First DIY Elk hunt

Joined
Jan 18, 2021
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407
Location
Clifton Springs, NY
Good morning guys. I have wanted to hunt elk my whole life, but of course living in and growing up in NY that’s not possible.

My uncle lives in Colorado (not a hunter) and I am planning on visiting him this fall and going on a backcountry elk hunt this fall. I have obviously never hunted elk but have hunted just about everything there is to hunt here in NY, except for waterfowl.

I have been gathering gear since last fall and think I have a good start. One piece of gear that I do have a question about is trail cams. Do any of you guys spending time in the backcountry take trail cams with you, to help scout and hunt multiple areas?

Any suggestions, pointers or things to avoid is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Still need to research location. My uncle is in Aurora, so I would want to go to, to far away from that. But not afraid to trace from there. Will be spending at least a week in the woods.


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big44a4

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Jul 4, 2017
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Trail cameras are a great tool. I know a few that use them in the mountains. Just be prepared to possibly lose a few given hunting on public land.


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OP
RockinRam96
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Jan 18, 2021
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Clifton Springs, NY
Trail cameras are a great tool. I know a few that use them in the mountains. Just be prepared to possibly lose a few given hunting on public land.


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Yes, that thought crossed my mine. But with limited scouting opportunities, mostly hunt/ scout I feel it is a good tool improve my chances of success.


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0311dmd

FNG
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Oct 27, 2018
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You’re going to have to go quite a ways from Aurora to get on elk that you can hunt OTC.
 

Wapiti1

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What season? I suspect archery, but knowing that will help.

For a back country hunt, trail cams will be, IMO, a waste of pack weight and space. You'll have limited time, and they take time to use effectively. At most, maybe take one to set at wallows you might find. Otherwise, you need to be hunting, not checking cameras.

Otherwise, you really need to focus on how to hunt elk, and not hunt them like a whitetail.

Jeremy
 
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Based on your description I don't think cameras will help you all that much. Even if you shipped the camera to your uncle and gave him coordinates to go place one for you a few weeks prior to your hunt, things can change due to hunting pressure or weather. Once you are out actually hunting you'll be better off locating Elk by looking for sign, calling, or glassing. It's always fun to check cameras and see what you get but I would save yourself the effort and carry one less thing in your pack.
 

Seamaster

Lil-Rokslider
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Dec 11, 2020
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Elk change their habits quickly when human pressure is detected, so placing and checking trail cameras just might be counter-productive unless you are very clever with not spreading your scent. For most people trail cameras for elk will not be helpful.
 
OP
RockinRam96
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
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Location
Clifton Springs, NY
You’re going to have to go quite a ways from Aurora to get on elk that you can hunt OTC.

Understood. I don't plan on returning to his house every night or at all during the week for that matter. I plan on being in the woods for the whole week. I know its always a secret but specific zones or locations are always welcome.

What season? I suspect archery, but knowing that will help.

For a back country hunt, trail cams will be, IMO, a waste of pack weight and space. You'll have limited time, and they take time to use effectively. At most, maybe take one to set at wallows you might find. Otherwise, you need to be hunting, not checking cameras.

Otherwise, you really need to focus on how to hunt elk, and not hunt them like a whitetail.

Jeremy

Yes. Sorry forgot to mention that piece. It will be archery season.

I agree to your point that I need to be hunting, but figured cameras would be a good tool to be in more than one location at once.

I understand that hunting elk is going to be a huge learning curve. Coming home with a bull will be a cherry on top of the cake. I am just really looking forward to being in the back county, in a new area for a change. Any information I can gather on elk and hunting them is a bonus and appreciated.

Based on your description I don't think cameras will help you all that much. Even if you shipped the camera to your uncle and gave him coordinates to go place one for you a few weeks prior to your hunt, things can change due to hunting pressure or weather. Once you are out actually hunting you'll be better off locating Elk by looking for sign, calling, or glassing. It's always fun to check cameras and see what you get but I would save yourself the effort and carry one less thing in your pack.

I understand that they don't do much help if you're not there to babysit them or move them on occasion. I probably wouldn't ask my uncle to do that. He isn't a hunter and wouldn't know where to put them.

That is my game plan, to be mostly calling and glassing. Just thought it could be a good tool to improve the chances of running into a bull.
 

Wapiti1

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Cameras could be a good tool, but not so much since you aren't there a longer period of time. You'll need to be very mobile and leaving areas as soon as you figure out the elk aren't there.

Trail cams are good when you are monitoring an area that you have already scouted. They can help with movement patterns, and monitoring the herd. But that is a long term deal.

Pay attention to my comment above about leave if you can't find elk. They aren't widely distributed like whitetails or even mule deer and are found in pockets. There is a lot of country between the pockets that you'll have to cover to find them. They are in those pockets before the season starts, then hunting pressure changes that even more.

Jeremy
 

cnelk

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Leave the cameras at home. Use your time actually hunting instead of effin around with them

There's some decent OTC elk hunting in Units 37/371 - about an hour west of Denver. Or even Unit 28 northeast of those units.
 

Jxferg7

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
215
Cameras could be a good tool, but not so much since you aren't there a longer period of time. You'll need to be very mobile and leaving areas as soon as you figure out the elk aren't there.

Trail cams are good when you are monitoring an area that you have already scouted. They can help with movement patterns, and monitoring the herd. But that is a long term deal.

Pay attention to my comment above about leave if you can't find elk. They aren't widely distributed like whitetails or even mule deer and are found in pockets. There is a lot of country between the pockets that you'll have to cover to find them. They are in those pockets before the season starts, then hunting pressure changes that even more.

Jeremy
Yes this is great info...only thing to add is don’t leave ek to find more elk. YouTube makes it look easy to leave a bull to find a bull who’ll respond and “play the game” although many guys have success this way.
 

Rourke__

FNG
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Jan 21, 2021
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Born and Raised Outdoors YouTube channel has a DIY elk hunt advice series including e-scouting. Also look at elk101’s e-scouting videos to try and find areas that might hold elk. Also recommend using gohunts filtering 2.0 feature to find which unit near Aurora is close and still good for hunting. I am doing my first elk hunt this fall and have been using these resources along with listening to podcasts by Remi Warren, Born and Raised and the ElkTalk podcast. Hope these help because I’ve learned a lot so far but nothing beats how much you learn being in the field.
 

87TT

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Idaho
Trail cameras would be waste of time. A week for your first time elk hunting will be a huge eye opening learning experience. A lottery ticket would be a surer thing. Don't over think it and just go learn. Be mobile and alert. I took up serious elk hunting late in life. My first year I hunted 26 days out of a 32 day season. I found elk after two weeks of hiking, climbing and glassing. That was after an old local cowboy gave me a tip on where he had seen elk while checking on some cows. Even then they schooled me. Best advice I can give is buy the Elknut APP and use it, I really like the record and playback for learning to call. Paul is a wealth of knowledge.

Seriously, click this link, thank me later.
 
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Gerbdog

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CO Springs
I agree with what others have said here, if you were out looking for a trophy and had all summer to play with cameras in different locations i'd say go for it, as its your first elk hunt, get out there and keep your feet moving til you find fresh green sh*t or you can smell elk in the area (you'll know it when you smell it). Even if you set up a trail cam on a wallow to see what was there... chances are you'd know an elk was there anyway by the way the wallow smelled... the cameras only gonna tell you what it looks like.
 

CMF

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May 8, 2019
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Mississippi
I've only hunted elk the last two archery seasons, but I could only see using a trail cam if you came out before season and set some just to see what's in the area. I wouldn't be wasting hunting time hiking to and from camera locations, that could easily burn an entire day and use energy you could be looking for hot sign and bugles.
 
OP
RockinRam96
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
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Location
Clifton Springs, NY
Thanks guys. It sounds like trail cams may be more work then a they are worth. Thanks for the in out. And thanks to those of you who suggested hunting areas.

I will start doing some more in-depth research and virtual scouting.

Thanks again!


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JJ147

FNG
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Jan 29, 2021
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Now, while I agree with most folks that a trail camera would be of little to no use; and most of the plethora of reasoning, I do have a use for a trail camera.

When I back country camp; hunting or otherwise; I pack the lightest/smallest trail camera I own.

When I set up my base camp, I use a camera to watch my base camp location, usually with my tent in center spotlight. It is always interesting to see what comes wandering through your base camp during the day and night.
 
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