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Why Move?

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Why Move?

Postby Swede » 10 23, 2017 •  [Post 1]

I see a lot of folks, myself included, talking about going somewhere else to hunt. Where we have traditionally hunted, getting a critter has become harder and harder.
If that is true for so very many, what advantage is there in moving? Can we expect to find a new hunting heaven? Maybe this is like musical chairs. I am not talking about the elk are not in this drainage today, so we are moving to another, or even about moving camp five mile away to catch up with the herd's movement. I am referring to going to a completely new hunting unit in a different part of the State, or even to another State.
What is your thought?
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Re: Why Move?

Postby dhoey » 10 23, 2017 •  [Post 2]

I would say that a big part is mental. Moving to a new area and really recharged the batteries so to speak.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Tigger » 10 23, 2017 •  [Post 3]

there are many legit reasons!

#1 is we didn't draw a tag. In WY, we can only hunt once every 2-3 years.
#2 is terrain and lack of elk. We tried an area in MT that was just too steep and we only found 1 area that had any elk in it. We just didn't feel comfortable putting all of our eggs in that one basket.
#3 is predators and the resulting game population. Havent had this be an issue for us, but if you go a year and don't see much for game, why in the world would you go back? There are many good areas out there with lots of game. Don't put up with gameless areas!
#4 A hot tip! Someone else has done the heavy lifting and offered to share their spot with you. That happened to us this year. We are forever grateful.
#5 is public access/game on private land. On my recent 'lope hunt, that was really an issue. At least for awhile!

I am sure there are many more.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Elkduds » 10 23, 2017 •  [Post 4]

To me the question would be, Why stay put? Hunting has taken me all over CO, and going to new areas is still high on my list of hunting priorities.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby otcWill » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 5]

I'd have to agree with Elkduds. I've written many times: I believe that the failure to leave a crappy or decent area might be the single biggest factor in hunters not finding success. The other thread, Why Settle?, ties right in to this. Heck yes, you can get better and thus expect better results. But, you won't kill a good bull in an area where mature bulls are an endangered species or if you can't bring yourself to leave a spot that really hasn't produced. There is spectacular OTC public land elk hunting. It just isn't easy to find and you won't find it if you're spending too much time in a "decent" spot.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Fridaythe13th » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Physical condition might be a good reason to move, we camped at 10700 this year I'm ready to go back to 7000 feet.
Mostly most people think the grass is all ways greener on the other side of the fence.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby vertical limit » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 7]

I think moving is dependent upon the situation. I have moved areas when the previous years haven't produced the quality of game I am after. Not to say that I jump area to area every year, but I have completely given up on areas after a few years of HARD hunting and not turning up the quality or quantity of game I am after. I also think that learning new areas makes me, and my hunting partners, more well rounded. I hunt everything from desert/sagebrush flats at 5,000' all the way up to 11,000' peaks and everything in between. I apply for many states that present different environments. Hunting, or moving around, these different areas gives me a chance to get an idea how the animals act in different climate zones, if you will.

I am lucky and have a home in NE Nevada and a home in NE Wyoming, so I get the chance to hunt two very fertile states, as far as genetics go. On the flip side, hunting these two different states frequently, I see a vast difference in the way game animals act and pattern themselves. I firmly believe that having experience in different areas (environmentally speaking) will better my success odds (taking an animal that is, I consider myself successful just having the opportunity to be in the woods chasing animals).
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Re: Why Move?

Postby ishy » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 8]

So I harvested in 2016 in a unit that had 2% success. There are units in the zone that push 20% regularly. After reading that I don't know if I am just glutton for punishment, cocky, or stupid but I went right back.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Lefty » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 9]

Elkduds wrote:To me the question would be, Why stay put? Hunting has taken me all over CO, and going to new areas is still high on my list of hunting priorities.

Thats kind of me. Get to know the area and move.
I use to trap the same way, seldon trapped the same place 4 consecutive years.
However I did leave the Idaho desert, for three reasons.
1 too many big fires reduced the elk numbers. The large old growth sage was gone.
2. A nice family moved in and hunted the area "wrong" their excessive activity chased they immediate elk out of the country.
3. I had a hip replacement and could side hill,
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Swede » 10 24, 2017 •  [Post 10]

I sure have appreciated the thoughts that have gone into the responses on this thread. Along with what we are discussing on a couple of other current threads, we have the dilemma many of us find ourselves facing. Stay or go. Try something different or persevere, and does it matter in a 10% to 15% success rate hunting unit? I would like to see some more reasoning and beliefs from folks here.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby stringunner » 10 25, 2017 •  [Post 11]

What success rate are we ok with to stay in a certain area? I keep asking myself this question.

On average I have 10 days available to hunt. I also scout the same area for 15+ days each spring and summer. So that gives you the amount of time I spend with boots on the ground in the area. I can’t even begin to tally nor would I want to (fear of conviction of potential idol worship :o ) the number of hours I spend on maps and google earth each year of same
area. I have been been hunting the area for 12+ years. In high school (I don’t count those years, sporadic days and not really knowing what I was doing, but I did learn a bit about the area and found some specific spots), then left for several years before returning. I have hunted it every year now exclusively for 8 years. I have taken 4 bulls and 1 cow, so 5 elk in 8 years with an average hunt time of 10 days. I attribute my success to my days and hours scouting but that will happen regardless of where I hunt. So for me 62% in 8 years in a unit with an annual 10% success rate says I am still beating the odds enough to stay. My moving I might have a chance to increase filling my tag but, I have a pretty decent shot at filling my tag if I stay. Swede has different stats because he has been in same exact area for 25+ years. I can see where his stats, though same area, may be lending him a desire for new area.

There are so many other factors aswell. Distance from home, my wife and kids know precisely where to find me, I have friends in the area I know I can call upon when up there alone, I have multiple spots to go in said area, etc. I battle the desire of the challenge to learn a new area, vs stats alone. I often want to test my philosophy of hunting in a new area to see if the philosophy is sound or not. The idea of new scenary is compelling. But in the end, the potential for a 60% chance of freezer full of meat will likely drive me right back to the same spot. When that % dips below 50%, ask me again. :D
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Swede » 10 25, 2017 •  [Post 12]

Stringunner, I would think it would take awhile in a new area to get acquainted with it and improver your odds. I think the best I can do is hunt the early season where we have been, then move on. We are still doing well the first few days, but after that it goes bad. I am thinking I need a backup. In your situation where you have only ten days to hunt, it is very questionable if moving would be worth it. I think you could have a backup area within daily travel distance. Maybe that is what I should look for too, but I know of no area we can get to within an hour drive that is not heavily hunted.
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Washington Wapiti » 11 02, 2017 •  [Post 13]

I agree with the recharging of the batteries comment. Its exciting covering new ground and the discovery of it all, just like it was when discovering my " 'ol stand-by" now. I tend to be happily surprised when going to a new area, at least with other species . . . turkey, deer, etc. I haven't traveled outside of my comfort area for elk in some time though. I worry that day will come, when I will have to - when the elk won't show up anymore like what has happened to Swede and some others. Every year it seems like we lose more access to huntable area in Washington. Either through land development or timber sales, or just plain locking it up. Local areas close to home I hunted just 4 or 5 years ago are no longer accessible.

I like Stringunner's risk assessment strategy lol. This is much like how I think about it. Limited time and percent likelihood of success in current area. My wife and son also know my area since they come with me here and there to scout or just hike in with me to check cams, etc. Gotta weigh the trade-offs
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Re: Why Move?

Postby SilverDollars » 11 03, 2017 •  [Post 14]

Make you a "Why Not Move" and a "Why Move" list.

Think about it, pray if you think it will help, then burn your list.

Flip a coin and proceed with what you want to do!
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Re: Why Move?

Postby Luckyman » 11 03, 2017 •  [Post 15]

When the new spot you found on that weekend or week-long hiking, biking, moto, camping etc. (aka. scouting) trip looks bomber and has more fresh sign than you current spot. It's that yearning to see what's over the next ridge that always leads us to the top of the mountain. That explorer spirit is in many of we humans, especially hunters. Ya it sucks to lose access to prime territory or hunting quality degradation, but ce la vie, eh? Out here in Georgia, we gotta go all the way out to Colorado just to see elk and muleys!! And struggle with understanding that actually moving out west would mean ditching all the relatives....doh!#@ And remember, better is the enemy of good ;)
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Re: Why Move?

Postby elkstalker » 11 13, 2017 •  [Post 16]

I love scouting and hunting new spots, the pre-hunt scouting, mapping, and planning is one of my favorite aspects of hunting. Being able to locate elk in and learn new country is challenging and adds a great feeling of accomplishment to the hunt. Granted I'm fortunate to live in the west, where I can get out almost any weekend in the summer and scout. We lived in Idaho for 7 years, and I only hunted the same unit for elk 2 years, and was able to kill elk 6 out of 7 years. We've moved to Montana this fall and I can't wait to learn new areas here.
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