Back Country Campsite Selection

[Kessler10]

Figured we would revisit this topic.

This past Sept on my back country hunt on foot I camped around 9500 feet near a creek (lower elevation for the area I was in). Each morning I would climb up about 500-600 feet in elevation to get to a clearing then work my way over to an area/north facing slope i knew elk were bedding/feeding around. Most cases it seemed this was a good strategy as I was able to catch the elk coming up to me or at the same elevation as me by 730-800AM.

But was wondering what most people do on their back country camp site selection? and the process to come to that decision? Do some camp a bit higher or lower (for the area they are in) and what are the advantages/disadvantages?
Do you ensure you do not see any elk sign around your camp or is ok to camp in a spot where you might see some elk droppings? Or get away from that spot

I alwasy say if its not broke dont fix it so not sure i would/will change where I camped.....the only downside is that climb first thing in the morning. Gaining 500 feet is not a huge deal, especially compared to what it took to get all the way back to where I was, but to do it as the very first thing each morning once I got back there got a little tedious......... But I sure alwasy enjoyed the walk back to camp at the end of day

The only thing I was thinking is maybe I should camp higher and just stay higher. But then again I feel like the clearing I was climbing to this past year probably had elk moving through it during the night. I guess the balance is get back far enough away from crowds and close enough to the elk that you can get up and have a 30-45 minute walk to where they will be come 8AM, but dont camp so close that you disrupt their patterns?

So what am I really asking in this thread as I think I might have answered my own question......I guess just curious what others do/consider for their back country archery elk campsite selections.
Thanks!

[Swede]

I pack in a camp to a point below where I hunt. Since I am out all day when hunting, the only time I am in camp is in the early morning and again after dark. At that time the thermals are going down slope, so I am not stinking up the area I want to hunt. Sure there may be elk at the level I camp and below, but I have guarded my main hunting area from my scent. I also camp near a stream so I am close to water, and so my scent doesn't drift out into the open forest. It is confined to the stream area. I am not eliminating my scent, but containing it where I hope it will have the least detrimental effect.

[CurlyTail]

Camping high has a few drawbacks - water may not be readily available, scent goes down on bedded elk if you are not careful, and the weather can be more harsh/exposed.

I think you are doing it right. Anytime you can get withing a 30 min walk of the elk without spooking them, you are doing good.

That early morning steep uphill climb is the price you pay to play the game.

Maybe do a light overnight bivy out high a time or two and see if it has a positive effect on your hunt or energy expenditure.

[saddlesore]

As you said If it isn't broke ,don't fix it

[WapitiTalk1]

Only personal rule I have is to not camp on a saddle (unless you like lotsa four legged company at night) Sounds like you're set up pretty good. I wish I had more spots/camp locations (backcountry or base camp) where I hiked uphill in the morning vs dropping down; that sure takes the spit out of my old corpse climbing outa there

[Mathewsz7-elkridge]

I personally had my camp setup right next to a hiking trail and 200 feet from a creek at about 10200. We hunted above our camp. On the second day of our hunt (first day in that area because we hiked in late afternoon and took longwr then we planned) we walked around all morning finding a lot of elk sign about half mile from our camp. Setup once that morning around 8 and did some advertising for a half hr. I didn't get and respond for the first 15 minutes or so. Then got three different bugles all from different directions. Waited a half hr after calling ended up headed ingredients in the direction of the closest one. Continued to find sign the whole way there and just about to where we thought we would try a location bugle we ran into a camp. Immediately our spirits were crushed and never heard another bugle in that area. We thought that maybe we had heard that guy bugling but ended up running into him. He said he didn't bugle and never did the whole trip. He also never heard a bugle the whole trip or seen elk his campaign was setup the night before we found it and stayed there for 4 days. We ended up hunting it 5 days later and there was no fresh sign. We did get on elk about a mile and half away from there.

I said all of that to say don't change what ain't broke because camp sites in my eyes is one of the most important aspect of elk hunting.

Have a question for you guys though. Haso anyone ever had issues with someone messing with there camp? I worried about mine being literally 10 feet off the trail.