How would you hunt this area?

[elkaholic]

So I am scouting via Google Earth and it looks like the only way into this area is from the top of the canyon. With thermals doing what they do during the day would you wait till mid day when the thermals are blowing up the canyon to begin hunting or start in the morning and move along one side of the canyon knowing that the other side isn't getting your scent. I plan on spending the night someplace along the trail to hunt this area for 2 days before I come out. Just curious how much my scent will stir things up in the canyon if start down it in the morning.

[Indian Summer]

Elk can be anywhere but if I had a specific spot I knew I didn't want to disturb I'd camp away from that. Hopefully up over top of the main ridge and down the other side a little where the air was flowing the other way.

In the morning I'd call from the top and listen but not for too long and not from directly above where I planned to hunt. Then I'd pick what I thought was the best route to drop down to elk-evation (new word) and sidehill in to the places I wanted to hunt watching the wind to determine whether I needed to drop or climb along the way.

[Swede]

I have found canyons and basins can be tough to hunt, especially if the air drainage is poor. Basins are terrible for holding scent in. Here are a few things I try to be mindful of when I go into canyons or basins. I must admit, that when I want to go into one, I usually find the best way possible, then take it. I rarely wait for another time of day, but if you have a good alternative, then that can be your best option. Always, the objective is to minimize human scent in the area that could be holding elk. If you are going to a tree stand, then get there, taking the best route, and don't dilly dally along the way. I would much rather make noise than be scented.

When the thermals are taking the air down, enter at the lowest elevation or point possible, then work up.
When you are above, over a basin or canyon, stay back away from the rim until you just pop over the crest and drop straight down. Walking parallel above the canyon floor, spreads your scent all through the area. Again stay back behind the rim if at all possible. If you can't just pop over the rim and hike straight to the bottom, go straight as possible to the creek in the bottom and stay close to it.

The best time of day to go into a canyon or basin is when the wind is fairly steady. Shifting (late morning or early evening) winds ruin hunts, unless you are in a high tree stand in a good location.

[ElkNut1]

When you refer to "canyon" are you referring to a basin? Or is it an open draw? If a draw that is running a good distance & basins at one end then no problem! Is the canyon hundreds of feet bellow you? If so again no problem, your scent if camping near top will not reach below. We hunt tons from the top down when not able to start from the bottom up in the a.m. Your scent only goes so far depending on steepness of mountain. If you fear the canyon isn't that far down like a couple hundred yards then camp on opposite side of ridge 50-75 yards so you can still hear the elk if bugling at night in the canyon. All in all hunting from top down is not a big deal. Use your wind checker to steer you towards the bugling as you enter. If no bugling in the canyon I wouldn't even go in it I'd move on until I did get bulls responding to my bugles or bugling on their own. What dates will you be there?

ElkNut1

[Swede]

Is the canyon hundreds of feet bellow you? If so again no problem, your scent if camping near top will not reach below. We hunt tons from the top down when not able to start from the bottom up in the a.m.

Unless you know the elk are far below, it is best to assume you are relatively close. Who knows that the elk are at the bottom, and not near? Sure if, per chance they are far enough away, you may get away with being upwind of elk. If the elk are far enough away, you can do anything. If you know the elk are far enough away, you are not hunting there. Throwing caution literally to the wind, is terrible advice. Always hunt as though elk could be close by. Always watch the wind.

[ElkNut1]

Swede, I think you missed the part about the suggestion of him camping on the opposite side of the ridge he felt the elk were in? As far as being above the canyon & calling into it well that's a common thing to do for us runner & gunners. Wind is generally not an issue as we are well above any elk that may be around.

It's like in this photo here, the bottom is 500'-600' below, no problem calling into that area from that elevation, it's like sitting in a 500' high treestand! (grin) No way to be winded!

ElkNut1

[Swede]

Paul, he did not say he was going to camp on the opposite side of the ridge. He is going to camp along the trail. We don't know if the trail is at the top of the canyon, bottom, or somewhere in between. Also we have no idea about his calling plans. Without much of a description of the area, including the canyon, we are asked, how and when to access the area.
Here is what he said.

would you wait till mid day when the thermals are blowing up the canyon to begin hunting or start in the morning and move along one side of the canyon knowing that the other side isn't getting your scent.

Elkoholic continued with,

or start in the morning and move along one side of the canyon knowing that the other side isn't getting your scent.

That last part of the sentence makes me think that, he believes dropping into the canyon from the side will pour enough scent in to ruin at least a significant part of one side, if done when the thermals are going down. He is asking if we would recommend polluting one side, so he could get the advantage of having the other side of a good hunting area. This is obviously not Hells Canyon.
The old principle of keeping the wind in your face, and don't pollute the area you are hunting, with your scent, still applies. The point still holds, that there are ways to minimize our scent affects on elk.
A good point to make is, that areas similar to those shown in Paul's picture can hold scent, which becomes a major problem. It just depends on where you are, and where the elk are at the time. Since you likely don't know where the elk are, then it is wise to minimize the area you disturb.
Saying you can blow your calls from the top, above a canyon, because we do, gives no recognition of what we don't know about the area. How do you know he is well above any elk that may be around?

[ElkNut1]

Swede, you make good points! Calling for location is key here! I was the one that suggested camping on the other side of the ridge instead of on top no matter where the trail is! Thing is everything from what we may think from our PC's is irrelevant! Bottom line is putting boots on the ground & being there personally. Once there we play the wind, period! No matter the distance or entrance avenue. If wind is bad we need to reroute our entrance or back out completely if we cannot get it in our favor. We do not throw caution to the wind & go in no matter what, the wind directs our next move!

Yes, we will call into the basin repeatedly if needed, if nothing responds this shows us there is no rutting action going on, we will bypass the area & continue forward. It does not matter if elk are down there or not. We want rutting elk! We are talking bowhunting the rut here! Unless we see elk physically we will quit all calling & move on. There's a big difference in hunting non vocal elk & vocal elk.

No doubt we think differently on this because you are more inclined to treestand hunting & silent elk, we can hunt silent elk as well but with different methods! Play the wind no matter what & good things can happen!

ElkNut1

[Swede]

Thanks Paul. Now we are on the same page of the Playbook. lol I know you would never throw caution to the wind, and just move in.

[CurlyTail]

I like the idea of waiting for the thermals to turn midday, then hunting down the canyon . Assuming this is not a huge area and adequate bedding areas are in the upper reaches. I also like the idea of hiking the rim in the AM, throwing down locator bugles.