First time elk hunter, first time hunting period, need help identifying sign!

Deadfall

WKR
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,526
Location
Montana
If you find standing water that has been laid in with mud banks. Sit on it. If the water is clear and mud is caked dry. Note it but don't hang long. If mud is wet and water stirred up. Hang around that area.
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
After you’ve done that a few times and got eyes in the fleeing animal you’ll be able to tell by the sound what it was that you just blew out. We always hope to hear bounding so we can say “it was just a deer”.
I’ve bumped a few moose in the last couple weeks out scouting and it sounded similar to that but whatever it was it was definitely bigger then a deer as it sound like it was tearing down any tree in its way. If I had to guess I’d say it was a moose as I’ve seen a bunch in this general area the last 2 weeks.
 

Deadfall

WKR
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,526
Location
Montana
Honestly early season. Be patient. Find a decent looking trail close to water. Get 5he windswept you think is right. Nestle down out of the way and read a good book.
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
If you find standing water that has been laid in with mud banks. Sit on it. If the water is clear and mud is caked dry. Note it but don't hang long. If mud is wet and water stirred up. Hang around that area.
That skeleton I found was at the edge of a large meadow just about 2/300yds from a fairly large lake. Pretty much every meadow basin type area in this spot has and is holding water so it’s tough to pinpoint one exactly on where to be. I think opening day I’ll go back up to this area and hang around the area and just sit and see if I can turn anything up.

Do elk have any preference in water source if they have a choice between all of them larger lake, running stream and creeks or smaller standing ponds etc?
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
Have you spent some time in this area yet just sitting still within a Shadow... backed up against something which breaks-up your outline... with a good Field-Of-View in front of you which contains one of these spots you've happened to find more fresher looking large clumps like that?

Where your sit spot doesn't have your scent blowing across where you found that evidence.

Also... have you been looking at your watch and noticing the wind direction changes at different times of the day while you're in there? You're going to need to start noting that kind of information. It'll come in handy when it's go-time when you're formulating and adjusting your game plan.
I have been trying to pay attention to wind, as I’m scouting I’ll kind of stop and think of a scenario in my head like if I spotted an elk a couple hundred yards away across the way how would I approach it with the wind and terrain etc stuff like that but haven’t been really looking at exact times. But I definitely Notice when the sun comes up and especially when it goes down you can feel the wind come rushing down the mountain sides when you’re out in the open for sure.
 

Deadfall

WKR
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,526
Location
Montana
If not pressured. Not particularly. Animals like the path of least resistance. They also like knobs/benches. Early season the mature bulls will be hanging out alone and out of the way. Benches with water near by is where I would start.

Try not to sit too close to the water unless you can get steady wind.

Early morning if nothing is talking dont call a bunch. Work up to highest water.

Probably be several trails you cross. If any of those trails have fresh ish looking tracks stop for awhile and hang out. Mostly just listen. Take note of direction track is pointed.

If you have a map wether paper or onx. Mark all the water you find. Mark the benches/knows.

Mark the trails with goodd tracks.

When sitting look all that over. After enough boot miles you'll be able to narrow down some likely hangouts.

Little blind calling as you go is good. May not get a response right away, but itll set you up for later in day. Just because they ain't talking doesn't mean they ain't listening.

Calling tactics vary between hunters.
Personally ill bugle maybe twice early in morning. Its just a one or 2 note whistle. Locator stuff looking for cows.

Rest of day everytime I stop ill cow chirp 3 or 4 times and mix in a half ass estreaous call. Then sit atleast half hour. But I try to stay put longer like 1.5 hours.

If they around they are listening. In mornings you may be far off to peak curiousity, but in afternoon when you up close to their level they'll start getting more interested.

In afternoon when you are high. Hopefully above where they want to bed. Then start side hill. Continuing with soft chirpy stuff and alot of patience.

This is for early part of season.

How ling to side hill is a judgment call. If you can finding a decent use trail, work back down to it.

On a different note. If you get a bull to answer. Move toward him immediately by 50 yards at first. From there on, every time you call move alitlle. 20 yards upwind from where you called at. And toward him.

Usually 60 yards is there hangup spot. So if theres some thick stuff that he has to come through to see you, all the better. Just make sure you have good lanes.

Before you call, have an idea of where you want to be next.

Within all this are lots of variables. But you'll find your process with time.

Very cool you are out and about in this wacky obsession. Welcome...enjoy...
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
If not pressured. Not particularly. Animals like the path of least resistance. They also like knobs/benches. Early season the mature bulls will be hanging out alone and out of the way. Benches with water near by is where I would start.

Try not to sit too close to the water unless you can get steady wind.

Early morning if nothing is talking dont call a bunch. Work up to highest water.

Probably be several trails you cross. If any of those trails have fresh ish looking tracks stop for awhile and hang out. Mostly just listen. Take note of direction track is pointed.

If you have a map wether paper or onx. Mark all the water you find. Mark the benches/knows.

Mark the trails with goodd tracks.

When sitting look all that over. After enough boot miles you'll be able to narrow down some likely hangouts.

Little blind calling as you go is good. May not get a response right away, but itll set you up for later in day. Just because they ain't talking doesn't mean they ain't listening.

Calling tactics vary between hunters.
Personally ill bugle maybe twice early in morning. Its just a one or 2 note whistle. Locator stuff looking for cows.

Rest of day everytime I stop ill cow chirp 3 or 4 times and mix in a half ass estreaous call. Then sit atleast half hour. But I try to stay put longer like 1.5 hours.

If they around they are listening. In mornings you may be far off to peak curiousity, but in afternoon when you up close to their level they'll start getting more interested.

In afternoon when you are high. Hopefully above where they want to bed. Then start side hill. Continuing with soft chirpy stuff and alot of patience.

This is for early part of season.

How ling to side hill is a judgment call. If you can finding a decent use trail, work back down to it.

On a different note. If you get a bull to answer. Move toward him immediately by 50 yards at first. From there on, every time you call move alitlle. 20 yards upwind from where you called at. And toward him.

Usually 60 yards is there hangup spot. So if theres some thick stuff that he has to come through to see you, all the better. Just make sure you have good lanes.

Before you call, have an idea of where you want to be next.

Within all this are lots of variables. But you'll find your process with time.

Very cool you are out and about in this wacky obsession. Welcome...enjoy...
A lot of good info and tips. I’ll try and keep that in mind if I can keep any semblance of composure during an encounter ha
 

Deadfall

WKR
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
1,526
Location
Montana
If your patient and persistent you'll have encounters.. biggest thing is just don't quit. Get frustrated and tired, take a nap
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
you got the right mindset. Work at it, but have fun. Cussing squirrels seems to help...lol
I’ll keep that in mind about the squirrels, I did have a super close encounter with a nice 6x6 last September out hiking ran into him and about 6 cows as I turned a corner on a trail at maybe 5/10 yds waaaay closer then I’d like to be peak rut with no weapon ha and he bugled in my face as the cows scurried away and then he followed ive also had a lot of close encounters with moose especially the last couple weeks. I know it’s not the same as when you’re actually trying to kill one but I’m hoping that will help some as I won’t have the shock of the first time seeing one and hearing one bugle and being amazed at their size will be when looking through my peep sight haha.
This is the bull I ran into last fall just out hiking I think it was sept 19
 

Attachments

  • 484D3F18-B153-4508-B08C-CEB9F0D7FAC9.jpeg
    484D3F18-B153-4508-B08C-CEB9F0D7FAC9.jpeg
    296.7 KB · Views: 24

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
Wow.. now ya see... you even have the luck of having actually seen a buck beforehand! When I decided I wanted to begin this whole hunting thing... oh man.. it was frustrating as HELL! I'd seen like 25 Mule Deer Does in 3 different zones altogether over the 1yr and 13days of scouting often 4 x A Month and minimum 2 x a Month all year long. And the very first time I ever saw a Mule Deer buck with my own two eyes? Oh yes... best believe I took that Mofo home with me!

So hey man... you've already got quite the leg up here. Just know that if you invest the time and make sure you're out there BEFORE the sun comes up... and stay until absolute end of legal shooting time.... you will eventually make it happen.
 
OP
M
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
73
Wow.. now ya see... you even have the luck of having actually seen a buck beforehand! When I decided I wanted to begin this whole hunting thing... oh man.. it was frustrating as HELL! I'd seen like 25 Mule Deer Does in 3 different zones altogether over the 1yr and 13days of scouting often 4 x A Month and minimum 2 x a Month all year long. And the very first time I ever saw a Mule Deer buck with my own two eyes? Oh yes... best believe I took that Mofo home with me!

So hey man... you've already got quite the leg up here. Just know that if you invest the time and make sure you're out there BEFORE the sun comes up... and stay until absolute end of legal shooting time.... you will eventually make it happen.
I was out last night scouting and wanted to walk back to the truck before it got dark but I remembered what everyone on these podcasts I listen to say you have to stay untill it’s actually dark and you can’t see anything so I did. I think most people won’t admit but it’s a little sketchy walking through the mountains in the pitch black and prolly the reason most people want to hike out before they truly have too, I have no problem admitting that it’s a bit nerve racking bumbling through the mountains in the pitch black and at least I got my first experience of running into something massive in the dark out of the way right away haha.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,263
Location
OC, CA
For the most part you don't have to worry about the hike back out, in terms of other critters. For the most part... Humans are loud as F*ck when we walk thru the forest. And especially when you're sportin' the Headlamp? Naw man... most other things are like bump that, I don't wanna have nothing to do with whatever the hell that is!

But yeah.. I feel ya man... it feels real nervy the first number of times you're doing it. But like... after a while? You start to appreciate the pluses of hiking in the dark in the cool temps. Err.. well...at least where I go ya do... whoo boy lemme tell ya!

There was one time I was scouting in like July... I thinking checking game cams (BTW...DEFINITELY get you some TrailCams!!) and on the way back out... (was July so I was only interested in checking the cams, not staying til dark, so left during daylight still) man.. I was feeling really out of it. Was being all hard on myself... chastizing myself, assuming it was from being in lesser shape. Had to stop several times in the shade of a bush or tree and drop the pack and just let the heat build-up get out, ya know?

Wasn't till I got back to the truck and turned the key and saw that it was 116 F... and then I was like "Oh... Ok... That explains it!"
 
Last edited:
Top