Thermals and glassing spot—WY

Joined
Jun 19, 2020
Messages
29
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Doing some e scouting and found a spot to glass at about 7500 ft. The area that I’m looking at in Wyoming peaks out at about 8500.

I believe the elk will be feeding in pastures below me at 5000 ft or at a meadow around 6500-7000 ft. Do I want to be above them at first light? Won’t the thermals be blowing down in the morning until 9-10? The meadow won’t be visible glassing up hill.

Or Do I glass from the truck until after first light and then make my way up the mountain if they are not down low while the thermals are still blowing down?

I could be completely wrong about the feeding area, but it’s a limited tag HMA so my guess is that the elk are feeding on some of this private land at some point and hence the reason for the HMA?


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Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
You can’t pretend thermals don’t exist. You always have to play the wind. Personally I like to glass across a drainage sitting on one slope looking across to the other side. Not a worry in the world.
 

jmez

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,404
Location
Piedmont, SD
Use the elevation to find them, then you need to hunt them from below or stay far enough to the side of them that they can't catch your wind. You don't want to be straight above where you think they will be.

It is always a guessing game until you figure out the approximate time the thermals switch. Spot them early try to get down below and hunt them up. You may get caught when they switch.

If a new area I would spend the first day watching the wind, thermals, and elk. Plan accordingly for the next morning. You run the risk of pressure screwing this up however. I try to stay far enough to the side of them while moving that the thermals don't matter until they stabilize. Then start moving in close.
 
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