ok youve done the pre season scouting and found several good elk, now what? don,t be an amateur and expect those elk to be stupid and be in the same place on opening morning!
step (1)
what you need to do is get a detailed topo map of the area, and realize your very unlikely to be the only person who knows where that elk is!
step (2)
find the closest large and least easily accessed area from roads that has water good cover and at least marginal feed, and BE THERE before dawn on opening day WITHOUT announcing your presents in that area,or while getting in there the night before and DON,T camp, or screw up the area with odors , lights, or noise as you sneak in well before dawn, you may not get a chance at that exact bull but your chances of getting a decent bull will be FAR higher than the numb nuts walking in of logging roads at dawn, those guys will actually drive far more game into your area as the day progresses
step (3)
travel light , be ready to move and glass the area, elk won,t necessarily go exactly where you expect but they will rather predictably move away from the roads and larger camp ares. ideally there will be a natural funnel like cliffs or a lake shore, or side canyon, to funnel the elk moving out of the far more accessible areas, as they move into the more remote and for the elk more secure area your waiting in.
step (4)
have whats required to dress out an elk, a good pack and zip-loc bags are almost mandatory
step (5)
watch the wind and thermals, don,t silhouette yourself or a ridge, north and east slopes tend to have more cover, find a spot you can watch both your slope and the opposite slope in a canyon if its an option.
that basic game plans worked for my group far more times than it failed to work, you can depend on elk to recognize the huge increase of traffic on roads and camps being set up to vacate all easily accessed areas close to roads or areas easily walked into, if you have to wade a shallow stream or climb a steep ridge to get there chances tend to improve
step (1)
what you need to do is get a detailed topo map of the area, and realize your very unlikely to be the only person who knows where that elk is!
step (2)
find the closest large and least easily accessed area from roads that has water good cover and at least marginal feed, and BE THERE before dawn on opening day WITHOUT announcing your presents in that area,or while getting in there the night before and DON,T camp, or screw up the area with odors , lights, or noise as you sneak in well before dawn, you may not get a chance at that exact bull but your chances of getting a decent bull will be FAR higher than the numb nuts walking in of logging roads at dawn, those guys will actually drive far more game into your area as the day progresses
step (3)
travel light , be ready to move and glass the area, elk won,t necessarily go exactly where you expect but they will rather predictably move away from the roads and larger camp ares. ideally there will be a natural funnel like cliffs or a lake shore, or side canyon, to funnel the elk moving out of the far more accessible areas, as they move into the more remote and for the elk more secure area your waiting in.
step (4)
have whats required to dress out an elk, a good pack and zip-loc bags are almost mandatory
step (5)
watch the wind and thermals, don,t silhouette yourself or a ridge, north and east slopes tend to have more cover, find a spot you can watch both your slope and the opposite slope in a canyon if its an option.
that basic game plans worked for my group far more times than it failed to work, you can depend on elk to recognize the huge increase of traffic on roads and camps being set up to vacate all easily accessed areas close to roads or areas easily walked into, if you have to wade a shallow stream or climb a steep ridge to get there chances tend to improve