Elk strategies

[NorthIDTLH]

The area I'm hunting has several open meadows with year-round creeks running through. There are 2 main drainages, each with their own creek through the middle. I've found some wallows in both drainages. Im planning at least 2 scout trips, one in June and the next possibly in August. I'm thinking of hiking to the saddle on a ridge between the 2 main drainages on the first day I get up there and seeing what happens.

Is this a good opening strategy? I cant get up there until Sept 10 or 11th...

[Swede]

It would be a good idea to set out a game camera or two so you can see what is passing through the saddle and when. It sounds interesting. I do not like to descend into my hunting area in the early morning by passing through a saddle as my scent will likely be taken down to all elk below. If I could choose, I would approach the saddle from the side and direction to minimize the scent I had going down into the drainage below.

[Heartwood]

I would study your maps and look for benches on otherwise steep slopes which will be likely bedding areas and breeding ground. Generally, get familiar with the lay of the land so you know how to get around with favorable wind. Also, look for sign of rutting activity from past seasons i.e.. RUBS on trees. The same bulls return each fall to rut in the same few drainages atleast that is what we have found. Many times, by putting boots on the ground, you will find micro features of topography that don't show on the map.

[RAMMONT]

I would study your maps and look for benches on otherwise steep slopes which will be likely bedding areas and breeding ground. Generally, get familiar with the lay of the land so you know how to get around with favorable wind. Also, look for sign of rutting activity from past seasons i.e.. RUBS on trees. The same bulls return each fall to rut in the same few drainages atleast that is what we have found. Many times, by putting boots on the ground, you will find micro features of topography that don't show on the map.

I'll second this, but I'd also like to add that in my area I've found that the elk tend to work their way up from creek bottoms in the mornings to higher spots within the surrounding timber, by 10 AM they are usually bedded in timber along the edges of small grassy parks. Most of the time you'll find a safe escape route from their beds to the other side of the ridge that they are on, timbered saddles seem to be a favorite route but I've also seen them use open ground that allowed them to run as fast as possible. I usually try to find moving water that has grass above it on a southern or western facing slope and if I find fresh sign then I'll figure out how I want to hunt that area. As mentioned, scouting is really important because even though we have some really good maps for reference nowadays there are always those micro environments that we wont know about unless we visit them. I also recommend that you take in to consideration how you're going to get your meat out when you start planning to hunt that area. I'm an old guy that hunts on foot and usually alone so I can't go in to some of those really nice remote areas, I have to be realistic about what I can carry and if I can carry it over my exit route.