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Preferred Hunting Areas

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Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Swede » 02 12, 2017 •  [Post 1]

I have always preferred tree stand hunting semi-dry areas. I sit over water and wait for the elk to come to me. This September I plan to go with RJ and company to Idaho. I expect there is a lot more water there, so new challenges will abound. I plan to hunt in Oregon before the Idaho season begins and will prepare for the new area.
I suppose many tree standers hunt either over water or trails.
What is your preferred ecotype for tree stand hunting? Ultimately it is about where you can predict elk will show up.
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby stringunner » 02 15, 2017 •  [Post 2]

Ultimately water sources where elk regularly show up is where I want to be. It can change from year to year, at least this is what I find in our area. I know of one ridge system with 10+ water sources all within a mile or mile and half. For the past five years the elk have only consistently hit (consistently being the point of emphasis) one or two of those spots.

There are other areas a few ridges over that will hold great amounts of elk one year and then again not for several years. I strive to find the consistent areas. Unfortunately in our area, the private land seems to be the only thing consistant in the past few years.

I shot a decent bull a couple years ago on a spot we call green springs. That year that spot had multiple different bulls every day for 30+ days prior to the season and throughout the season. That was maybe 3-4 years ago. In the years since i shot that bull, that spot has been lucky to get 10 total pictures each year of a elk.

Swede tells me that spot is like that.

I really don't know what the answer is. Semi dry areas may be good and I think our area is a semi dry climate with less access to water sources than say the coast range, and yet there is no shortage of water holes in our area. Finding the most consistent area of activity in any one hunting area, be it dry or wer climate is what I think a tree stand hunter should look for and know that each year is likely to be different.
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Swede » 02 15, 2017 •  [Post 3]

The amazing thing is the change that has occurred over the years. Water holes that consistently produced have gone dead. Spots that used to get hit once in awhile are even deader. In the 1990s I could kill 5-6 elk per season if I wished on many years. Now a hunter is lucky to get one, and last season I only saw one elk all season on public land. I hunted 29 days straight plus 5 days of scouting.
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Lefty » 02 18, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Swede I gotta get your book

Ive found a number of locations that I think would be good for stand hunting,.. and no water. Ive spent a bit of time looking for stand placement on them
One is lower down a sparsely wooded draw with older trees that has water 600 yards above. No defined trail,.. just a flat 20 yards wide that they ( and the cows) meander through
Another location is a tall thick stand of 30-36" fir on a flattened ridge with a series of trails that converge maybe 3/4 mile from the above location. I could see spending a day in a few days in those trees,.. I have no idea how they crawled the trees. Ive seen a lot of elk along the trails under the stands.

Im thinking of building my own platform stand to move my scent plume higher for bear this spring so I can hunt with a south wind
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Swede » 02 18, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Lefty, I like the sound of the area with the big trees and where the trails come together. The spot where they meander through, that has no defined trail is not as good sounding. Of coarse I have seen neither place. I like spots where elk come around frequently. Sometimes I have found bull holes and sometimes cow spots. Some places are predominately one or the other. Where I have had that situation, I will choose the bull place. It is just me, as one is as good as the other if you just want to chew on an elk steak.
One thing you mentioned that does not sound good is:
Lefty wrote:Im thinking of building my own platform stand
Those homemade, almost always wood platforms are dangerous. I have made them and even sat in old ones left behind by others. I have a doctor friend that fell and broke his leg when just one support broke.
Buddy, if you need to save a few bucks, do yourself a favor and forget the book. Get a good comfortable tree stand. The Millennium M100U and M150 are great stands, that you can get extra hangers for so the stand can easily be moved from place to place.
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Lefty » 02 23, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Swede wrote:Lefty, I like the sound of the area with the big trees and where the trails come together. The spot where they meander through, that has no defined trail is not as good sounding. Of coarse I have seen neither place. I like spots where elk come around frequently. Sometimes I have found bull holes and sometimes cow spots. Some places are predominately one or the other. Where I have had that situation, I will choose the bull place. It is just me, as one is as good as the other if you just want to chew on an elk steak.
One thing you mentioned that does not sound good is:
Lefty wrote:Im thinking of building my own platform stand
Those homemade, almost always wood platforms are dangerous. I have made them and even sat in old ones left behind by others. I have a doctor friend that fell and broke his leg when just one support broke.
Buddy, if you need to save a few bucks, do yourself a favor and forget the book. Get a good comfortable tree stand. The Millennium M100U and M150 are great stands, that you can get extra hangers for so the stand can easily be moved from place to place.


Iam/was a carpenter,..We built tree forts as kids , Ill weld a stand before using wood
the flat Ive sat there a few afternoons, I know I need to get there before noon. both places are a few hours hike, maybe thats why the elk are there. However Im not spending time in that area in the dark. Up hill side is a big boar griz, down hill two years ago was a sow and cubs
Ill check out the stands
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Swede » 02 24, 2017 •  [Post 7]

Sounds good Lefty. I enjoy reading your posts here. I feel confident you as a carpenter know what you are doing when it comes to building things out of wood. I guess the moral here is let the doctors do the medical treatments and Lefty do the carpentering. Just don't get them confused. :D
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby OregonTK » 02 24, 2017 •  [Post 8]

I've tried trails through saddles, trails leaving bedding areas, trails entering feeding areas, all struck out. Too much water to just sit a water source where I'm at.

2014 I found BIG double tier wallow at the base of a steep hill with a tiny creek bubbling out of the mountain just off to the side. Multiple bulls come in to quench their thirst in the cold, clear stream...then wander over for a good wallow. I've killed 6 pt bulls two of the last three years sitting in a tamarack tree 10-12 yards below the wallow. 2015 was dead...no elk in the whole area. Hope it isn't just an even year type of thing!

Thought I had a good saddle location, but the elk were using it mainly at night once hunting season opened.
If you rattle, they will come!
Stickbows...putting the arch back in archery
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Re: Preferred Hunting Areas

Postby Swede » 02 24, 2017 •  [Post 9]

I have found water holes can be poor. Good ones are muddy and stink of elk. They stay that way for weeks. Usually I find them with multiple trail leading in, or they are close to a main trail or by a bedding area. Some years they are hot and some years they are not. Maybe they like even years. I never thought of that. :D It is good to see you back OregonTK.
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