Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Hunting Saddles

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Hunting Saddles

Postby Bolt » 09 27, 2017 •  [Post 1]

How do others hunt saddles during rifle season? There are several good saddles in the area where I will be hunting in a few weeks, really the best way for the elk to move down the large dividing ridge I will be hunting, I wanted to see what others thought about strategy and success?
Bolt
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 39
Joined: 05 19, 2016

Re: Hunting Saddles

Postby Elkhunttoo » 09 27, 2017 •  [Post 2]

We will sit saddles where hunting pressure will be moving animals through them. Make sure you are there early morning and have routes to where you aren't the one pushing the game through them in the dark. Not all saddles are equal, some are used super hard and some saddles that may look good on maps might get very little activity depending on the habitat around them. Good luck
Elkhunttoo
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1160
Joined: 05 23, 2016

Re: Hunting Saddles

Postby Lefty » 09 27, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Elkhunttoo wrote:We will sit saddles where hunting pressure will be moving animals through them. Make sure you are there early morning and have routes to where you aren't the one pushing the game through them in the dark. Not all saddles are equal, some are used super hard and some saddles that may look good on maps might get very little activity depending on the habitat around them. Good luck


The short and sweet of hunting saddles.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: Hunting Saddles

Postby Indian Summer » 09 29, 2017 •  [Post 4]

The value of a saddle depends on how steep the spine of the ridge is. Elk aren't couch potatoes always looking for the easiest route to the refrigerator. I've seen elk cross over on the highest humps of a ridge if the terrain isn't extreme. There's usually grass on those humps!

Of course there will always be trails leading to those low spots though. Lots of times game mainly crosses there at night. I've had tree stands along some really nice well beaten trails on the edge of a few saddles and never did see elk from them. I still sit them occasionally at first light. But they are just a starting point. What interests me is which way the saddle trails go. How much elevation they give up before they come to a bench in the slope. That's what I consider the elk zone and where I prefer to spend my time hunting.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro