountains and call it hunting! Main thing is just get out there and keep your eyes open. If you are in the same region over several years you will get a sense of animal movements with the seasons. Around here (West Kootenays), the elk seem to follow the snow melt up the mountain sides. Through the summer you see them on the high breezy ridges, staying cool and keeping clear of the bugs.

[Ddog]

just a little to early there, most are still in the wintering zones, now in summer they will start to move regularly back into the late summering grounds, especially here in the EK if you went to any low lying areas, lots of the elk here will move to the higher grounds as the fresh green shoots appear and the food starts up the mountains. The caps are still covered with snow so the animals are slowly moving uphill.
serious scouting for me starts in August when the animals will be in the next month, the real serious scouts start the last 2 weeks of Aug, then the real real serious scouts start the last week and few days of Aug. Then hopefully i will have a couple of stands hung and be ready for an elk.!

[hunter1947]

A person should get out as many times as possible for scouting from now till the opening season more times out the better chances you have finding what you want on opening day..

[ianwuzhere]

yup i agree= if things are working good for the animals in areas why would they leave? hopefully youll see lots and get some good pix!

[boxhitch]

if things are working good for the animals in areas why would they leave?
-ingrained migration traits
-change of food supply
-competition for feed with grazing cattle
-increased activity and traffic
-weather, the sun and the moon
Lots of reasons

[Jelvis]

Elk are more fidgety then a deer, deer will stay in a general area even after being harassed but elk will move over into another area if scared and bothered .. bye bye
Jelly .. England Dan ..

[hunter1947]

Elk are more fidgety then a deer, deer will stay in a general area even after being harassed but elk will move over into another area if scared and bothered .. bye bye
Jelly .. England Dan ..


This is one reason why I am putting out my trail cams next week ,there will be 5 put out so I don't scare any elk away.

You are so right again Jelly bean and with your knowledge this is what makes you one of the coolest posters on HBC :mrgreen:..