desert elk hunting

[dan.kirkpatrick]

does anybody out there have any tips on finding elk on desert range?have oregon high desert muzzleloader elk tag this year and am more acustomed to big timber.Im sure water sources are big key but are elk out in sage flats at all?

 

[Oak]

I'm not familiar with Oregon, but elk will definitely live out in the sage flats. Take a look at Khunter's scouting photos in the Elk forum. Some of those elk are out in the middle of nowhere. I suspect that finding water to find the elk will be important in OR just as it is in CO or WY.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

To add to the above, usually sagebrush country is heavy with roads. I'd try to find pockets where there is less two tracks etc. Also the elk like to get out of the wind just as much as we do.

Nothing like tracking elk across sand dunes

 

[Wally Dog]

You'll probably cover miles and miles with no critters only to pop over a ridge to find 150 head. They travel a long ways after getting pushed. I call it "elkalope" hunting. Optics, optics, optics.
WD

 

[smarandr]

I've got a buddy that hunts the edges of the INL (a DOE site in Idaho that's just shy of 1,000 sq mi) that is probably identical to the habitat you are talking about. He takes a nice bull every few years off of it, and he says just what Wally Dog does--"elkalope" hunting.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

thanks ,Ive already been out scouting and have alot of country to cover,havnt bumped a single elk yet,but have seen some deer,alot of antelope and some wild horses so far,gonna scout somemore over laber day weekend,hunt is mid october, will desert elk be acting different at that time?may be around 2nd estrus cycle.

 

[highmountian]

elk love the flats!

Yes elk love the flats. Just get up high and you can glass for miles.. A few buddies shot these to spike in a grassy flat on blm ground. No trees for miles! Lots of fun. Plus my son was all smiles.

Easier for the elk to get away from the meat eaters!!

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

thanks guys for the tips,I bumped a herd of 100 labor day weekend after 8 days of scouting.

 

[2rocky]

I've hunted Elk in a desert environment. In Fact both my archery bulls were in desert country. The food sources were irrigated meadows, hayfields and creek bottoms. We called both bulls in. and it amounted to getting on the bulls where you had cover and then getting in range, by calling them past us.

Those elk could find little depressions and hide in the open. The way I would find those elk in the desrt was when they were moving, you could see the dust hanging in the air. It was mosrt visible morning and night when the light was coming at an angle.

The elk would move up to 5 miles between feeding and bedding areas. So that is a lot of time in the open...

This pic is 300yds from a road. About 11:00 am

 

[azhunter]

Glass, Glass, Glass. Look for sign, and then glass somemore.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

just got done w hunt,3days scouting before opener,9 days glassing ,hunting,dawn to dark,waterholes,150 miles covered but never found the elk again?no elk this year.

 

[Sytes]

Your definately put your time in. Bummer you didn't uncover the ones you saw earlier in your scouting.

Best of success next season, kirkpatrick.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

That's tough, Dan. I know your pain as I got absolutely skunked this year--1 archery deer in AZ (so far, we'll see about December), 1 archery elk in Colorado and 1 Limited Opportunity elk in AZ. Maybe not smart, but I sure hunted hard as I could on each one. About wore my crappy knees out between August 20th & October 17th.

I'm still shaking my head trying to figure where I went wrong. Maybe I should stick to fishing

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

this year im lookin into posibly paulina?e fort rock in central oregon? does anybody out there have any tips for that unit in oregon?

 

[Mikeflies]

In 2009 I went for a drive in an area of Wyoming and saw a small but impressive herd of Elk in this desert region. When I talked to a couple of buddies they all told me thats some of the best areas to hunt, if and thats a BIG IF, you can draw it. Saw some kewl pic's of Elk taken there as well from others I met in Wyo.
PS...I have not drawn that area.....YET.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

i put in for wyomging elk this year but didnt draw.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

anybody out there know anything about idahos 30-a muzzleloader elk hunt? am putting in for it on the idaho 2nd tag draw?

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

what is the terrian like in idaho 30 a? its pretty mountainy isnt it?

 

[sweetnectar]

This thread is a sham! Elk only hang out way at the top of the mountain. Do not believe what you have just seen on here. You have to hike way deep in and if your not close to the top you won't ever see elk.

 

[dustyhunter]

I did not read all the replies so I hope I'm not repeating anyone but elk love the desert!! Elk are a plains animal that have been pushed into the hills. Now with all the wolf pressure we are seeing them move out of the timber on the ranch and into the plains. Lucky for us no one knows that yet! Hee, Hee!! Glass from high points and check for any tall tree pockets and water. Should be fun!!