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How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

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How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 05 17, 2019 •  [Post 1]

I've been corresponding with a hunter on another forum recently that:

1. Lives close to elk country (lives in an elk state).
2. Has limited experience hunting elk (has been after them for a handful of years but no tag punched yet; perhaps hasn't been hunting the best areas).
3. Due to work requirements, can only hunt long weekends (SAT and SUN with either a FRI or MON tacked on beginning or end).
4. Has the ability to hunt a few weekends in the archery season, and, perhaps a few weekends to get after them in either a ML or rifle season.
5. Has his summers off.

With these above as the knowns, what are recommendations for this hunter to maximize his opportunity to be successful this fall?
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Lefty » 05 17, 2019 •  [Post 2]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:I've been corresponding with a hunter on another forum recently that:

1. Lives close to elk country (lives in an elk state).
2. Has limited experience hunting elk (has been after them for a handful of years but no tag punched yet; perhaps hasn't been hunting the best areas).
3. Due to work requirements, can only hunt long weekends (SAT and SUN with either a FRI or MON tacked on beginning or end).
4. Has the ability to hunt a few weekends in the archery season, and, perhaps a few weekends to get after them in either a ML or rifle season.
5. Has his summers off.

With these above as the knowns, what are recommendations for this hunter to maximize his opportunity to be successful this fall?

That was me a few years back while still teaching.
First Im going to say it really does matter what you are looking for in a hunt:

By many peoples standard Im in decent elk country I was 45 minutes from good archery elk hunting but chose to hunt an area in the desert with more solitude. and 90-120 minutes from the door.
I would take one day off later in September. Didnt hunt Sundays, but also had Labor day. Most years 5 or six full days of hunting. There were a few times when I would race out and hunt over water for the last 30 minutes of shooting.
Scout, Scout, Scout, all summer. ( and the rest of the year too. The area I hunted was also where we did most of our ATV and winter camping.
I also had everything ready to hunt. I kind of always am ready to go. The night I get back from a hunt. food is restocked, ice containers placed back in the freezer. Water and sandwich meals were filled the day before.
My Principal was good. He knew how much extra time I generally gave So as the buses were gone Friday I was also. I would load my pickup,.. maybe less than 3 minutes. And loading ice was what slowed me down. Shower and gone. I did drive the speed limit. Then Saturday hunt to exhaustion. Home Saturday night or Sunday morning for Sunday obligations.

I knew the area inside and out. Im talking 100,000's of acres. Early season where the bulls would be where they were headed , where they bedded.

Still makes me cry.
But I spent 17 days in August before School started watching this one bull.. I had him already entered in the books. And the wolves got him But we spent maybe 25 nights and 10-12 day trips between seasons

Do I dare post this again. the year this pic was taken I had other bulls under 40 yards and passed. I did mess up a shot on 5x5 at 21 yards. I waited and watched the 5x5 walks from 7:05 Am untill sometime after 9:00 AM ,.. had him in the freezer too :lol:
bullscopy re (Small) (Custom).jpg
bullscopy re (Small) (Custom).jpg (47.07 KiB) Viewed 2512 times



I now hunt mostly National forest. I know that area as good or better than guys that have hunted it their whole life. hike it all summer long. Early morning hikes. pre-season hikes
If you spend time in the area , sorta scouting, you can put more together when its go time.
Do you map work, google earth and boots on the ground
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Indian Summer » 05 17, 2019 •  [Post 3]

No need to tell him that time is a very valuable thing. So he needs to maximize every hour he has. I’d say that would start by making investments before the season. He has time in the summer. Use it wisely. Nothing beats knowing your area until you can hike it blindfolded and make good guesses at where elk might be heading when you see them. So get up there, camp, and hike your hind quarters off!

When you are home and you walk into a dark room you reach in around the corner at just the right height and flick the light switch. You know right where it is from repetition. It comes naturally. You should get the same feeling as you hunt your area. If you can get to that point you’ll be light years ahead of where you were after just a few early hunts.

The good news is that he can swing 3 day weekends instead of just 2. That’s priceless. He has time to dive in, find them, and then put together a plan and execute it. That’s not easy in 2 days but very doable in 3. Being limited to 3 day hunts he’ll never fry his body either. He’ll show up thirsty and be able to give 100% start to finish. I’d say start a bit slow... low impact, and be ready to get super aggressive at any moment. He might also use summer to cache a few things. Stove fuel, a tarp etc. Maybe stack some firewood up high where a spike camp looks beneficial. Find water. Again... use summer to invest in the future.

I think he’s in a pretty good situation. Probably better than lots of non residents. That might be something he can remind himself of occasionally to stay motivated and confident. That’s the other thing that’s worth it’s weight in elk meat.... confidence. Those summer investments should help with that. Sounds like he’s all set.

Hopefully he’s analyzing his past hunts and learning from mistakes.
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby >>>---WW----> » 05 17, 2019 •  [Post 4]

Forgive me for hijacking this thread. But I would like everyone to take note of Lefty's picture. Notice how small the 5 pointer is compared to both of the mature bulls. And the 5x5 is even the closest one to the camera.

Sorry! I just thought this was worthy of noteing :roll:
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Camelcluch » 05 18, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Scout, scout and the. Scout some more. If he can spend time watching it will cut down the need for time when hunting.
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby six » 05 19, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Spend all day in the elk woods. There are a lot of elk killed while other hunters are back at camp for lunch, naps, etc. If I nap its near cover somewhere in the elk woods. No better wake up call than a after noon bugle.
Elk are where you find em...
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Lefty » 05 19, 2019 •  [Post 7]

>>>---WW----> wrote:Forgive me for hijacking this thread. But I would like everyone to take note of Lefty's picture. Notice how small the 5 pointer is compared to both of the mature bulls. And the 5x5 is even the closest one to the camera.Sorry! I just thought this was worthy of noteing :roll:

five weeks later that "little" 5x5 "looked' plenty big. Those other two bulls were big. I had lots of trail cam pics of the 5x5 but none after November
I was told the one bull was taken during a draw hunt with a rifle.


"The good news is that he can swing 3 day weekends instead of just 2. That’s priceless. He has time to dive in" Joe is so spot on about this. In reality not hunting consecutive days really saved elk in that country
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Swede » 05 19, 2019 •  [Post 8]

As mentioned above scout as much as time and finances permit. Use time at home to read and study books and videos. Use some time to review good elk forums especially threads that give pointers.
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Re: How to Maximize Limited Time to Hunt Elk?

Postby Camelcluch » 05 21, 2019 •  [Post 9]

Last year I could only hunt evenings. I went every day because I knew my time was limited. The only morning I could hunt, I was fortunate and took a decent bull. You just have to make the time you have count. Scoring and hunt. It’s still better than work.
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