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How Long Do You Wait?

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How Long Do You Wait?

Postby Swede » 03 11, 2020 •  [Post 1]

Indian Summer is a big proponent of learning your hunting area and where elk move through. It is essential for effective spot and stock hunting like he does, and for tree stand hunting. Many people say they can't sit in a stand because it is boring or something very similar. I assume the same would be true for spot and stalk hunting. You can shorten the time you wait for elk if you know when they will arrive. The problem I have is that I am never sure when they will be at a certain point, so I wait all day and sometimes several days. If I arrive late, the elk may be there already, or may have just left. If I leave early, they may come when I am gone.
I have noticed that callers often move too fast and call too much in pressured units. They can actually run off the elk, by being too aggressive too soon.
So, how long do you wait for elk at a certain place and how are you huntng?
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Re: How Long Do You Wait?

Postby 7mmfan » 03 11, 2020 •  [Post 2]

If you're my Dad, you will sit in the same canyon every day for a week because you like the spot and have seen elk there before. If you're me, I may sit in a spot for several hours if I'm confident elk will be coming through based on recent sightings, sign, hunting pressure, etc... Get there at noon and sit until dark, or get there before light and sit until noon. I will even spend an entire day lurking in a general area, slowly still hunting and checking nooks and crannies, maybe doing a small amount of cold calling. I don't continually hunt spots if they aren't producing though. I know elk have 4 hooves and can move, so I continue to look for them while checking back in likely areas frequently.

All my hunting is post rut, general rifle seasons starting mid October through early November.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: How Long Do You Wait?

Postby Lefty » 03 12, 2020 •  [Post 3]

Of course there are huge benefits of knowing an area.

But having a good idea, or sound knowledge of wildlife can be even more beneficial.
Elk are most places where they can be. That little bench of 100 acres of quakies. Or the thicket and regen of a twenty year old timber thinning, maybe that crazey blow down lodge-pole.
They are there somewhere,. Cover ground till you find them
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Re: How Long Do You Wait?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 12, 2020 •  [Post 4]

I am pathetic at waiting, one of my many flaws :cry:
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Re: How Long Do You Wait?

Postby Indian Summer » 03 13, 2020 •  [Post 5]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:I am pathetic at waiting, one of my many flaws :cry:

I’m not much of a waiter either. That’s what I love about elk hunting. You can make it happen. But I can wait. I sit in a treestand when I’m deer hunting from dark to dark no problem. With elk I can glass an area fir a day and a half before thinking about where else to look. Unless I am in my go to spots where I’m 100% sure they are coming. I know spots where I’m positive it’s just a matter of time. I think of you all the time Swede. You’d be in heaven in Wyoming. They come out early too.
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Re: How Long Do You Wait?

Postby Lefty » 03 15, 2020 •  [Post 6]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:I am pathetic at waiting, one of my many flaws :cry:

I dont believe its a flaw. I figure I'll have plenty of time to sit in a stand when Im too old and lame to "hunt"
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