Windy day, where are they?

[David58]

Conditions clear, cool, and windy. Not so windy as to stay out of the woods, but stiff. Where are the elk?

David
NM

 

[hank4elk]

Lee side of hills & mesas at the base , in the trees or an open valley they can see from.
Stiff one direction winds are a help walking into them. Swirling winds your out of luck.

 

[nrpate05]

I'd think about where you would like to be if you were stuck in the woods and had to get out of the wind and look there. Trouble is, it usually requires that you sit in the wind to find them. In one of the greatest episodes of OYOA, Randy shoots an elk in conditions that I would likely not be out in. The bulls were hidden in a little pocket out of the wind but it required hanging out on a windy ridgetop to glass them up.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Out of the wind.

 

[Schaaf]

If you’re in a nice warm spot that’s out of the wind you’re not going to see a damned thing.

 

[David58]

So even if there is a nice burn scar warmed by Mr Sunshine, they will go ahead and bed out of the wind?

I may be old, but I am a rookie for the most part.

Going to be interesting - the browse has been so good, there is water everywhere, and I have never hunted them in conditions like this. But the hunt is still two weeks away, plenty of time for a stay-out-da-woods storm to blow through.

David
NM

 

[Elite7]

I’m not an elk expert but you received good advice above. Elk are pretty similar to my beef cows except the hunting pressure part. They will go to the areas out of the wind. They rely on their nose a lot and if they are out bedding in a high end area their losing one of their best senses.

 

[Hunter4Life78]

I asked myself this very question today numerous times in MT. Set up where we had a good vantage point where two drainages came together. Wind was so bad couldn't stay out long enough.

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

Just keep the wind in your face. This is a good time to go after them. They won't get your scent and if you're in the dark timber moving slowly, they won't hear you.