Hunting feeding areas

[Chucksteele1]

Good morning a nubbie to the site;

I have a couple questions if anyone out there has any insight.
Myself and my hunting partner have been hunting the same area in Alberta for many years. Prior to two years ago, the area was very fruitful. It is in the Prairies, private farm land with surrounding trees. Due to the permission we have been acquiring though out the years. We hunt about 10 square mile county land, with grid roads (township and range roads). There is a river close by with lots of public access and TONS of hunting pressure. The other side of the river has few roads and dense forest. We think our hunting area is not pressured much during archery season, or we never see any other hunters. All the hunters we do see, we know and talk to.

Part one of the equation, early season scouting:
The past two years, our early season scouting shows many elk in our hunting areas, cows with calves, young bulls. Thousands of pictures in a week. (Calving grounds maybe?) Then in early August we get pictures of bulls, usually large bulls (6x6 or better). Then the cameras go silent, only sporadic pictures of elk after that, no discernible pattern, nomadic like.
Last year the crops came off early causing the elk to look for new feeding areas, we thought. This year was a dry year for the farmers. Little to no hay, grazing areas were bare in the summer. Since August the rains have came and greened the regular feeding areas nicely. We are now sporadically seeing elk on camera again.

Second part to the equation is permission on private land:
The areas we have permission on are mostly private land with crops and crown land (forested). The areas we don't have permission on seem to be bedding or refuge areas were no one can hunt in. The one area is fairly small >160acres with two small fields. We visually see elk in the two small fields some days, not every day. Tracks crossing the roads, walking down the road and so on. Nocturnal movement to feed is my guess. There is an elk farm in our hunting area also. Occasionally we have encounters that involve smaller bulls. These encounters usually stem from calling, bugling to locate then trying to draw them back to the field using cow calls. Most of the time the bulls hang up, just in the trees. Where we don't have permission to access. The odd time the bulls come in close enough for a shot. I have to admit, I've been reading up on how to effectively call elk recently. I would say according to this forum and others, we obviously did not know what we were doing. I knew that elk are very social with a large "vocabulary", however I did not know what the sounds meant. I am currently working on fixing that part of my game.

Third part of the equation is vocalization:
The elk are only vocal for short periods of times. We are trying to figure this one out. This year, mid September (21-24) the elk were moving and vocalizing. We had encounters with cows and bulls in the feeding areas and pictures on the cameras, with lots of tracks crossing the roads. Then it ended just as quick as it started. I have since been researching barometric pressure on elk movement. The next storm is due to come thru on the 4th of October. I will then see if the barometric pressure theory is helpful to us. We have tried night calling, early morning calling, early evening calling, you name it. Again though, our version of a locator bugle, cow chirps and mews. Not knowing what we're truly saying with our calling.

I have also been researching Chris Roe and his calling theories. To sum it up, he believes it matters what you say to the elk and when. I don't want to give this area up due to many reasons. There is enough elk in the area to fill our tags and many more. They just seem to be nomadic and nocturnal, except on certain days.The area also has great genetics. Three years ago I shot 2 year old 6x6. Again the only encounter of the year, for me. The big bulls we see on camera in early August are big racked and large bodied.

Why only on certain days? Any one can think of something we're missing, not thinking of. Any other ideas what we can do to increase our chances of tagging an elk. Preferably a cow. We are both meat hunters not trophy hunters.
Sorry for the long winded thread.

[Swede]

Welcome to the site Chuck. I will take a swing at the ball you pitched, and maybe some others will too.
It is interesting that the big bulls are coming in early August to where the cows are staying with their calves. Since they are all leaving early August, I would agree it is a matter of moving for better feed. If the feed was good, and if this occurred in late August through early September, I would think the bulls came to form their harems and left with them.

It can be difficult to call elk to you, that get accustomed to a sanctuary. A major part of calling elk is being able to get very close. Standing off several hundred yards and calling can be frustrating, as the elk have no reason to come, regardless of what you say, or how good you say it. At long distances you cannot entice them to leave, and you can not present a real threat they need to respond to. Once in a while you may get lucky, but usually not.

I think you are wasting time researching barometric pressure. Ditto on moon phase. Elk get mere vocal near and during the rut. Other times bull's bugling is sporadic. Don't give up on calling as bulls will often come in silent.

It sounds like you have a good hunting area. Learning to make quality calls will be helpful. Learning what call to make when is even more important.

[Chucksteele1]

Thanks swede for the input, really appreciated.
It is very frustrating hunting in this area. Like you said the animals have no reason to leave the protection of the timber after the sun has rose. Since we can't go into the bush, due to denied access permission. I was wondering if anyone has any other technique to draw them out of the bush.
I had a thought last night. If I night called to draw them over to the feeding area. Might that help to draw them over? If so, when should I start that sequence? How many hours prior to first light that is.

Now the rut is winding down. The animals seem to be more nomadic now. Seeing more tracks crossing the roads and getting pictures on trail cams of them again. The farmers in the area are seeing them more frequently now also. That part I don't quite get. My first thought would be the feed is better due to the rains and cooler temps.

[Swede]

Chuck, I believe Elknut may help you here. I don't know if he is hunting or if he is back, but he could give you some ideas. I would try doing some cow in estrus calls, accompanied by a small bull bugle mixed in, and have a decoy on display close behind. If it is legal have a decoy with a string, so you can give it a little movement, to add to the realism. Best wishes.