tip for elk hunting in the snow

[Chirogrow]

Im about to head out for my first rifle elk hunt in the snow. I have always hunted archery elk but wanted to mix it up. What are some tips you guys have for elk and snow. Do your experience tell you that snow means the elk move on to places with out snow or does it not seem to bug them?

 

[theleo91386]

A water proof pad to sit on while you're glassing is essential.

 

[Indian Summer]

Gaiters. Snow camo if you’re going to sneak in open country.

Whether elk choose to move down or stay on south slopes depends on how much snow and how cold it gets. If you know areas where elk stage before dropping down they are priceless. You can go to the same spot every day because tomorrow is always a new day with elk on the move.

 

[wytx]

Snow shoes, gaiters and a sled to haul it out. Lighter colored camo also is a good idea as mentioned.
Post holing through snow will trash your legs for days after.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

He didn’t mind it ;-)

 

[One-shot]

Hunting elk in snow depends on a few factors:

Depth - if snow isn't too deep (or even sometimes when it is) elk will still be in their late fall areas. They love to chill. Even on heavy snow years we've seen elk chillin' on ridge tops with apparently no grazing in site.
If snow is deep, mid-shin or higher, elk may be coming down to lower grazing areas. Look for bluffs where wind has blown to expose edible bunch grasses. Within treed areas there's usually less snow, so elk can hide, eat, bed down...

Weather - I've rarely seen elk on south facing slopes (except for the bull I shot in this pic, but he was headed to a north slope to bed down in shelter and shade). Find the pockets of Aspens or other cover on north and east slopes.

Gear - Bring snowshoes, and depending upon terrain, a cheap kids plastic sled from Walmart to slide your elk out. I've nver used the sled, but here it works pretty well.
Water is key. We lose a lot hydration in winter so carry plenty to drink if you're hiking for hours. Assuming you have good boots, clothing...

With elk, as you know, no matter what high and deep is the general terrain rule.

 

[Indian Summer]

Maybe d shin snow depth is nothing to elk. It’ll be above your knees before they start looking downhill. Especially the bulls. I’ve killed them in snow to my crotch!

 

[Wrench]

It depends on the feed. If they are eating grasses a foot is a big deal....if you're in North Idaho type terrain they can hold up in some deep 3-6' snow and love it.

 

[Young Blood]

Will you be hunting cows or bulls? Generally, the cows will move down to lower elevations sooner than the bulls. As others have said, it can take a lot of snow to get them to move. If it melts some and re-freezes and you get a hard layer of ice on top of the snow it will get them to move with much less snow depth.

I love hunting elk in the snow. Nothing better then cutting a fresh track in fresh snow and sneaking along until you come up on them bedded! I will second what others have said though... it will wear you out hiking in deep snow all day long.

 

[Indian Summer]

No doubt Young Blood! I’ve shot several bulls in their beds. Outsmarting them like that is fun.

 

[Chirogrow]

Will you be hunting cows or bulls? Generally, the cows will move down to lower elevations sooner than the bulls. As others have said, it can take a lot of snow to get them to move. If it melts some and re-freezes and you get a hard layer of ice on top of the snow it will get them to move with much less snow depth.

I love hunting elk in the snow. Nothing better then cutting a fresh track in fresh snow and sneaking along until you come up on them bedded! I will second what others have said though... it will wear you out hiking in deep snow all day long.

I'll be hunting cows

 

[Fullfan]

Find a track, keep the wind in your face..

 

[wytx]

Some wintering actually don't need much snow to push the elk down. They seems to know it's about to start piling up so they head down with a good early-ish snow.
They will favor the wind blown slopes as mentioned.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

This is my first year, so take what I say as just from my limited experience of cow hunting in WY in a very cold spell at the end of Oct..

Where we found elk:
After a lot of very cold days with a few snow systems having come through (bare to 10inches accumulated) a lot of elk had come down to the lower elevations of 6500-7500ft. On day following a cold night (-16 to 8) we were lucky to find the elk sunning on the south facing slopes. I actually saw this also in a Sept. archery elk hunt this year in higher elevations of 10,500ft. After a snow night and temps down into 15's, we were surprised to see about 6 small groups of elk throughout a distant south facing mountainside where the snow hadn't accumulated and was warmer.

Each of these south facing slopes were close to a north slope or drainage where there was lots of timber, where I assume they can bed and spend the days if warmer.

I'm going back to WY tomorrow to close the deal after trying to take a short cut last time (crossing too much open ground instead of walking 1-2 miles extra to get around the elk in the wind) and getting busted at 467yards.

Clothing:
If glassing, which of course you'll want to do, I'd recommend being well prepared to keep your hands and feet warm.
Hands - I used the chemical hand warmers for the first time and it saved them. Picked up some mittens for this trip as my hands run cold when stopped. People also always say to keep your core warm to help circulation.
Feet - We used sleeping bags draped over our feet and also tried to keep them on my foam sitting mat, as I could feel the cold seeping up through the sole of the boot (mine are non-insulated).

Whatever your method, we didn't want cold feet or hands to keep us from glassing.

Good luck and have fun!

Steve

 

[BrianReno]

Hands - I used the chemical hand warmers for the first time and it saved them. Picked up some mittens for this trip as my hands run cold when stopped. People also always say to keep your core warm to help circulation.
Feet - We used sleeping bags draped over our feet and also tried to keep them on my foam sitting mat, as I could feel the cold seeping up through the sole of the boot (mine are non-insulated).

Definitely great advise, as soon as your hands or feet get cold it's a struggle from there.

 

[Marble]

No doubt Young Blood! I’ve shot several bulls in their beds. Outsmarting them like that is fun.

Fresh snow to me means almost a guarantee of killing a bull. Especially the day after a storm.

I can't think of time in the last 10 plus years where I didnt kill a bull the day after a big storm.

Cut tracks, follow, kill.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

PS - just back from Wyoming and while it was nowhere near as cold as last time, the mittens were fantastic. I could wear my medium weight merino wool gloves from OR, which worked for OnX, zippers, etc. and then when the wind picked up and it got cold, I could put my hands in the mittens without having to remove my merino gloves. So when I needed to take them out for some dexterity, they wouldn't be bare freeze in a couple minutes.

in case someone has cold hands like me when still, the Mittens I picked up are the
RBH Vapor Mitts

Vapor Mitt

Our Vapor Mitts are designed as a system with a choice of three swappable liners, Fleece, Hybrid and our Altitude liner. Our Vapor Mitt shells are constructed from 200 denier high-tenacity oxford that has been treated with a waterproof coating to withstand the harshest abuse. All nylon parts are...

www.rbhdesigns.com

Super nice family operation. Answered a call on Sunday and made a point to ship them out right away so they'd be here in time for my hunt. More than I wanted to spend, but cold hands are miserable so was worth it.

Cheers

s

 

[madeinusa4]

Great info!

 

[Wassid82]

my experience with hunting elk in snow is good warm/waterproof gear. You can only hunt as long as you can stay out in the elements. I would make sure I had good boots, gaiters, gloves, and outer layer. I stay out all day everyday even if I have to make a fire under a tree as a quick weather pattern moves through. Animals will stay out later in the morning and come out to feed earlier in the day. If you are able to tolerate inconvenient weather then I bet you get a shot. good luck

 

[Jimss]

Wear white camo, Elk can see your human profile for miles if wearing regular camo...especially in open country!