Spot and Stalk Elk Hunting

[Indian Summer]

Following up on the conversation between Swede and myself these are my thoughts on spot and stalk elk hunting. I’ll start by saying that, as has been mentioned somewhere along the line of answering most questions about hunting methods, tactics vary by area and so if you want to be successful the first and most important thing is to find an area that suits your preferred method.

Part 1: The Hunting Area. For S&S hunting that means a couple things. It goes without saying you need at least semi open country so you can see. Through some hiking you need to locate a few really good vantage points that you are confident in so that you’ll be content to sit awhile. But more importantly you have to be in a place where elk are comfortable spending some time in those open areas. I’ve hunted places that looked great for glassing but the elk barely set foot in the picture perfect meadows for various reasons. One of the main reasons is hunting pressure in the form of humans and or predators. Wolves in particular. So if you’re looking for a good spot to invest some time you should start by getting away from both. Once you do that not only will you see elk in the open but you’ll also find they aren’t in as much of a hurry to run for cover at the crack of dawn. They’ll also show up sooner in the evening. If it gets really cold out they may even bed in the open for several hours in the morning on east facing slopes to catch some morning sunshine.

As far as vantage points go I look for two things. I don’t glass from cover. I’ll be in an open spot. I might kill an elk where I sit! I’ll either be looking across a drainage or ill be on a high hump or rocky outcropping on a main ridge looking down at the sides of the secondary ridges or fingers that branch out off of the main ridge.

[Indian Summer]

Part 2: Glassing Tactics. I love to glass for elk. I enjoy looking at elk country in general. But make no mistake if you are serious and doing it right it’s work. I honestly think it help if you have obsessive compulsive disorder. To look at the same things over and over and over and over and.... you get the picture. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. But the reality is that’s what you’re doing. You work your way from opening to opening not seeing anything but at one point it’s not insanity because there they are.

It’s super important to get to your first vantage point early. That means while it’s still dark. I want my butt settled into a comfortable spot, my spotting scope on the tripod, and binos by my side. I also want my warmest layers on if need be. If it’s absolutely frigid out I might even gather a little bit of firewood if I playon a longer sit. The bottom line is when the sun comes up there is nothing that needs done but glassing.

Actually that begins before the sun rises. We’ve read countless threads on what brand and model of optics to buy. Once again my answer is based on what I use them for. I can glass in the dark with my Swarovski glass. If there’s snow on the ground it’s as good as daylight all night. But when it does actually begin to get lighter out I’m almost frantic jumping around from opening to opening looking for the elk that are programmed to vanish before anyone or anything knows they were there. It’s fast paced glassing. Not a grid pattern which comes later but instead looking mainly at the edges of the larger openings as well as smaller pockets of grass where a bull who doesn’t care for huge meadows might feel more comfortable. Of course in the process of doing that you can’t help but glass the big picture too. Often times I’ll spot herds with the naked eye before pulling up the binoculars. If I see antlers I’ll go straight to the spotting scope to get a better look. If the elk are really far away I look for lighter hides and then investigate with the spotter. Same goes for if I notice anything on the edges or in the shadows that stands out or just doesn’t look right.

Eventually I’ll have a pattern.... left side low, across to the right, upward to the meadow on the spine of the ridge, past the brown stump that looks like an elk, around the bottom of the rock slide, back down to the bottom of the opening where it meets the timber... keep going to the isolated meadow surrounded by timber, right to the other 3 small openings, back up to the main meadow, slow down where I know elk like to hang out before the top the ridge to bed, right until the meadow ends..... repeat.

If I’ve seen elk but no bulls I’ll constantly work my way back to them looking for a bull that wasn’t out in the open on my previous cycle but has now joined the herd anticipating the move to bed. I might leave the spotting scope pointed at a herd for that reason too.

While I’m glassing I’m also learning the lay of the land. Making mental notes of every recognizable feature so I can orient myself once I’m over there should I end up going after elk. If I see elk I pay attention to them even if there’s no bull. Exactly what part of the opening they travel through. How high on the hill they are. If there’s a straggler apart from the herd I remember that because that one elk could be the one who busts me if I head over there.

The main thing I’m looking for though is the exact spot where elk enter the timber or cross over the ridge out of sight. It doesn’t matter if there’s a bull or not or if I’m heading over there today. It’s all part of the learning process and I might end up over there tomorrow or next week and any little tidbit of knowledge can end up paying off in the future. Maybe even next year.

If I was Swede those exit/entry points or cross over spots are where I’d zero in on my stand site. For me they are spots to set up in the evening to wait for the elk to pop back out. If they are moving toward beds too fast or just too far away to allow me time to get over there I need to think about what I might do that evening or the next morning. But as an aggressive hunter who likes to make things happen my hope is to spot a bull worth going after right then and there.

[Indian Summer]

Part 3: The Stalk. So you’ve spotted an elk that you want to shoot. You should immediately start closing the distance. Wrong! You should spend at least some time gathering information about the elk to make sure you close the deal. This might sound stupid but the first thing you need to know is where is he. Exactly! Look at the surrounding area and pinpoint where on the adjacent hill he is. Look for landmarks you can reference once you’re over there. Also look for any features you can pass by on your way over to make sure you’re on the right track. If you can pass through other openings on your way or above/below rockslides they will ensure that you are at the right elevation. More importantly since you will be covering ground as quickly as possible they’ll let you know when you are close and it’s time to slow down.

Now back to the elk.... which way is he traveling? Perfectly side hill? If not is he angling uphill or down? Zoom in with the spotting scope and see if he’s on a trail. In open areas sometimes trails fade in and out so look ahead of him in the direction he’s heading. Speaking of looking ahead have a look at your topo map. Not the gps the actual map that you should be carrying. Try to determine where he might be planning to go. Is there a saddle he may cross over the ridge through? A bench on the other side that he’ll likely travel and possibly bed on? Water where he’ll drink before laying down for the day?

If a bull is with a herd where in the herd is he? Above or below? In front or at the back of the herd. Pay attention to the lead cow too. Where is she looking? Is she in a hurry or relaxed? Try to get a feel for how far that herd will be from their current location by the time you get over there.

Now plan your approach. If at all possible I love to get in front of elk and let them come to me. That’s the ideal situation. A good ambush plan is much better than catching up from the rear. But it’s also tougher to pull off especially if the elk are far and it will take a considerable amount of time to get over there. I basically stay high on the hill on my way over. Chances are thermals will be rising by then. Also you can see more from above. But also elevation is money in the bank. You have more options from above and can drop down quickly. There are better vantage points to look down from. I can’t think of one good reason to be low on the hill when trying to move in for a shot other than if that’s the only place there’s enough cover to get as close as you need to be. Once you’re over there stop and catch your breath. Make a final plan. Check the wind. Maybe drop a waypoint for good measure. Reevaluate the lay of the land. Then pick the next spot you want to get to. Let your binoculars lead the way. Don’t move forward until you’ve scanned everything really well. Then be ready to shoot every step of the way.

At some point there’s a decision to make. Is it a situation where you can actually make it happen or do you need to back off for now. Never be in a hurry. You could spend all the time you need to set up and wait for the elk to come back to feed in the evening. Keep in mind elk make loops so they could come out of the cover higher or lower than where they entered the timber. Think about which way they were coming from when you first saw them. You might decide that you’re better off coming back and being in the right place at the right time the next morning. If so make sure you know exactly where you want to be keeping morning thermals in mind. Again... if you can be ahead of the elk by all means go with that as your plan A. As always when hunting elk have a plan B. Play it by ear. If you’re going to set up for the evening and you’ve found your spot go still hunting in a different direction but be in position way earlier than you need to. The wind might be different than you anticipated and you might have to make adjustments. Get there, set up, stare at maps which is always a good idea.... and take a nap. Oh and.... glass back the other way. Always glassing, always learning. More than once I’ve looked over and spotted elk back where I came from in the first place ... dangit!

[Tigger]

I like it! Although you 2nd and 3rd posts are a mite low on details. Just sayin'

One thing you could maybe touch on is how S&S can be a nice addition to other types of hunting. For example, you don't need to call 100% of the time. You can find a good spot and glass for awhile. Then, if something peaks your interest, you can go back to calling or put on a stalk.

[Swede]

Maybe I.S. can say how you locate a tree stand where the elk are going to be spotted so you won't be busted sneaking in on them? You will be there waiting for them to arrive.

[Indian Summer]

Swede... I’ve come across many spots where I said to myself if a hunter sat here for awhile he’d definitely kill a bull. I’ve never sat in any of them. But I do tell myself when I’m too old to hunt elk I’ll bring up a treestand and wait them out. It’s just too much fun seeing so much country and spotting elk to go after. Spot and stalk as well as still hunting really are great ways to locate good stand locations because you spend so much time observing elk and then covering the same ground they do. I am an avid stand hunter for whitetails in Pa. They have small home ranges so they’re never very far. But even the best elk stand might not produce a bull in 5-7 days because they are out doing what I’m doing. Roaming the hills.

[Swede]

Good information Joe. I would really enjoy S&S hunting in rifle season. This statement is rather ridiculous though

So you’ve spotted an elk that you want to shoot.

Of coarse I want to shoot it. That is why I am carrying my bow. If I wanted to sing to it I would have my hymnal. If I wanted to feed it I would have a sack of oats. duh.

Seriously guys, this S&S information is worthy of the archives.

[Indian Summer]

Haha I forgot you’re not picky Swede.Spot and stalk is a good tactic in archery too. It’s much easier to call an elk in the direction he wants to travel than to try to steer him off course. Being on the fringes of a herd is a great place to be to make a bull curious or defensive of his lady friends. Or if you are a stand hunter it tells you where to go pick a treein an area where your wait will be measured in hours instead of days.

[Indian Summer]

Question: Does anyone take the time to read these detailed thread? Can’t really shorten them up. Lots of chit chat on here but I try to offer something tangible to people looking for tactics that put bulls on the ground every year. But don’t want to waste my time.

[Swede]

Does anyone take the time to read these detailed thread?

Of coarse I read these threads. I need to know what you nut jobs are peddling.

[Lefty]

I dont read Swedes stories

Joe Your expieriences show,.. This needs to go into archived tips
Part three is great. New hunters need to realize how important a good plan is
I suspect many of us will need to adopt Sweds method as we get too old to hunt

[Swede]

I suspect many of us will need to adopt Sweds method as we get too old to hunt

Lefty: They don't make tree stands wheel chair accessible yet. Someone may need to write the senior edition the tree stand book so you will not be left out. I still have to wonder how long it will take to get some of you characters trained.

Add this to the S&S thread for a more complete coverage of this special hunting technique:
Old guys can spot and stalk hunt by driving out to open areas and looking out the window through their binoculars. It is a modification to the old drive by shooting routine. I think I could write a book on this way of hunting just from what I witnessed in Harney County, but use your imagination. The best setup includes a driver up front and two guys in the back of an old chevy pickup truck with a beer in their cup holder and a bow or gun within easy reach, but out of sight so the game warden doesn't see it. If you get pulled over you can slide you gun or bow to the back and out of reach so you can say we were not illegally road hunting. Another way that works is to have the two passengers riding along in the cab. They have to know to get the ammo out of the gun right away if they get pulled over, but the biggest drawback is that the guy in the middle cannot get out and start shooting very easily. It is a real handicap for those stove up with arthritis, but will suffice on cold and rainy days.

[Lefty]

On a serious note I’ve been working with a fellow who is paralyzed from the armpits down
His father uses a lift and sling to get him in and out of blinds and boats
With some effort I think the same could be done with a stand in some locations or even a safety harness to assist

Maybe this should be bother discussion

But the option of ground blinds exist using stand methods

[Tigger]

One little trick I have learned is to drop a waypoint on the elk. That makes it easier to find when you get over there and everything looks different than you thought it would! Just make sure you drop it in the right spot! Nice writeup Joe. I read every word twice.

[Lefty]

One little trick I have learned is to drop a waypoint on the elk. That makes it easier to find when you get over there and everything looks different than you thought it would! Just make sure you drop it in the right spot! Nice writeup Joe. I read every word twice.

Good advice even more so if your newer to an area

[Elkduds]

Part 3: The Stalk. So you’ve spotted an elk that you want to shoot.
Maybe drop a waypoint for good measure.

Is that the modern vernacular for it? I might take a quick leak, but usually I'm in too big a hurry for anything more complicated

Joe, what a great description. Thanks for posting.

[elkstalker]

I love spot and stalk, cannot stress enough to make sure before you hike/jog/run a mile or two in attempt to intercept an elk to take the time to mentally observe some landmarks that will help you get in front of the elk or locate them when you get close. Also, once you get a plan together, move as quickly as possible, you never know who else may have seen the elk, or if they will return to the same spot the next day. If there is any chance at all that I can get on an elk I'm going to at least try it.

[Totoro]

Awesome thread Indian!

Tagged for more incoming info.