Summer Scouting

[Swede]

If you are fortunate enough to get to scout your hunting area before your hunt, what do you look for? Do you want to find elk and maybe see a big bull? Are you looking for just fresh sign and are satisfied knowing elk are in the area? I hope to make a early to mid-July trip this year. That is a month to two-month lead on my actual hunting trip. Changes can change a lot in that time, but the evidence from the past will remain.

Here is what I look for regardless of how I will be hunting. Since I do not hunt in knee deep snow or late season, evidence of elk use during the time I will be there is critical. I do not care to see an elk or for that matter fresh sign. I like to see trails and elk rubs. Rubs along game trails are great. Elk rub larger trees and bushes than bucks do. There is some overlap, but if you ae paying attention the difference will become obvious. Wallows and springs that show evidence of late summer use are valuable. Visiting workers and locals from the area can be helpful. I like to share the general nonspecific things I have observed and see what I get for feedback. I don't trust answers to questions about how good the hunting is or where are the bulls. "Why", "what" and "how" questions are better than "do", "when" and "where". It may be just me, but I trust the answers to "why" questions more than the "where" ones.
Hiking around will reveal closely what is out in an area. A trail camera will give me more specifics if needed.

So what are your plans and what will you look for?

[Lefty]

last years scrapes and wallows with dark cool bedding areas

[Jhg]

Poof

[saddlesore]

I don't know if I would call it scouting but if in a new area, I might go in to familiarize myself with the country. What I saw from last years evidence, had little to do with the elk this year. Too many things can change to screw up a hunt. People camping too close to great elk habitat, hunters scouting thru bedding areas, setting up camps with all the stake pounding, yelling ,wood cutting, outfitters moving thru with big strings of pack stock, recreational hikers and campers, etc.

Whether it is 2-3 miles from a road, or 7-8miles back in. Finding out where the elk go when the hoards of hunters hit the local is more important. You can only do that during the hunting season and it takes few years to figure it out.

When hunting muzzle loader season, even that first week of archery season has them moving out of their familiar area with every Tom,Dick ,and Harry squeezing their Hoochi Mama calls.. By the time center fire rifles season rolls around, they are tucked in those nasty areas that they feel safe in.

Packing in to fish a high mountain lake is more productive IMHO. This coming year I will find a comfortable stump to sit on, not too far from where my mule is tied, and enjoy being out. If an elk walks by, I might take it home with me.

[Jhg]

That sounds good to me Vince. I would not be too surprised if a nice one walks by. Sometimes life is like that. Relax, don't worry, and good things happen.

[Elkhunttoo]

We have one area we need to look and see if we can find tree stand spot.

For me scouting this summer is going to be more preparation for my tree stand spots.

[Jhg]

Today

[Jhg]

We

[Jhg]

Alas

[Jhg]

Elk

[Elkhunttoo]

Nice pics!!

[Jhg]

Nothing

[Swede]

Jhg, you are going to have to go in there and thin out that herd. You will need to hurry as the bull clusters break up real early in the season.