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Mapping out Elk locations ahead of time

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Griznar

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On a recent podcast with Randy on Meateater they were talking about how Randy can get a map, pick out the 8 most likely locations for elk on public land then go get them. When I asked him about it he said to look at this forum. So I can't find the topic on the search (sorry if I missed it) but for those of you who know how to do this what is the best way to learn?

Is there anyone proficient in this that lives in the Oregon/Washington area that would be willing to teach me in person? (I'll happily pay you for your time:)) (I live in the Columbia River Gorge, but will drive). I'm not looking for some quick fix to get my elk this year (as I would hope to do this in the winter or spring) but I really want to work on my skills as a hunter. My dad hunted when I was growing up so I feel like I know how to do it, and I've been successful in each hunt but I chalk that up to luck more than skill at this point. This is only my 3rd year rifle hunting. I got a cow elk my first year, drew a big horn sheep tag last year, and just got a buck (480 yards) yesterday (had my 7 year old daughter with me, such a great 1st hunting experience for her), which I'm still pumped about. I don't mention these as any sort of bragging, just trying to show I have some skills as a hunter and I take this seriously. I really want to be able to pass along good hunting knowledge to my children as they are started to get of age for hunting, but I realize it will likely take years to get good at this.

Thank you for your time,
Keith
 
The best way to learn is trial and error in the field. The more time you spend looking at maps and putting foot prints in the hills the better you will get at finding a honey hole. There are not any short cuts.
 
Welcome to HT!

As for finding elk, I don't think anyone here would consider themselves an expert. Best and most useful piece of advice I've been given and saw/heard was this: Look at a map and find that place that you don't want to pack an elk out of, then go just beyond that. That is where they are.

There are hundreds of years of experience written here, it just takes time to read it all and digest it. If it was easy, everyone would do it, then we would call it grocery shopping...
 
Look on your map for roads, easy sloping terrain and trails that are accessible via ATV. Now....scratch those areas out of your mind. Look for close contour lines or areas a long way from the nearest road. You are going to have to work for this. I love the analogy above about looking for the least fun place to pack an elk out (this will stop the vast majority of hunters from venturing there). Most of the hunters won't travel farther then a mile from the road. If there are pockets of elk closer they are somehow overlooked or people avoid going there because there is some obstacle in the way (maybe a half mile climb strait up??) All areas are different but yet the same. Elk live where people do not frequent. :)
 
I killed a bull opening week of archery season that I found by mapping/google earth. See the thread below.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=265204

I looked for a place where the road terminated in a roadless chunk at least 5 square miles and then looked on google earth for terrain. As others have pointed out look for stuff so rough others won't go there. I like to look for high elevation basins with feed, cover and water if it's early season. Also as others pointed out you must be prepared to go in and see nothing and keep trying. I've found a few honey holes but I've also hiked a long ways to see a lot of nothing before. As a matter of fact I talked to another guy who had gone in where I killed my bull a few years before saw nothing and decided it was no good. Elk move around a lot depending on pressure and their whims. Here today, gone tomorrow.
 
There are certain topographical features that I look for, and then cross reference them with the aerial photos.

Look for benches and basins on northerly facing aspects. Look for saddles between drainages. Look for pocket/stringer meadows on ridge lines. Bright green indicates water, but may not indicate the best feed source.

If you have to go over a ridge and into a drainage to hunt, you'll eliminate the majority of the competition.

And, like antlerradar said there is a certain amount of trial and error involved.
 
I second @mtlion's advice re: high elevation basin's w/ lots of feed, cover, and water. I've bagged a couple elk in an area just like that at 10,000+ feet. Best thing about that area: I only know of one other hunter who goes up there, and there's mutual respect for being willing to go so deep and steep.

I live in Salt Lake City and hunt a hugely popular but immense area, but I make that work in my favor. I looked on the maps for an area just beyond the reach of the weekend warriors, a trailhead too far for them, where animals likely congregate to escape less adventurous (and less successful) hunters. Once you identify an area, contact the fish and game biologist for that region and pick their brains, see what they know about it.

One more piece of advice: try to make sure your eyes don't out-walk your legs. That is, it can be difficult to interpret and conceive of the scale of land on GMaps. What looks like a short jaunt through the forest is likely a half-day slog up several thousand feet. In which case, as many have pointed out already, putting boots on the ground is the only way to really learn the country.
 
Another thing that helped me is to have a destination (usually by looking at google earth). Whether it is a nice bench, a peak, a grassy streambed...anything to keep you going a couple of miles. Otherwise, if I just planned on going out and hiking around, I usually didn't make it very far before I got bored or decided there weren't any elk. However, if I have a destination about 2 or 3 miles in, even if I didn't end up at the destination, I had a much more satisfying hunt or scouting trip. Might just be me, though.
 
This has been such a great thread. As a rookie elk hunter, all the info here has been greatly appreciated.
Two more days until I head up. Can't wait!

--Dana
 
Best way I learned was by covering a ton of ground in hard to access places and finding a handful of good spots. Once I found a good spot I looked it over on maps and on GE and then looked for similar spots to that. It can very greatly from place to place but its really helped me out. Perfect example was this year. Looked a spot over on a map that showed difficult access. Looked at it on GE and was similar to areas Ive hunted in the same range. I didn't have a chance to scout as it was a busy summer. Hiked in there the first day I had to hunt. Filled my cow tag in 30 minutes. Filled my bull tag 36 hours later. It was a short but awesome season.
Good luck!
 
I am working on a video to explain this in further detail. It will be after season that we get it done.

I think when you see how we do it, you'll find it to be pretty easy. Most importantly, you need to know what seasonal period the elk will be in during your hunt:

Early season
Pre-rut
Peak rut
Post-rut
Late season

Then you need to know their primary needs during the seasonal period listed above. From that, you can look at a topo map and Google Earth and quickly identify the likely areas bulls will be located at that time fulfilling those needs.

I'm just starting five elk hunts for the show. If we don't kill anything, then junk this thread, as I obviously don't know chit from apple butter about public land elk hunting. Wish I had time to do it before season.

Good luck.
 
Big Fin said:
I am working on a video to explain this in further detail. It will be after season that we get it done.

I think when you see how we do it, you'll find it to be pretty easy. Most importantly, you need to know what seasonal period the elk will be in during your hunt:

Early season
Pre-rut
Peak rut
Post-rut
Late season

Then you need to know their primary needs during the seasonal period listed above. From that, you can look at a topo map and Google Earth and quickly identify the likely areas bulls will be located at that time fulfilling those needs.

I'm just starting five elk hunts for the show. If we don't kill anything, then junk this thread, as I obviously don't know chit from apple butter about public land elk hunting. Wish I had time to do it before season.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

YES! The different phases of the season would be such a great help too!
Great now I'm going to be obsessed with the video until it's done. No pressure though... :D
G/L with your hunts
 
Definately interested in learning more about this. No matter how much gear, exercise, sprit I may have learning to hunt elk, odds are againist me if Im looking low when their high or high when they are low.

Im hoping I can find some hanging out semi high during my 4th season hunt in CO. Only reason I dont want them going too low is the private and the low lands turn into another unit.
 
One thing that I do that has helped me is utilize the Forest Service's Motor Vehicle Use Map. You can find these online and/or at a FS office. They are usually free. I use this map for an area I am interested in hunting and find the furthest area away from a road. Then I hone in on this area based upon an elk's bio needs. Meadows/Clearcuts next to areas with heavy timber, and lots of springs and creeks. Then I go for a walk. In CO, except for a few of the larger wilderness areas, you usually reach the furthest you can get from the road at about the 5 mile mark. It's really not that bad if you put your mind to it.
 
When I head west for archery hunts,I look for areas about 2+ miles in from trailhead.From there,I'm looking for north facing slopes that have meadows(feed) and a good water source near by.I'm still learning about locating them in rifle seasons.For that,I look for drainages that would be he&& to get in and out of and sandwiched between 2 roads or trails other hunter would be using.Iwant to be a mile from either trail/road.It would also have to have some good feed and a water source close.I've had incredible luck getting myself onto elk from over 2000 miles away by just using google earth and some maps.I am looking forward to Randy's book and video.I have ALOT to learn about rifle hunting elk.I mainly archery hunt them
 
Randy's point is spot on.
Throw in local behavior and the type of weather and you could run into elk.
Elk behave different in different parts of the country too,I have found.
These local elk in NM migrate UP in winter most years and they inhabit places you wouldn't expect to see an elk.
The heat and lack of rain the last 2 weeks shut down the rut and I haven't heard a bugle in the daytime in a week and none the last 2 nights.


So I'm going with the scenario of the peak rut and post peak rut insanity will be abundant during my mz hunt that starts this coming Sat. and throw in 75% chance of rain now for the 1st 2 days and I'm heading to find a camp Wed. now...............Yeah it will be on!
1st bull I see and have a chance it's down too.
 
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