Hunting heavily forested areas

[AirborneEScouter]

Appreciate the insight guys. A lot more run and gun using more than just glass. I've gotten a lot more comfortable with my thoughts going into this hunt because of this thread!

 

[el_jefe_pescado]

Tricky for sure. Spend time zoomed in on a pure topo, also reference tools with slope shading. In elk country, a flat area large enough for a few elk to bed with be used as a bedding area, at least from time to time. You can cross reference these spots with an app that has sun angles and probably figure out what time of day these areas are used. If it’s a south facing slope and it’s 80 degrees, it’s probably N/A. If it’s a NW aspect and it’s 80 degrees, it’s probably good in the morning. Get into position, wait for thermals to shift, stall downhill.

X2

Dark timber is your friend. That little hidden bench *that you can only see on a pure topo* becomes an elk love shack during the mid morning hours. I too am partial to a combination of still hunting and calling in these types of areas but only with a good upsloping thermal. Don’t forget to hunt with your nose too…


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[AGPank]

Growing up as a rifle hunter I wasted many years archery hunting trying to sit where I can see. Elk love thick country. The ElkNut app and podcasts are a wealth of information. Practice calling now. Getting into bow range without that is much harder. I’m more successful sneaking in timber than aspen. I seem to spook elk at 50 yards in the aspen and hear them leaving.


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[BeastOfTheTrees]

I have always wanted to hunt deep timber elk like in Washington or northern Idaho, maybe cabinets in Montana, (heard it’s thick in there)

 

[nphunter]

Dark timber is what we hunt 90% of the time. The only time I take binos is if I’m looking for a big bull and don’t want to chase dinks. My buddy will shoot any elk so most of the time the binos stay in the vehicle. We call a lot, move and call some more. Look for places other people don’t want to go, doesn’t need to be deep or far from a road just crappy access. Steep, thick or have to cross a creek or something, River drainages can be productive because most of the time you can’t hear a bugle unless your close, we just cover ground in these spots bugling and normally when we get an answer you can hear over the water we’re close.

Good luck, IMO your way better off to over call than to under call, especially if your after any legal elk.