Moving before first light

Randle

WKR
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
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2,176
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Nope
I am hunting as soon as I leave the truck or camp . I have run into elk 100 yards from there so no need to push them further away . I don't have glassing spots, it's north idaho you know.
 

Rangerpants

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 9, 2020
Messages
142
Location
Really Northern California
I am hunting as soon as I leave the truck or camp . I have run into elk 100 yards from there so no need to push them further away . I don't have glassing spots, it's north idaho you know.
Good point. In some places I hunt blacktails I do the same thing. It really depends on where you are. In open country, I like getting up high prior to light, but in the thick stuff, there really isn't a point unless you already know where a big one lives and have to move in the dark just to be closer in the morning.
 

WCB

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
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3,249
I didn't know there was even a question around this? A main tactic rifle elk hunting has always been get above some meadows or around a saddle before light and wait.
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2018
Messages
889
Location
Wyoming
I am hunting as soon as I leave the truck or camp . I have run into elk 100 yards from there so no need to push them further away . I don't have glassing spots, it's north idaho you know.
Opening day of archery this year I drove up to a spot I like to start from about 60 min before light. I got out and heard crashing noises about 300y away. Turned out there were 6 bulls all fighting and a big dude watching.

Then later in the day I was in dead fall city just crunching and making a ton of noise and not really hunting. Bumped a decent bull who I may have seen if I had been paying better attention.

So, bottom line, always be hunting even when you're not hunting.
 

Randle

WKR
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Dec 30, 2012
Messages
2,176
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Nope
Yep 2 years ago hunted all morning got within 100yards of my truck crawled out of the white fir sapling jungle to see a 5 point bull standing there looking at me, and there he was ..... gone
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
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986
I always try to be in first glassing point before first light. Not sunrise, preferably an hour before, or 30 minutes before shooting light. That being said, I sometimes don't get that far. Even where you know the place, if the hike is a hard one, it usually takes longer than expected. Yesterday's hike was 3 hours. I didn't quite make it where I wanted to. Last year in the same spot, I didn't get to my planned spot in time, but I got to a point and saw the two deer below me, one of which was looking at me. I got lucky and took them. This year, no deer to be seen. Maybe they weren't there. Maybe I was too late.
 

Gerbdog

WKR
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
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816
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CO Springs
All depends on the spot for me, i have hunting spots i wouldnt dare hike very far in in the dark and others i dont think it would be a problem. As someone mentioned above, i stopped calling before light as ive had them come in a half hour before hunting hours and then leave again also. I usually try and get in to where i think there is a possibility of elk and then sit and listen in the dark, let them talk on their own but i dont push past even the first area i think there will be elk, i've bumped them in the dark before doing that.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
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4,807
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Colorado
I’ve never had any success being anywhere before first light except being cold sitting somewhere. This is for any animal, stalking or sitting in a stand or blind. I understand the purpose, but it doesn’t seem to work for me where I hunt.
 

bigharge

WKR
Joined
Jan 25, 2017
Messages
915
Location
Texas
My best success for elk has been sleeping in but that’s probably just because it happens more than waking up early, so just a matter of percentages.

I will say last week I had pinpointed a spot I thought a herd of elk would be opening morning. And low and behold they were there, unfortunately I mistimed how long it would take my son to make the hike and we were about 30 minutes away from being in position to shoot. So my advice is leave a little earlier just make sure lol


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