Pros and Cons, Thick vs Open

[WapitiTalk1]

What are the pros and cons of hunting extremely thick areas versus semi open terrain? When I say thick, I mean thick.... jungles of coastal WA/OR, alder and huckleberry hell of northern ID/MT thick. When I refer to open, I'm talking areas where you can actually glass from high and have a diversity of open hillsides, expansive timber pockets, aspen groves, etc. (CO, southern ID/MT, WY, AZ, eastern OR, perhaps even UT). What are the good and the bad (referring to elk hunting of course) of hunting each of these types of areas. For this ultra scientific poll/discussion, let's say we're talking about bow hunting the last few weeks in September. Sorry rifle guys, we'll have to save your thoughts for another thread

[Still Hunter]

I always see this. Everybody thinks Colorado is nothing but open country. I hunt the thickest dark timber you've ever seen here.

One of the huge advantages of hunting the thick stuff is that's where they bed down during hunting seasons. Which means you can hunt all day instead of the low light conditions in open country.

[Indian Summer]

The only con of open is sometimes getting close can be tough. But if you take your time and make a solid plan it shouldn't be that big of an obstacle. You'll almost certainly have more opportunities to try too. The plan isn't always to run over there and take a crack at them. Instead you may see elk go to bed in the morning from far away and then be there come evening all set up waiting for them to come to you. Priceless!

How sweet is knowing where the elk are as opposed to getting busted in the process of searching for them? I love open.

Chuck Adams kills all of his bulls hunting open country. Trying to dog a herd can be all but impossible in thick stuff. Sometimes we just lose track of which way they went. In open you can let them get further ahead without losing track of them or get busted by getting too close by accident. You can stay a few steps behind them and then when the time and terrain is right make your move to get one step ahead. Gotta love that!

[Ridgernr]

The thick stuff of N Idaho is very productive but the underbrush can be a shot killer. You will be close for sure but may not always have the shot.
We have learned to hunt the edges of the new growth. We have found places that produce encounters years after year and they are right on closed logging roads in small draws. So much for hunting roadless, Sometimes that is the only open areas we get in someplaces we hunt.
Others are edges of clearcuts. Not many open basins here and we don,t find alot of elk in the big timber.

[easeup]

can say much about the northwest states as thick goes...but the lower elevations of CO have some oakbrush that has got its challenges. the good is that you can get really close if you knew where they were. And the elk are in that stuff. the bad is that it is noisy in there and thick so it is difficult to get a shot through that stuff.

[Swede]

I am not sure I would evaluate the two based on inherent advantages or disadvantages. You need to learn to hunt each. In heavy brush you have more cover, which is also a major obstacle to seeing around and getting close. In open country you can see more, but you can also be seen sooner. As hunters we have to play to our strengths and use the things in the area, so they work for us more than they do for the elk. I do think more hunters, per square mile, can effectively hunt thick brush regions than can hunt open arid areas.

[Indian Summer]

The thick stuff of N Idaho is very productive but the underbrush can be a shot killer. You will be close for sure but may not always have the shot.
We have learned to hunt the edges of the new growth. We have found places that produce encounters years after year and they are right on closed logging roads in small draws. So much for hunting roadless, Sometimes that is the only open areas we get in someplaces we hunt.
Others are edges of clearcuts. Not many open basins here and we don,t find alot of elk in the big timber.

Edges.... yep!

[ishy]

+1 for the limited shooting opportunities in North Idaho. I can't count the elk I've had under ten yards and not been able to shoot. Lots of excitement doing it though. Locating animals is a whole nother deal when things are quiet which has been happening more the last few years in my areas even the last of September.

[Lefty]

Ive been hunting the wide open desert of Southern Idaho this was my 5th year.
Very little compitition( until this year) Lots of wide open spaces. and Ive spotted elk from very long distsnces
The cons, not many elk, And the elk you spot may be gone by the time you get there,
I believe it takes a stealthier hunter to hunt the very wide open, and different techniques In a sence it may take a tougher hunter,.. winds tend to be more consistant in direction though out the day
Unfortunatly it is more of a spot and stalk . You dont get to spend your whole day moving from location to location calling.
My neighbor has been trying to convert me to hunting the thick stuff, so far it hasnt worked
He has a lot more bull encouters than I do. But he gets very frustrated with so many of the hunter encounters,..he did get a chuckle out of the two groups of hunters that raced up 500 feet of elevation to his 12 year olds sons calling

[Bow4Elk]

Having hunted both the open and brush, I will take the brush country over the open country for calling elk everytime. I love the close enounters you have in the brush even though it doesn't result in a shot. It will leave you shaking in your boots for sure. Having them within 10-20 yards bugling is a real thrill. Open country is fun to spot and stalk and you get to see way more elk. I don't see as many elk while in the brush which most often leaves you wondering how big the bull was that you had all worked up. At least in open country you get to see them more oftern. Either way it is pure fun to get to hunt the majestic wapiti.

[Trophyhill]

great thread Rory,

there are many obvious arguments for both parts of the equation. if there is 1 advantage to hunting thick timber (and my reason for preferring it over open country), is for several reasons. 1 the elk have to come looking and they have to look harder for me, 2 usually this means coming closer to me, and 3 it gives me the opportunity to see/hear them first. hopefully by the time they see me and pause for a moment wondering what I am, the arrow is on it's way thru the vitals. I love the up close and personal aspect of hunting dark timber. it doesn't always work but I feel I've had many more up close and personal encounters than many that have hunted elk the short period of time I've hunted. (6 years) I've had a ton of great advice to help get me to this point and have a ton of learning to do as well. I'm learning to decipher the elk code 1 encounter at a time. the hardest part so far with my limited experience is "reading the situation", but it's coming along.

[Indian Summer]

Having hunted both the open and brush, I will take the brush country. Open country is fun to spot and stalk and you get to see way more elk.

Are those not contradictory statements? In the end the bull is at close range either way..... assuming you've figured out how to work the subtle terrain features to get close, so it's just as exciting.

I always say finding them is half the battle. We hear soooo many people saying they just can't locate elk in the first place so I'd say that's true. I've spent 90+ % of my elk hunting career in timber country (not brush country as Bow4elk mentioned) and I am way happier and more confident where I can spot elk pretty much at will.... every day. Also... I'm not talking zero cover like high desert elk country. There are plenty of timber patches & some huge ones at that so the elk still have to come looking. Also... they don't bed in the open. They still have timber patches for bedrooms so if you want to go after them on their terms you can still do it. But at least you know beforehand for SURE that they are in there and hunt accordingly before you even step foot inside the cover. Priceless!!! I still hunt the timber in my areas no doubt but I'll never give up hunting where there are vast expanses of wide open spaces to locate the wiley critters. Not many wasted footsteps these days. Love love love it!

[cnelk]

My Pros and Cons are as follows:

Open - I dont have any open country to hunt [not sure if this is a Pro or Con]

Thick - Its all I hunt so my decision is easy