Different then i Thought

[Elkhunttoo]

In 2022 we hung 3 stands in what i felt were the best three spots at that time. 2 water holes. 1 bedding area.

Now going into 2026 we only use 1 of the 3 areas. The other two areas are both still good areas that elk use, but they are harder areas to tree stand hunt without bumping the elk with the approach. Now i feel more confident staying out of those 2 areas, letting the elk be elk in that area. Both tree stands were in the same draw. It is a harder draw for hunters to get into due to ledges at the bottom.

I am learning over the years that getting into your stand undetected so that you can be confident in your sit is almost as important as your stands location.

What are some things that you have noticed that are different then you thought when you started stand hunting?

[Swede]

I used to read how elk hunter would travel miles into the back country to get away from other hunters. "The elk get pushed back from the roads" and such ideas was the common thought. Whereas there is some truth there, there is also a lot of bad information there too. Hunting pressure and other predators push elk away from an area. Loggers, vehicle traffic and other confined activities do not bother them much. The elk get used to that and will come out close to roads, feed in fields and go about their normal routine if they are not chased. They normally stop not far away if you just "bump" them.

I agree that where and how you access your stand is very important. I usually prefer to go straight up or down to my stand. I have a friend that was never seeing elk at one stand location. I had placed my stand there before and found it to be a good location. He admitted there was usually fresh elk sign in the area, but he never saw any. I asked where he was parking his truck and where he walked to get to his stand. After hearing his answer, I told him he was spreading his scent all throughout the area the elk were in as he walked out the easy ridge he followed. I showed him another place to park where he had to climb up on the back side of that ridge, but once on top he just had a short drop down. He started killing elk and a bear there shortly after that. How and where you access your stand is important. I have often found that accessing my stand going up or down a draw is best. Don't sidehill or follow along a ridge when the wind to blowing into your hunt and tree stand area.