Hunting Known Elk

[Swede]

It is often said our elk hunting success largely comes when we know the land and elk that live there. Given a choice I would rather hunt one elk that lives in a 10 square mile area than 2,000 that live in a hunting unit I do not know. I have read that you cannot pattern elk, but you can. Their pattern is not like a Whitetail. Their area is much larger, and they cover far more area. Their patterns are just bigger.
Why do you think you agree with my statement or disagree?

[RanchoSueno]

While I don't disagree, I do have a small group of cows that hole up in one unit and you do have to hunt them like whitetail. They stick to a very tight routine running from blm to private and bed on a bench above the main trail. They cruise in like clockwork around 9 AM to bed and almost always have a west/northwest wind to bust you trying to sneak in on their elevation. One time I crawled through all of the scrub oak on the east/south side and dropped in from above them. It was awesome but also grueling. I think one could do well to access from bottom in the early morning dark, get above their bedding and stand hunt them like whitetail. I haven't succeeded though
I usually give up and go chase elk I've never met in country I haven't walked lol

[saddlesore]

All depends on how much hunter pressure they see.There are small, resident herds in places that don't go far, but if they get blown out of there enough times,they ain't coming back.

There are a lot of guys that go "scouting " and run into elk, then wonder why those same elk are not there in hunting season.

[Indian Summer]

I got three things from that. My options are knowing the pattern of one elk like a deer, searching for a good number of elk in a big area I know nothing about, or…. hunting MY area where there might not be as many. I’ll take C. They eat 20 pound a day and they like girl elk. I don’t care if there are only a dozen in there. I only need one and I think I can find him. Plus, I’ll have fun doing it. There’s no place like home.

[Lefty]

It is often said our elk hunting success largely comes when we know the land and elk that live there. Given a choice I would rather hunt one elk that lives in a 10 square mile area than 2,000 that live in a hunting unit I do not know. I have read that you cannot pattern elk, but you can. Their pattern is not like a Whitetail. Their area is much larger, and they cover far more area. Their patterns are just bigger.
Why do you think you agree with my statement or disagree?

I truly believe some elk pick up on us hunters patterned too

I use to hunt the Idaho Big desert.patterns were easily identified and consistent until something interferes.

Patterns, habits or conditions are all broken by the simplest things, deer at the watertank, a pesky angus bull along the fence, and airplane, geese flying overhear, wind, thunder, coyotes A ranch truck, ATV, summer snow, deep late season snow, heavy melt,,, and on and on and on