Early Season Tips and Tactics- 3 Scenarios

[DMiller6868]

Do any of you guys prefer the early season as in the first week or two of September vs. the 2nd half of the month? Pulling a herd bull away from his cows can be tough, not to mention all the eyes and noses you'll have to fool.

I know some people have a stronger preference for hunting early season and thought I'd come up with a few plausible scenarios for early season and see what guys would do. I'm also curious to see what tactics have been successful for some. The cut off date we'll use will be September 13th and we'll assume you only have 4 days to hunt.


Scenario 1. You let out a location bugle, he bugles back, you've now moved into 150 yards of him and can see he has no cows. What is your next move? Cow call? Bugle? Get closer? Rake a tree?

Scenario 2. The woods are DEAD silent. No bulls are bugling. What is your move? Get high and glass? Find sign in thick timber and cold call and wait? How long do you wait and what is your calling sequence? Do you find high up water and wallows and wait them out in the late afternoon/evening? Or hang a camera and check it in a couple of days to see if it's productive?

Scenario 3. RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's raining off and on ALL DAY LONG. What is your strategy to get on an elk? Do you wait it out in the tent knowing you only have 4 days to get it done? Or do you get aggressive and stalk them in their bedroom?

I've done some research on early season elk hunting, and have watched a few of Paul's videos, but would love to see what has worked for guys or any other early season tips and tactics that you'd care to share.

[ishy]

1. No cows, I'm cow calling probably regathering sounds on the lighter side to start.
2.I'd be cold calling and possibly sitting water, with only 4 days camera won't tell you much till you're on your way home. I've had a camera out the last three years in my area no elk seem to be repeats at the water. Some of the rag horns might come back several times, but all the bigger bulls tend to be once or twice a season and move on.
3.Love hunting rain, I'm in it. Have had some of my best action right after a good storm rolls through. Especially with only four days I'd be out in a hurricane.
I'm usually out more after the thirteenth, elk are just more vocal after that date than before. They will call ealier but not as consistantly. That will be even more important the less days you have to hunt. Tough to get anything done in four days.

[DMiller6868]

Thanks for the response. I clearly have more than 4 days to hunt, but I wanted to make it a shorter window to force guys to get aggressive and make a decision.

[Triplebhunters]

When I started Elk Hunting I was given a good piece of advise, "you need at least two weeks to hunt".
1. Bugle
2. Sit along thick timber by a meadow
3. Rain, hunt it, keep a piece of plastic in your back pocket, when it pours cover yourself and gear, when it's clearing your ready.

[Swede]

Hunting areas are all different and so are the hunters that go after the elk. In all three of these scenarios, where I hunt, I would choose to stay in my tree stand. I would be tempted to get out and go on the ground, well away from the area where my stands are located, if the rain was prolonged. Most of my elk kills take place in the early season. I do not get out of my stand when I hear elk in the distance. I believe my chances are better by staying put, and not risking running him off.

[elkmtngear]

1. I'm going to give an excited cow call, and run right at him, shielding with my decoy.

2. Sit active wallows, waterholes mid-day. Stalk dark timber slowly in the AM. Evening ambush well used trails to feeding areas. Treestanding would be good here!

3. No problem, I'm out and about. My elk decoy has me covered