What have you found on satalite images/maps?

[Lefty]

Ive discovered a number of water dugouts that were "new".
While scouting last year I saw a number of trails crossing an open area. I got on a satalite map and discovered this what ended up as a mineral lick.
I posted this pic once before,.. I just thought it was such a unique image
Post of discribe your finds

elk trails image (Small).jpg (85.53 KiB) Viewed 5838 times

[ORelksniper]

Crop circles. The aliens came in sometime early August and scared the elk down to the ranch. Damn ET.

Seriously though, I know my hunting area pretty well after all these years. One thing that does puzzle me. In a few of my spots the timber and brush are thick enough that the sky is barely visible. When I look at these same locations on sat images the ground is plainly visible (patchy but visible) and the forest does not look thick at all. The sat images were updated September 2012 so that's not the issue. What am I missing here?

[Swede]

Sniper, I do not remember any really "dark timber" stands in the area where you hunt. W. mountain and some of the Lodgepole stands nearby are fairly close. If you go north to the wilderness, it would also be fairly close to "dark timber", but even there you start off on the flat or south facing slopes for a long way. Where you hunt the elk bed, then get up and move as the sun changes locations, so they can stay in the shade. In good dark timber areas, an animal should be able to stay in the shade for hours without moving around, and the ground temperatures should be significantly cooler, than surrounding open areas. on hot sunny days. In the area you hunt, there are few if any areas, where I think you would notice any serious cooling effect within the heaviest cover, unless you go into a narrow draw and get close to a stream. Even then I would have my doubts. I hope this helps.
Note for anyone interested: What is being referred to as "dark timber" is not found in 5-10 acre patches. It has to be significantly larger. It is most often found on north facing slopes. The stand has a "closed canopy", where sunlight doens not get through to the ground very much at all, is often multilavered. It needs to be large enough so that the interior is insolated from surrounding open warmer areas. Wind is restricted in theses areas. The characteristics I have just shared in combination, make the timber stand appealing as a bedding and hiding area for elk. The size of the stand, aspect of the slope, closed often multi-layered canopy, is why it is cooler, and what makes it "dark timber."

[ORelksniper]

Thanks, Swede. What you're saying makes sense when I think about my AO. Dark timber and coolness is a matter of perspective (mine vs the elk). Gotta start strategizing differently.

[Swede]

An important point I failed to make above is that elk do not require dark timber for their bedding areas. Elk can and do even bed in the treeless desert. Dark timber is preferred during hot weather, but they will use what is available. They like shady areas, north slopes, benches in good cover, but can bed whereever they find a little flat area in the shade if necessary. The elk are bedding in Sniper's area. Look for the beds on in the timbered areas on benches especially noth slopes, but don't overlook timbered areas on generally south facing slopes where the mountain has aspects that face east or west. Mountain mahogany thickets can contain bedded elk. While you are looking, check for spots with several fresh rubs in the area, and recent beds. A good dense stand of timber overlooking a waterhole in good cover can be a nice find. That is where I set most of my tree stands. Check trails coming in when you check out the waterhole.
Where I hunt, I am familiar with the bedding areas, so what I look for is what is using the known waterholes nearby. I don't like to disturb the bedding areas and push out the elk if I don't have to. If you need to scout them, go in early in the AM and get out early, or go in after sunset.

[cnelk]

Last year when i was aerial scouting for my GMU 61 hunt, I found this tree that looked like a tree stand had been there before




Alas! When I hiked into tho spot,
One had been there!

[buglmin]

What satelite imaging are you guys using? Now im very very curiuos...with whats going on, I have lots of time on my hands...

[ORelksniper]

Buglmin, I use Google Earth and Acme Mapper.

[>>>---WW---->]

Hey Brad! I'd almost bet ya that I could take you to that same exact waterhole. If not, I know of one that looks just like it.

[cnelk]

Bill
Why would you need to take me to that waterhole?
I already know where its at!

[Swede]

Cnelk's waterhole is a typical developed stock watering pond in habitat that looks familiar. In our hunting area the ponds get used by both cattle and elk, but after the cattle come in, the elk shy away. Brad's pond does not look like it was getting heavy use when the aerial phopo was taken. When they are getting heavy use, the water usually looks a lot muddier. The cow elk and calves will run into the water and drink and play around keeping the water riled up. Water flow and soil types can change how muddy the water may look after a short time.

I have found that these ponds in the relative open areas get used mostly by elk cows and calves. It would be interesting to have a trail camera there for a couple weeks to see what and when animals are coming in. I sometimes set up early in the season at a place like this, but take down my stand in a few days, as elk use tapers off rapidly as hunting pressure moves the elk away. Of coarse this is Brad's turf and I would be interested in his observations and experience here. When did you take the ground level photo? Is the tree where the stand was still getting used? Do you know when the hunter is there? And lastly, how many elk have you shot here?

[>>>---WW---->]

Well Brad, you ain't getting any younger. So just in case you forget where it is, I will always be here to show ya!

[Solitude]

Outfitter tents

[cnelk]

In response to Swede's post...

The first evening we were there, 'herb' and I snuck into the pond to set up my tree stand, the pond was FULL of cows, calves and spikes.
We couldnt even get to the pond to set it up as we didnt want to spook them.

I took the tree pic from the ground in July, set up a trail camera too, but that malfunctioned and I didnt get any pics.

The tree appeared to have been used in recent years, along with a nearby aspen tree that also had old tree steps installed.
So I quickly deduced it probably is a good spot...

Since I decided to hunt the early part of the season, my intent was to keep an eye on the cows as the bulls would be in the area very soon...
I ended up shooting my bull just a few hundred yards from the water hole 3 days later...

[Swede]

Thanks. That pond area looks interesting. I like to look them over as you have. Just keep WW out of there. You never know when you may get another opportunity for a bull if he is not around in a tree or a ground blind. LOL

[Buglemaster]

I dunno about WW, but Brad will be waiting 13-15 years to draw that tag again.I'm hoping to find it this year tho.. Bill, why dont you come on over & point me in the right direction...Bring your pack cuz were gonna need it!

[>>>---WW---->]

Don't worry Dave I've got your back. If you draw I have lots of information for ya if I can find all my maps of the area.