To spike or not to spike ?

[TBark]

Planning for late Aug bow hunt and into the rifle opener.
Torn between making my way into the elk travel and bedding area each morning or throw together a spike camp.
Our cabin quarter hugs crown land, it's a mile to the start of crown from the cabin and aprx another 2-3 miles of cutlines to the furthest area we would hunt.
We have spent a few weeks now clearing deadfall off the older cutlines for ATV travel but mostly for easy hauling out game if we were successful.
Another option besides walking our butts off in the dark early morning is quadding in an hr before sunrise but you never know how close to you the elk are. One other concern with a camp is you could be moving the elk back further too just with your presence.

So would you set up a spike camp only 3-4 miles back or hoof it in every morning ?
BTW, I'm 54 yrs old, ha.

TBark

[LKILR]

Get some horses. Be in there in an hour plus you get to stay in warm cabin lol

[TBark]

Better worded question I guess, Those who set up a spike camp,
Do you find you can still be in the area with the elk, within a half mile, or does the presence of your camp push them off ?
Horses maybe, ya.

TBark

[Puma]

I think I would travel in/out. Any changes ie increased traffic or camps seem to spook Elk and they move out. When they move on, it can easily be a ten mile move.

[Redfrog]

Are you planning to hunt the whole day? Stalk and walk? Sit and wait in ambush? What happens if it rains all day? Why did you build the cabin? A lot of questions to answer to help decide.

Have you ever heard of someone shooting an elk right in camp?

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Puma

I think I would travel in/out. Any changes ie increased traffic or camps seem to spook Elk and they move out. When they move on, it can easily be a ten mile move.

Elk don't like to move unnecessarily unless you spook them, You ain't that old, hike.

Grizz

[CanuckShooter]

I would say it depends where the elk are. I've been in spots like the above posters wrote about. Not good to spook them off. And then I've shot elk almost right in camp. I think it depends on how accustomed they are to seeing people.

[wwbirds]

while they may not leave the country I doubt they will travel the regular routes in that area if you are camping there. Our usual elk valley is 3 km from where we park and we hoofed it in opening day a few years ago only to find 3 guys had tented in the middle of the valley over night. From a lookout position we can generally spot elk moving in or near that valley each year no but no elk were in that valley for the first two weeks of the season. We blame the campers for while they didnt completely leave the area they changed their travel routes to avoid the "new unfamiliar activity".

[LKILR]

We have spooked the heard by camping too close so I would say no spike.

[TBark]

Good thoughts thanks.
The idea was just to spend the night(s) to ensure we are in the area early and quiet.
Got a med size outfitter tent taking up space in the shed.
But ya, not out there all day, every day.
Likely back at the cabin for some mid daytimes.

TBark

[3blade]

A lot depends on the terrain and prevailing wind direction.

if you don't know exactly where to find them, you stand a very good chance of bumping them on the daily hike anyway. Especially with more than one hunter hiking in. I'd try to spike somewhere over a ridge from their typical location, in thick cover, alone, no fire, beside a creek is ideal. My experience is that a comfortable camp tends to keep me in camp, where as sleeping in a vehicle or spike camp means I will be up and hunting much faster. No reason to loaf around if it's not very comfortable. No noise if there is no one to talk to. I've seen plenty of elk from spike camp.

The quad will move them away. Not a good idea.

[The moose]

swap the quads for a mountain bike. Better than walking in and gassing yourself before the morning even starts. Once you get a feel for where the herd is then Ride to a safe location lock em up and travel rest of the way in by foot. keep the chains tight and wrap a old tube around rear bar parallel to chain. keeps things silent. You be surprised how little a mountain bike spooks game.

[WhistlePig]

Last year we were camping at my property and having a good time with friends around the fire all night. The next morning I got out of the trailer and a cow elk was walking by 200 yards away. Followed by another one 10 minutes later.
I never would have expected to see them so close after that. I think as long as they don't feel threatened they have no reason to change their movement.

[albertadeer]

The elk can smell a fart at 2-3 miles. It's no issues for the herd to move 10-20km in one night. Normally they stick to their 2-4km raidius in the rut.


I don't think a spike camp would benefit you. Your not hiking to the top of a mountian at day break.

But it is pretty wicked to sleep under the stars with bugles echoing through the valleys and wake up within 200m of the herd. No fires, no real food, just a sleeping roll and the rifle.