winter hunting

[wawhitey]

well, my two main spots were out of the question for the early hunt this year, due to logging activity. my "plan c" got covered in human stink and bear blood after 3 hours of hunting it, so now im officially waiting for the late season (nov 25-dec 8th). its an archery season. anybody ever bowhunt elk that time of year? how do you go about it? it will be an any bull hunt, no cows. nothing ive read or heard leads me to believe that there is any effective way to call a bull in winter, so i guess its all just good ole fashioned tracking? the area ill be hunting i found lots of fresh elk tracks in the snow last year but didnt have the right tag. any insight would be appreciated

[Brijake]

I have never called a bull in that late but I have seen and heard bulls bugling that late in the year. Some cows might have been missed and might be in estrus, but I wouldn't plan on it. If you get lucky and there is snow on the ground, follow the tracks since they will eventually end up at the elk that made them. Do not follow directly in them as elk will keep an eye out behind them, just stay off to the side or cross them in an S pattern so you don't lose them. If there is no snow, I would get up high and glass.

[wawhitey]

trying one last time to bump this see if i get a response

[six]

What state are you hunting? I would love to get back into bowhunting elk, but my sons football season goes through the third week of October.

[wawhitey]

eastern washington

[Washington Wapiti]

My natural inclination for deer and elk is quietly waiting and then ambushing. That's just always been my leaning ever since I started bowhunting, which is funny since I love calling turkeys in and have spent a fair number of years conducting broadcast surveys for avian species for work. I like to have a variety of techniques at my disposal, so I still work on my calling even though it isn't my primary method. I've always written-off calling in the late season here in WA, in the areas I hunt. Because 1.) the elk simply are not vocal at all and 2.) even if they are vocal, they probably won't be receptive as they have no real motivation for exchanging dialogue, or drive to expend the energy to come check out what the fuss is all about. In my experience with other species, it is a energetics cost-benefit analysis and outside of the breeding period, there's no benefit to justify the cost. Which is exactly why we do the surveys in that specific window, so they're more cooperative. But then again, elk are herd animals and there are always the weirdos . . . the outliers that defy the norm. Maybe some of the others that have more experience with trying to call during the winter period, can chime in with their experiences. We have roughly a month between the end of modern season and beginning of late archery. If it were me, I would probably approach it much like the early season . . . start with my old haunts and put cameras out during that month period in areas of known elk traffic or where you find tracks. If these areas are receiving traffic, I would set up in a stand or blind and wait for them to come back through. You can put a little battery powered, portable heater in a blind if needed . . . but the elk may not like the blind. Some places I've been they could care less about my little camo tent, and in others they will NOT come by it at all. In the past, I've only ever hunted the late season incidentally with no real strategy other than, "If I see something shoot it!" LOL, that resulted in walking miles in the cold and snow/sleet, usually without anything to show except for pre-hypothermia. But then again, one of those tromps is how I found my main area that I was finally successful in this year. Of course if you don't have a lot of patience for sitting, you can always follow tracks.

[wawhitey]

thanks for the comeback. im the zen master of sitting all day. its all about wearing warm clothes and being comfortable and out of the wind. little nap mid day doesnt hurt either. im also really an ambush hunter, just seems more effective than moving around making noise and dragging your scent everywhere. however if the elk arent cooperating with my ambush plans late nov / early december i just may get bold and try to track them into bed. wont be the easiest thing tho since ill be using a primitive bow, and i know my limitations. will need to be able to sneak in to 20 yards.

[Washington Wapiti]

Ha! The zenmaster! I like it. I've definitely had a lot of chilled to the bone late seasons, sitting in my blind all day. Sounds like we will both be venturing out this November. I wonder what Nov/Dec holds, seeing as how the weather has been so crappy in September!

[wawhitey]

hard to say, but i really dont think stevens county is ready for another bout of long winters yet. herds need a few more mellow ones to grow still before the $#!+ hits the fan again