Where should you set up elk camp?

[Dr. Rx]

Just wrapped up 8 day DIY elk hunt in Eastern Oregon.
What a great experience.

My friend invited me to his spot and I said yes, but only on one condition. That I would be the caller until you get your bull first. We had 4 great bull encounters and unfortunately, arrows were launched but never connected. Anyway,I never drew back on a bull, but I had a great time calling in the bulls and getting a front row seat in watching the action.

I noticed that as the week progressed, more and more hunters came into the forest to set up elk camp. Unfortunately, where they were setting up camp was very troubling. Many of them were setting up camp near key ridges and vantages very near points or drop offs where elk are to be found. I never seen anything like this and I did not expect this from elk hunters. Bacon and Eggs travel very well along with Elk hunters stink when the thermals work their magic.

It gets worse, some of them are all along key mountains, camping 1/2 to 2 miles away from the trail head littering their scent for the past 2 weeks..In fact, there were about 5 to 7 parties on one particular mountain and one of them said, the "bulls are not talking"...I was thinking to my self this is probably head scratcher moment.

On another occasion, as I was glassing the hillside, I saw several trailers very near the key points of elk hunting grounds country.

Our human scent is equivocal to the scent of wolves.. the more of us that are in the national forest, the more quiet the bulls become.

Should there be some ethics and conduct of where one should set up Elk Camp?

Extremely disappointing to see such a great opportunity be wasted in prime elk country in Eastern Oregon

Kris

[RAMMONT]

I agree with your description of the problem, I have one spot where elk, moose, deer, fox, just about everything around here walks over a hilltop to get to water below. Every year the same group of people camp right on the top in the middle of a very well defined trails. I've only been around here the past two elk seasons but I've never seen a single elk taken by these guys and there's at least 4 hunters in that camp. I'm sure they complain about the game not being around too but the truth is the animals just go around these guys. I've seen elk almost completely exposed in the open just a mile away from their camp, sure it means that we have to adapt along with the animals but, at least in my area, the elk aren't non-existent, they are just moving. Of course if I could control the problem I'd make the guys move their camps too but that ain't gonna' happen.

[saddlesore]

It's been like this for 50 years. Guys want to camp where the elk are,but the elk leave for other destinations. Can you kill and elk from your camp? Sure it's been done many times,but usually only once in a a row.
Reminds me of an incident several years ago up in the Flat Tops of Colorado.I had probably sat under one pine tree for 15 years running every opening day. Killed several elk there.

This one opening day,another hunter came and sat about 200 yards from me,in full view. I know he saw me because as I was glassing, I saw him watching me with his binos. Two days later ( I'm still sitting in the same location). I notice that as it gets lighter,another guy from the same party is sitting where this other guy was. I happened to shoot a small buck that wandered by a half hour later and after I gutted it out, the guy comes over and starts giving me hell about sitting in the scent path of where he was sitting . I explain that just because he thought he found a honey hole, I wasn't changing where I hunt
These same guys were camped down the mountain in a path that the elk used coming off one mountain and going up the next, which is why I was there. However, I never saw one elk coming from that direction that season.

Everyone hears about the locals or residents being rude or such to nonresidents, but it has been my experience that the opposite is true. Most locals know enough about the area that they know where to camp or not.

[Indian Summer]

I wouldn't consider it an ethics issue. Everyone is different. I know of some gated roads in Montana where the hunting is really good. A guy could easily hunt along it for about 8 miles and do great. Getting elk out on a game cart is a breeze. It's closed to motorized travel during gun season but not during archery. So guys ride along on 4 wheelers and stop to bugle which ruins everything. There's no way those people would event want to hike out the other 2 to 4 miles it takes to where they ran the elk to. But everyone wants to use their $5000 toys you know. And this isn't the Yukon so no matter what we do it's bound to impact someone else. Keep in mind that some people have no choice because of limitations. That 4 wheeler hunt is way better than one from the main road. They give out permits to hunt from a vehicle but I see no reason why a senior citizen shouldn't do whatever they want to have a good hunt as long as it's legal. Fortunately we don't have to go to the Yukon to get away from people. Those north western states have really stiff competition. I've hunted both sides of Washington and hated it. This year I'm hunting the east side of Wyoming and I'm nervous. If you want to lose people in the lower 48 stick with the big mountains of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, or the right area in Colorado.

[Dr. Rx]

Great insight Joe.
I'm just perplexed why would one want to hurt their chances or reduce their odds in getting an elk.

But you have a great point.. Got to find a place where you have to loose the people..

We hiked and attacked every responding bugle and logged in over 70 miles for the week.. we did get away from people and encountered some big bulls

..but all I ask is some common sense not to litter your scent unnecessarily.

Kris

[Shey1979]

I will say this from experience. Take your time and set up your tent on fairly flat ground. Do not attempt to set your tent up on a 10 degree incline just because its the flattest spot around. You will end up moving it trust me LOL.