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How far to move when you can't find them?

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How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby LDriver » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 1]

When you are hunting an area and there's no fresh sign/no elk seen or heard and the decision to move areas is made how far do you go? This something that I have been struggling with, do you go over a couple of drainages if possible or maybe the other side of a unit or pull out completely and hit a totally new area if that's possible (OTC tags)? Appreciate any insight anyone may have.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Jhg » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 2]

How well do you know the area? If I didn't know the area well that was elkless I would keep booting it until I did know it, then decide if and where to move. Making the decision before all the facts/topo savvy are in, is just gambling.

Knowing an area well you will know its just a matter of time/miles, then you will find them. The biggest mistake hunters make is never really knowing an area, always moving on when there are "no elk" to another area they also do not know very well.

If you move based on good sound info, do it sooner than later. The other big mistake is sticking to an area when they will not be returning to in your hunt window. But you have to know why/where besides no elk and the only way to do that is put in the time and the miles so the decision is fact based
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby LDriver » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 3]

Jhg wrote:How well do you know the area? If I didn't know the area well that was elkless I would keep booting it until I did know it, then decide if and where to move. Making the decision before all the facts/topo savvy are in, is just gambling.

Knowing an area well you will know its just a matter of time/miles, then you will find them. The biggest mistake hunters make is never really knowing an area, always moving on when there are "no elk" to another area they also do not know very well.

If you move based on good sound info, do it sooner than later. The other big mistake is sticking to an area when they will not be returning to in your hunt window. But you have to know why/where besides no elk and the only way to do that is put in the time and the miles so the decision is fact based


I've hunted the GMU for several years, but some of the areas I'm focusing on this year are in the wilderness area and I haven't hunted those specific areas in the past several years.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Swede » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 4]

It is good to know the habits of the elk that haunt the area you want to hunt. Some stick around a long time and just move around. Some are on a circuit and come around almost on schedule. Some can leave and come back with their cows in the later part of September.
I know of two ways to get the answer you need for the area you want to hunt. You can figure it out on your own through trial and error. At a minimum that takes (average 7) several years. The other way is to talk with someone(s) you trust who has hunted there. This is a situation where a service like Indian Summers hunt plans would pay, if you are willing to hunt an area he knows. If per chance you are hunting Oregon, send me a PM. Maybe I know something that could help.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Indian Summer » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 5]

Describe your area as best you can. All timber? Some openings? What’s the food source? How plentiful or scarce is water there? When someone says the word wilderness I always envision at least some barren country with lots of rocky areas often above timberline.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby LDriver » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 6]

Indian Summer wrote:Describe your area as best you can. All timber? Some openings? What’s the food source? How plentiful or scarce is water there? When someone says the word wilderness I always envision at least some barren country with lots of rocky areas often above timberline.

Hunting an area in South-Central CO. My initial hunting area is a drainage runs north to south with south side being highest in elevation, good creek bottom with some thick stuff and willows. NNW facing side has good dark timber with quite a bit of beetle kill, E facing side has a lot of open meadows above 11K'. Elevation of the drainage tops out at 12,200'. The area I'm describing is a side drainage for a larger creek, there are at least four other drainages that are similar to this one in the main creek bottom going in from the trailhead to over 6 miles in. I'm fairly certain the area holds elk during season, and have at least 5 other areas that I have at least e-scouted if not hunted before. I'm just trying to get ideas on how long to spend in a drainage looking for elk/sign before moving either to another drainage or picking up and moving areas in the GMU to find elk. One thing I'm really struggling with is how far to move from the initial site? I've got about 9 days set aside this year to hunt archery (16-25 Sept) so should be a good time to hunt. Appreciate any advice you good folks can provide.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Jhg » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 7]

You say you are sure it holds elk. Given that statement I would concentrate on the smaller drainage and combine it with the larger as your only focus. These kinds of areas are symbiotic - the elk use the total and its smaller parts to feed, but more importantly, to stay safe. Understand how and you have the golden key. But that is me. I like finding the overlooked niches and little safe pockets.
First thing I do is think like your standard hunter and then do the opposite. A great way to find elk.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby saddlesore » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 8]

Most of the time,these elk are holed up in some nasty out of the way territory. They are there, but hard to find. Especially in OTC unit. As Swede says, they may move in big circles. Here today, gone tomorrow or not there today and 50 elk here tomorrow
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Lefty » 08 02, 2022 •  [Post 9]

Some times elk wont leave much sign. and with heavy foliage they can be harder to find.
Sometimes and places you need to put some miles on your boots or time behind glass
this time of year look for the tall cool green grass for beds , or cool north slopes. You could be just walking around them ( or they are walking around you. )

Check out the local water for sign!
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Swede » 08 03, 2022 •  [Post 10]

There is a reason it takes an average of seven to ten years to start getting elk on a regular basis. There is a reason old goats are amazing their young counterparts. The key is knowledge. How can you get yours and will you pay the price?
From experience I can tell you the hardest, most expensive way to learn is to just go out on your own and start looking for elk. Maybe you are in the wrong area. Maybe you are just not doing something right. Who knows? It can become very discouraging. Getting an elk early, under these circumstances, is like winning the lottery. You just got lucky, but you cannot repeat your success very often.
Read everything you can, study and talk to seasoned hunters. If you can, book a guided elk hunt somewhere near where you want to go out on your own.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Old school » 08 03, 2022 •  [Post 11]

Not sure how you plan to setup camp - We setup camp by the truck as that allows you to be mobile if there aren’t elk in the couple drainages right around camp. We’ve also e-scouted 7-10 areas that look “elky” before we arrive at camp.(those areas may require driving 10-15 miles away from camp each morning) We then start out at spot”a” and work through the spots till we find elk. Some years it takes 40+ miles on our boots before we hear a bugle or find elk. We’ve also packed up camp after week 1 of hearing and seeing very little and then completely changed units. As others have said - it really helps if you’ve got some experience in your spot.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby 7mmfan » 08 03, 2022 •  [Post 12]

So from the gist of what I see submitted, the answer is... it depends :lol: I've been there before too. Not finding animals where I thought I would, clock starts ticking, I start scrambling. I've narrowed it down a little in the last few years though to a system that seems to help me find elk.

1. If I'm not finding elk, I will find a high point that I can glass as much country as possible and spend an early morning and late evening there just glassing. Often you will be able to spot animals doing this and narrow your efforts. Let your eyes do the walking for you if possible.

2. If that doesn't work. I do my best to find the hunters. If you can find where the bulk of the hunters are, you know where to avoid. Within a few days of the opener, the elk in the pressured areas have moved out and you can start focusing your efforts where others aren't. That doesn't have to be far away, it could be just a drainage or two over from the trail system. It could be across the river from the road, or over that nasty ridge that no one wants to climb.

3. Spend an evening at the local bar and see if you can find a local that's willing to talk. Buy him a few beers and really listen to him. He will rarely give you the answer to exactly where the elk are but he may give you some places to look. Specifically ask him the places to avoid.

4. Don't spend valuable time driving all over. The best way to kill an elk is in the woods, so stay in the woods.

I'll admit, when I start hunting a new area, I grid search it. I have a starting point and an end point for a certain area and I cover it all. Often that's just walking and glassing/listening, but I cover it all. When I'm satisfied that area isn't holding elk, I move to the next selected spot and do the same. In a week, I probably don't really cover that much ground but I'm confident that the ground I did cover doesn't have elk in it before I move to another spot. Like others have said, e-scout or mark on maps several elky looking areas and do your best to cover them all.

From what you describe, there is likely to be elk in your area somewhere, you'll just need to find them before someone else does.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby Jhg » 08 03, 2022 •  [Post 13]

7mmfan wrote:...

2. If that doesn't work. I do my best to find the hunters. If you can find where the bulk of the hunters are, you know where to avoid....

4. Don't spend valuable time driving all over. The best way to kill an elk is in the woods, so stay in the woods.

...you'll just need to find them before someone else does.


X2 to the third power.

That advice right there will give you the leg up on almost every hunter out there. It still amazes me how robotic in approach the majority of elk hunters can be, year after year, totally lacking in imagination.
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Re: How far to move when you can't find them?

Postby LDriver » 08 04, 2022 •  [Post 14]

I appreciate the insight that everyone has provided, I am going to take 7mmfan's advice and see what happens this year. Thanks again!!
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