35 year old montana hunter struggling

[Bullisticks]

Hey fellow woodsman and women! Today marks the 6th day I have been out this year in the barely week old season, I have logged over 35 miles on foot, and all I have to show for it is a nice blister and a story of a few does, plus a 6mile walk out in the dark.

My father showed me how to hunt, but it was all road hunting due to his health, I have gotten plenty of animals from the road. My dad passed away last August a year ago, and I have been watching videos on YouTube, I can't get enough.

I have hunted in these 6 day's over a 35 mile area. I'm hiking my butt off, and I hear shots on the road like it's going out style.

I'm hunting prime elk and deer habitat, I have onX map's that I use very rigerously and I stay out from sun up to sun down, I can't find a dag gum thing if my life depended on it. Anyone have any clue on what I may be doing wrong?

 

[Gerald Martin]

Hey fellow woodsman and women! Today marks the 6th day I have been out this year in the barely week old season, I have logged over 35 miles on foot, and all I have to show for it is a nice blister and a story of a few does, plus a 6mile walk out in the dark.

My father showed me how to hunt, but it was all road hunting due to his health, I have gotten plenty of animals from the road. My dad passed away last August a year ago, and I have been watching videos on YouTube, I can't get enough.

I have hunted in these 6 day's over a 35 mile area. I'm hiking my butt off, and I hear shots on the road like it's going out style.

I'm hunting prime elk and deer habitat, I have onX map's that I use very rigerously and I stay out from sun up to sun down, I can't find a dag gum thing if my life depended on it. Anyone have any clue on what I may be doing wrong?

Yep. You aren’t on your seventh day. Or your eight.... or your....
It take me an average of twelve days hunting per each shot at an elk.
It will happen eventually.

 

[Davetats51]

Slow down and glass each draw and drainage. It’s not all about burning boot leather sometimes, still hunt through some dark timber midday and be setup on good glassing points during dawn and dusk.

 

[MTLabrador]

Are you finding recent deer and elk sign? People really overthink elk hunting, make sure you’re where the elk want to be. More than anything, elk want to live in places where they won’t get shot.

It take me an average of twelve days hunting per each shot at an elk.

I think I averaged somewhere north of 20 days per elk I killed in Montana.

 

[Bullisticks]

Slow down and glass each draw and drainage. It’s not all about burning boot leather sometimes, still hunt through some dark timber midday and be setup on good glassing points during dawn and dusk.

That's what I have been doing, the other day I sat in a hillside for hour's, and some weather rolled in, I glassed this entire mountain range that was nice and open, and I didn't see a thing. I switch tactics from time to time, I'll stop walking and just sit there, hoping something will come out.

I'm paying attention to elevation, moon phases, weather even 2 day's before I go out.

 

[Bullisticks]

Are you finding recent deer and elk sign? People really overthink elk hunting, make sure you’re where the elk want to be. More than anything, elk want to live in places where they won’t get shot.


I think I averaged somewhere north of 20 days per elk I killed in Montana.

I found a lot of elk track's today, and I decided I would go up on the ridgeline and glass down on he open area's, and drainages, still nothing.

 

[MTLabrador]

I found a lot of elk track's today, and I decided I would go up on the ridgeline and glass down on he open area's, and drainages, still nothing.

Keep at it, hike in the dark and glass until you can’t see any more. Elk eventually reward hard work.

 

[Straight Arrow]

Hey fellow woodsman and women! Today marks the 6th day I have been out this year in the barely week old season, I have logged over 35 miles on foot, and all I have to show for it is a nice blister and a story of a few does, plus a 6mile walk out in the dark.

My father showed me how to hunt, but it was all road hunting due to his health, I have gotten plenty of animals from the road. My dad passed away last August a year ago, and I have been watching videos on YouTube, I can't get enough.

I have hunted in these 6 day's over a 35 mile area. I'm hiking my butt off, and I hear shots on the road like it's going out style.

I'm hunting prime elk and deer habitat, I have onX map's that I use very rigerously and I stay out from sun up to sun down, I can't find a dag gum thing if my life depended on it. Anyone have any clue on what I may be doing wrong?

That's why we call it hunting!

 

[rjthehunter]

I found a lot of elk track's today, and I decided I would go up on the ridgeline and glass down on he open area's, and drainages, still nothing.

If the sign is fresh, follow it a bit. If it was easy everyone would do it!

 

[Bullshot]

Honestly it sounds like you are doing nothing “wrong.” Time in the woods will pay off and you will learn what works for you in that area. Even if game is sparse, eventually the stars will align for you I am sure of it.

 

[Drummond33]

keep at it man. I am in the same boat out here but i also think back to hunting whitetails where i was dialed and it still sometimes took the entire rifle season (16 days) to make it happen

 

[LuketheDog]

Less walking, more looking through my binos...that was a hard one for me to learn too

 

[Seeleylakehunter]

Keep your head up. Exspect the unexpected.

 

[Oakman]

Are you by yourself?
I assume you take into consideration the wind direction, stealth when moving. From what I know it’s all about patience, work your binoculars, rest your feet.
Sorry for loosing your dad, keep up the good work buddy, you are on the right track.
best of luck

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Yep. You aren’t on your seventh day. Or your eight.... or your....
It take me an average of twelve days hunting per each shot at an elk.
It will happen eventually.

Sometimes I don’t miss Montana.

 

[MTLabrador]

Sometimes I don’t miss Montana.

I agree when it comes to elk hunting.

 

[ccc23454]

Eyes up, phone down...slow and steady

 

[Deleted member 28227]

@Bullisticks couple things that have helped me with elk.

1. Get up early and stay late, getting to glassing spots before first light can sometimes make or break it for you. I’ve had a number of elk pop out just before dark or feed back into the timer before sunrise.

2. Elk get hot, doesn’t matter if it’s late November they don’t like to be in direct sun.

3. Cover, find the crappiest place on the mountain. If I can’t find elk glassing, I just find the most horrible spot on the mountain and still hunt into that. Little grove of aspens, on a bench 800ft almost vertically above a trail, 2000ft drop through down timber into a hole.

4. Trails are to get from A to B they are not for hunting.

5. Elk drink everyday find the water.

6. Kinda goes along with 3, with the exception of summer I basically never see elk in “elky” spots. “Dude look at this meadow, doesn’t it look elky”... Um maybe on private or some max point unit. But I saw a video with Corey... yeah dude that’s a private ranch, have you noticed how familiar that meadow is... didn’t it look just like the one Melissa Bachman killed a bull in and Tiffany and Lee killed a bull in and ...

This is a shitty hunting spot, gonna take a pile of luck for some idiot elk to step out into that, and you can’t see anything.


This is a good spot, Aspens allow a lot of light in so there will be grass meaning elk can feed without exposing themselves, it’s steep, there is dense timber for bedding cover, also and you can’t tell this from that photo there is water in the middle, even during this very dry year.

You want to be right where I’m sitting at first light, glass the openings if you don’t see anything work your way up into the Aspens, likely they will be up feeding until 10am move slow watch the wind. Look for sign.

 

[bailey68]

Persistence, stay out to the end of shooting light

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I think I averaged somewhere north of 20 days per elk I killed in Montana.

But in all seriousness, read what wllm just said over and over again, especially number 6.
The more time you spend out there, the more you learn, as frustrating as it can be sometimes.