Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

How early?

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

How early?

Postby Tigger » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 1]

How early do you leave camp? I have heard just about everything from sleeping overnight on the mountain to waiting until full daylight to leave camp. We typically leave so that we are out of the truck (or off the ATV), down the hiking trail (if there is one) and then off the trail bushwacking before it gets light.

Is it possible to get out there too early?
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: How early?

Postby saddlesore » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 2]

I usually time it so I am in position about 20 minutes before first light.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: How early?

Postby BrentLaBere » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 3]

Situational for me. No matter where Im going, area im familiar with or its a new area, I like to get there early enough to slow down and assess the situation.
and yes, I think you can get to a spot too early.
BrentLaBere
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1143
Joined: 12 20, 2012
Location: Bismarck, N.D.
First Name: Brent
Last Name: LaBere

Re: How early?

Postby elkstalker » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 4]

If I'm in country where I can spot and stalk I'm on a high point before first light, if I'm hiking into a spot I want to hunt again it's before first light. However, I have begun my hike and varied from my course due to hearing/smelling elk, always go to where the elk are vs. where you think they will be... A couple of years ago I was hiking in with my daughter only to hear a bugle a few hundred yards away from the trailhead, I know I've probably walked past many elk in the dark on my way into my spots.
User avatar
elkstalker
Rank: Satellite Bull
 
Posts: 305
Joined: 04 16, 2015
Location: Montana

Re: How early?

Postby Swede » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 5]

I am about the same as Brent. It is situational. Often I leave camp well before daylight and wait for first light to go to my stand. Others in camp leave earlier, and have had success in some spots at first light. That just has not been my experience. It seems to depend on where you are hunting. If you are in a place where elk leave their feeding grounds at or before first light, you can take advantage of their movement by getting into position before first light. If your tree stand is near their bedding spot, it is not critical. They will come later.
If I am hunting on the ground calling, then I get out early. I maximize the opportunity to catch them still feeding or while they are still moving. I can nap midday when they are bedded.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: How early?

Postby Lefty » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 6]

When I hunted the desert camp was in the midst of elk country. I would just listen until 10 minutes before LST. No truck doors or talking. Then walk to an elevation and glass.
Depending on where we are hunting now in grizzle country we may cross an open meadow minutes before shooting but most often we leave the truck and are in the woods at LST , first set up in 5 minutes if light enough.

Im not afraid to get up early to hunt and often sleep in my goose decoys before shooting time. But hunting in a big boar grizzlies home range and a momma and 2 cubs changes the dynamics of walking in the dark.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: How early?

Postby saddlesore » 07 05, 2018 •  [Post 7]

The last time I hunted in grizzly country. We we re never even in the saddle before light.That was quite a few years ago, but I doubt my perspective has changed much.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: How early?

Postby Old school » 07 06, 2018 •  [Post 8]

Years ago my dad and I elk hunted in the Scapegoat Wilderness of Montana. Leaving camp in the dark and returning in the dark while riding horses in Grizzly country was nerve racking to say the least. Didn’t like it at all.

Hunting Colorado or Idaho with my sons - no grizz and we like getting to the area we plan on hunting 30 minutes before legal shooting light.

-Mitch
User avatar
Old school
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 549
Joined: 06 20, 2015
Location: MO

Re: How early?

Postby Tigger » 07 06, 2018 •  [Post 9]

We usually walk in with 4 guys, so even in grizzly country that isn't a problem. Although I will say, while walking out after dark with a bloody elk quarter on my back I did think of bears once or twice!
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: How early?

Postby Wapiti » 07 06, 2018 •  [Post 10]

I mostly stay on my river boat at night. So I'll wake up in the dark and get some water boiling on my jetboil. That water is used for instant coffee and oatmeal. By the time I'm done eating the daylight is just breaking.

Pull on the boots and grab my pack and bow and I'm off hunting. I'm usually pretty careful as there could be a Grizzly right outside my boat !! I'm always in bear country and surrounded by wilderness in every direction for miles and miles !!

Many times I can bugle standing on the front of my boat and get elk bugling !! Then I plan the hunt from there..........It's all a game. LOL

Trav
Wapiti River Outdoors
780-876-6170
http://www.wapitiriveroutdoors.com
User avatar
Wapiti
Site Sponsor
 
Posts: 510
Joined: 11 09, 2012
Location: Grande Prairie AB
First Name: Travis
Last Name: O'Shea

Re: How early?

Postby Roosiebull » 07 06, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Like others, it depends. I don't want to get too close too early and bump elk in the dark, but as early as practical.

When I'm looking for elk, sometimes I will walk in at 3:30am and try to locate a bull with bugles, or just go sit in an area and listen.

Other times I will walk in at first light if they are close, again, don't want to bump them in the dark, but I do every year.

Sometimes I leave early because it may take me awhile to navigate the woods in the dark, goes quicker nowadays since I started using head lamps. I use to go in blacked out, and got stuck in some nasty brush holes in the dark, missing a trail or whatever
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: How early?

Postby Lsb » 07 06, 2018 •  [Post 12]

My camp is quiet as possible, too many times I've bumped elk in the dark within 250 yards of camp. Now I don't leave camp until I can shoot.
Lsb
Rank: Herd Bull
 
Posts: 436
Joined: 05 03, 2018
Location: Montana

Re: How early?

Postby Swede » 07 08, 2018 •  [Post 13]

Wapiti wrote:I mostly stay on my river boat at night. So I'll wake up in the dark and get some water boiling on my jetboil. That water is used for instant coffee and oatmeal. By the time I'm done eating the daylight is just breaking.


Now, that sounds like a great way to start off a hunt. Got pictures? Just visualizing this in my mind, makes me think those Canadians may be able to show their southern neighbors a thing or two about hunting.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: How early?

Postby BullRun » 07 08, 2018 •  [Post 14]

If I'm driving on private roads or through un-huntable land on my way to a property or site where I will begin the day's hunt...I'll go before daylight.

BUT, If I'm driving, hiking, or walking through any huntable land, where there's a possibility of spotting elk on my way in, I'll wait until I can see. I may hear a bugle, spot a loner, or a whole herd on the way in...so I'll stop and glass, start calling right there, or try and get closer...depending on the situation. I've seen so many elk on my way in to the spot that I thought I was going to start the day...and many times bumped them because I thought "surely there won't be elk there", so I was going to ignore that area to get to the one I'd planned on.

Basically, I try and stay open to whatever presents itself to me on a given day. Man...I'm so ready...I can smell em already!
User avatar
BullRun
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 23
Joined: 09 18, 2017

Re: How early?

Postby Lsb » 07 08, 2018 •  [Post 15]

We put trail cameras out yesterday. Getting excited
Lsb
Rank: Herd Bull
 
Posts: 436
Joined: 05 03, 2018
Location: Montana

Re: How early?

Postby Fridaythe13th » 07 09, 2018 •  [Post 16]

We've had the best luck calling in elk in the afternoon. No need to be in the woods at 4am lol. I think the earliest elk we ever gotting was 9 or 10 in the morning. For the most part we are up anywhere from 430 to 8. It's my vacation sleeping in doesn't hurt me.
User avatar
Fridaythe13th
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1014
Joined: 10 24, 2013
Location: Minnesota
First Name: Eric
Last Name: S


cron