To Early for Elk Season Preparation ?

[JimPaul]

Is it to early to get out and start making notes, setting trail cams and mapping out certain areas? If the elk are there now, will they be there in the fall or do they move with the seasons? No matter what the season the always need food and water and high ground near by. I guess my question is, is it to early in the year to map out areas the elk are in now, for this coming fall.

Thanks

[7mmremmag]

I dont think its ever too early to be in the field learning more about the outdoors and your game of choice! And trail cams just make it sooo much more fun

[Shaggy]

Get out and scout the areas. I would not put too much faith in the exact location of the elk right now. They are calving and will change things up soon after. But locating a herd is a good start to the general area.

[Elkaholic523]

Your gonna find things scouting that u would never find while hunting

[Badgoodguy]

Go for it better then sitting at a PC :)

[Jamie Black R/T]

Your gonna find things scouting that u would never find while hunting

yes!

and the remains of last years rut will still be there....rubs, wallows, beer cans, wax paper tag backing.

I guess what im saying is get out there...but bring a trash bag too lol

i plan on buying a bear tag and heading up to my elk haunts the last weekend of the the month to buzz the cutlines on my quad and mark them all in the gps....you get really confident bushwacking when you can see where the next trail is...helps with extraction as well.

[Bigwoodsman]

When I hunted regularly, haven't for a few years. I would spend as much time in the areas I intended to hunt in the fall, camping fishing, scouting, quading, and thing to get to know the land better, the game, patterns, and movements. We would hunt moose North of Red Earth along the Wabasca, and it was a 7 hour drive from home. Would make at least 2 trips a month there in July and August before the September hunt. Each trip would be a 4 day trip, 2 full days of scouting or floating the river, to get a feel of what is there.
A day in the woods is better than a day in the office!!

BW

[BigJon]

Get out and scout the areas. I would not put too much faith in the exact location of the elk right now. They are calving and will change things up soon after. But locating a herd is a good start to the general area.

x2....you will be able to find general areas where elk like to be. From there you can start to narrow it down as the elk start to move into summer/early fall patterns.

Like Shaggy said, don't get hung up on exact locations...I know of one place in particular where every year calving would take place but after July or so I wouldn't even see an elk track within 8 miles.

[albertadeer]

Is it to early to get out and start making notes, setting trail cams and mapping out certain areas? If the elk are there now, will they be there in the fall or do they move with the seasons? No matter what the season the always need food and water and high ground near by. I guess my question is, is it to early in the year to map out areas the elk are in now, for this coming fall.

Thanks



Year after year elk herds go back to the same area to rut, calf and winter...

Find these areas and scout them good and you will be set, year after year after year....

I can walk into the bush to over 20 different spots on a calm morning in September and guarantee there is elk within 1km of that spot....Sure they might use certain trails more then others some years...But spots my Grandpa showed me 15+ years ago still produce rutting elk, every year...They are super habitual animals, reusing licks, springs, rubs, wallows and scrapes yearly.



Elk will have a "circuit" they do in the rut. Once you figure this out, elk hunting turns into one of the easiest animals to hunt. Just look for the cattle like gametrails running along ridge tops or along creeks into licks or springs. Elk also will pick a nice pine or spruce thicket and DESTROY stuff. If you find a dozen or more rubs on conifer trees bigger then your leg. You just found gold!

What im saying is..Its never to early or late to be out looking for these signs. Once you find one good area...Go find another...and another!! Just stack em up. Then come September....You will be chasing bugles from sun up till sun down.


Oh man...I cant wait to hear those hoarse bellows shattering the silence...
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h329/albertadeer/fall10008.jpg

[Big Daddy Badger]

Year after year elk herds go back to the same area to rut, calf and winter...

Find these areas and scout them good and you will be set, year after year after year....

I can walk into the bush to over 20 different spots on a calm morning in September and guarantee there is elk within 1km of that spot....Sure they might use certain trails more then others some years...But spots my Grandpa showed me 15+ years ago still produce rutting elk, every year...They are super habitual animals, reusing licks, springs, rubs, wallows and scrapes yearly.



Elk will have a "circuit" they do in the rut. Once you figure this out, elk hunting turns into one of the easiest animals to hunt. Just look for the cattle like gametrails running along ridge tops or along creeks into licks or springs. Elk also will pick a nice pine or spruce thicket and DESTROY stuff. If you find a dozen or more rubs on conifer trees bigger then your leg. You just found gold!

What im saying is..Its never to early or late to be out looking for these signs. Once you find one good area...Go find another...and another!! Just stack em up. Then come September....You will be chasing bugles from sun up till sun down.


Oh man...I cant wait to hear those hoarse bellows shattering the silence...
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h329/albertadeer/fall10008.jpg

Side note.

That is a great picture...the colours just jump out at you.

Oh and great looking elk.

[Elkaholic523]

I hunted all around where this bull was taken for years never knew this sweet alfalfa was there a hidden little slice of heaven whether your hunting crown or private scouting is everything and personally there's nothing better than walking into one of these places for the first time.http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab12/elkoholic523/535192f9.jpghttp://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab12/elkoholic523/cors271.jpg

[Badgoodguy]

Wow nice bulls in those pictures. I have hunted for years and have never shot a bull elk cow elk yes but not a bull :(.

Maybe this year as I am getting old now LOL.

Or might just have to trade in my right n*t LOL

[NayNay]

When to start? Just never stop:)

[Thunder/FX]

Absolutely never too early!

[H380]

start now , I've got trail cam pics already showing pretty good horn growth .. guess that's antlers for you politically correct guys ..

[trapshooter]

Go for it better then sitting at a PC :)

Or a mac LOL :)