Strategy Scenario #4

[Tigger]

A little different type of strategy needed for this one...

Date/Time: Sept 21st/800 pm
Location: Central Colorado, a long valley with plenty of side drainages.
Pressure: little the last 5 days, the next 2...????
Terrain: Steep and pretty thick, mostly dark timbered areas, but scattered areas of underbrush so thick you cannot effectively hunt in it. The bottom of the valley has a creek with willows but a fair amount of open grass as well.
Tag: Bull tag, archery
Situation:

You are from out of state. Day 5 of your 7 day hunt (tomorrow) is Saturday and the woods will have more hunters. You are camped at the low end of this 2 mile long valley and have had it pretty much to yourselves (you and a buddy) all week. There area elk in the valley, but you haven't hung your tag on one yet even though the bulls have been bugling. As you sit at your campfire, you have noted that 3 groups (2 groups of 2 and 1 group of 4) have walked past you into the valley with camping gear. Most of your hunting has been mid valley where there are some nice drainages and saddles between them. At the head of the valley, there is a saddle that leads into the unknown beyond (you haven't checked that drainage out).

What is your plan come morning? Do you walk past the other camps? Do you hit the mid valley area even though it is likely that there is a camp or 2 or 3 there? Or do you hit the saddles leading out of the drainage? Yes, I know you don't have all the info you need, but in reality, this is often what you get. Are they good hunters or bad (note there is one subtle clue in there!)? Did they camp low or right in the elk? If you could ask me a question, what would it be?

[Indian Summer]

There are elk there so I'm not in a huge hurry to walk away. If I have been a half step behind them and think I can be on elk first thing that will be my plan A. The weekend warriors don't know what's been happening so it will take them longer to get on the elk.

But after that I'm heading through the saddle to no man's land. I only have 2 days left so I want to get over there and see what's going on. The idea is to decide if that's where I'll spend day 7 or if I need to get back to the spots where I know what's happening even if there are other hunters. No man's land might not have other hunters but if the elk aren't there then it's back to the grind in the main valley.

Actually..... I think that at some point earlier in the week I would have given my main spots a rest and went over there to explore that option so I had some info to base my plans on for the last couple days.

Then.... based on what I see come next year I might camp closer to that saddle or even on the other side since there seems to be more than just a couple hunters coming from this side. Always thinking about the future.

[ElkNut1]

You've been in bugling bulls for 5 days & knew you'd have company by the weekend. You're not being aggressive enough, those elk should be dead or gone before those other hunters showed up! Not kidding here, you must be more aggressive & confident you can kill those bulls where they're talking, this isn't whitetail hunting, get in on them & make things happen! I honestly feel you are being too subtle in your approach. Lay off that cow call as a locator!

As far as the other hunters go, yes, you can bank on them hunting or pushing those elk out if they are now near them, they too know you are there & you're competition! I'd get around the hunters & much higher on the ridges & call to locate those bulls well before daylight. Once located get to them & form a plan to hunt them via ambush, calling or both. Whatever you do make something happen because you now have other hunters hunting them as well.

This is why I shy away from Trail Heads, I don't like the company! (grin)

ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

Ya, it happens sometimes. With only a few days left of the hunt, no choice but to continue hunting the area. Might be a good time (with recent developments) to load up the EXO packs with enough gear/food to last a few days/nights and go deep. Head up the trailhead early, I mean real early and move right past all the slumbering campers to that remote saddle you speak of well before daylight. I may or may not turn my nose up at bulls I heard as I moved up the trail, but I'd make a plan and work that plan which would be to get up and beyond the recently added hunting pressure to the area and see what can be done about packing a bull out. Just my .02.

[Tigger]

Good answers. The reason I made this scenario up is that I think we all face something similar to this at times. Maybe it is only 1 other group or maybe it is a horse camp. When that happens in the middle of a hunt, it can throw a loop in our best made plans. It is interesting to see the different viewpoints and the thoughts on the previous 5 days and how we could avoid a situation like this (not aggressive enough-ElkNut or should have learned what was beyond the valley -Indian Summer). I think in a lot of cases, guys will just be content to play with the bulls all week and then the surprise hits you on the weekend. Even worse, you might open the surprise package about 730 am on Saturday morning when a swarm of hunters have moved in that you don't know about. Then, the option of getting up early and getting past them (Phantom) is already gone.

[Lefty]

I hunt because I like to hunt.I dont need to kill to have a good hunt.
However not knowing all the variables; IF I had been on elk I would stay after them. The thick cover may just keep them holding tight. While I dont like checking out new country with two days left , if I run across the other hunters too much Im out of there.Also if the freezer is full at home I may move out sooner too. If I know how the other hunters hunt I may try to be where they push the elk to.
I f I hear and smell them partying Im out of there.

As I mentioned I like to hunt,without other people interrupting "my" hunt. I have passed hunting on a lot of places because of others .
Goose hunting Ive had fields that were gimmie limits, just out my back door or a couple minutes away.
I drove 30 minutes to fields that often didn't produce but I I wasnt sharing the field.

[Swede]

With that many hunters in a two mile long area, it is going to be a busy place with probably four pairs of hunters plus you. I would either get out early and pass them and then start hunting, or just go to the unknown area and see if I can get into some that are not being pressured by numerous hunters. You did not say, but I assume you are alone.

[elkhuntfever]

What a great post. As I read this, I get free advice from the seasoned elk hunters here on their thinking in these situations. I'm sure there are many elk hunters out there that can relate.

[ElkNut1]

If a hunter is trying to fill a tag with any bull on a OTC Public Land hunt then there's no need to hunt that same draw for a week. If you do it shows you are either after a specific bull or you are not aggressive enough or you have no idea how to close the deal! 5 days in one draw is pretty much nuts if after the first legal bull. (grin)

Tigger, in your scenario would the hunter be after the first legal bull or cow? Too, add an encounter one may face during their stay & let's evaluate that, the details is how you kill elk! Finding elk is one thing killing them is another! (grin)

ElkNut1

[Tigger]

Sure Paul, lets say legal bull only.

You decide to go to where you know the elk are, midway up the valley in a steep drainage covered in dark timber. You are lucky enough to beat the other hunters up and pass the camps while they are stirring around (you can see headlamps, but cannot smell or hear them). This gives you the impression they may be pretty good hunters and not some yahoos. You approach this drainage from the bottom and head up the willowy creek a little ways (10% into this side drainage). You sit and wait until legal shooting time. Fifteen minutes before legal shooting time you hear cow talk ahead of you in the willows and maybe, just maybe, you hear an antler raking a bush. Sounded like it anyway. Problem is, you can shoot all of about 3 feet in this jungle. Thermals are in your face. Hunters behind you may be coming and may not. The bottom is about 60 yards wide.

Problems you face: Are the elk going to stay low in the willows? Should you pop out of the willows to gain some visibility? How willing are you to roll the dice the other hunters are not coming in this drainage? If you bugle, the other hunters will hear it, so consider that when you decide your strategy!

[ElkNut1]

First off forget about the other hunters, plan as if they do not exist. With them being in the rears they most likely do not hear a thing as they are walking. As daylight gets close give your own cow call, two low mews & one louder on a scale of 1-10 about a 7. This should get a response from a cow or the bull so you now know where the group is & how far. If no response keep moving in the direction you heard the cow. Once you feel you are right where you heard it & still no elk talk from the real elk give a lip bawl bugle, the bull should respond pretty darned quick knowing you are talking to his cows. He will not like this!

If no response bugle again! He will respond! Once he does you now have a direction. Go right at him cow calling in low volume, he will wait for you & most likely continue to call back to you in an effort to call you to him. This method is killer on a herd bull or any bull calling you to him.

If there's a second hunter with you have him stay put, you the shooter continue moving towards the real bull as you call your way to him. When the real bull calls to you to encourage you to come & he will, have your buddy lip bawl bugle when the real bull calls to your cow calling, this shows your buddy is trying to call you back to him, this can really sell this encounter! This is getting aggressive, no pussy footing around or tip toeing worried you're going to run elk away! This is fast & in your face stuff but produces positive results! Of course you need cover & wind in your favor!

p.s. methods & techniques as this are in the PlayBook & Vol-4 Worse Than Wolves!

ElkNut1

[Tigger]

Paul,
I did a variation of this with my bull last year. My buddy was the cow and I was the shooter out front. The bull called the "cow" and I stayed out front as we walked right in on him. It worked just exactly like the playbook said it would. We are eating elk meat this year because of it!

[ElkNut1]

Very nice how you reversed roles! Great job reading the situation & acting in accord what he was asking for, that's how you do it! (grin) Congrats!

ElkNut1