Elk Scouting in winter?
Author: Lewis Claspell
Vortex Optics National Field Staff
Trophy Bound Bow Strings Pro Staff
The author can be contacted by sending a Private message to "Lew" from the GMUResearch forum page.
The winter time gives lots of us, time to reflect back on the seasons that have passed.
We often sit and wonder when we come home empty handed if there was something we could have done to sway the odds better in our favor. Winter is not the time to scout elk country, but during those cold spells there are ways we can scout from the warmth of our homes. Start with good maps of the areas you have hunted in or are planning to hunt during the upcoming season. I like to find drainage's and potential feeding spots that are secluded. The drainage should contain water, without it there will not be many animals near it. If you have located a creek, spring, seep, or mountain lake, you are in business.
The elk will travel upwards of 5 miles between a good water source and their bedding area twice daily. On the high detail topo maps that are available today we can quickly find north facing benches in the drainage's that the elk will use to bed in.
Once I have the two ingredients above all that is missing is the food source.
I like to find small parks between the bedding areas and water sources. These parks can range in size to less than a football field, to well over a square mile in size. They are mostly surrounded by dark timber leading from and to, water and bedding areas.
If you have located an area that contains all 3 of the above, you should be in an area that contains animals.
There are more variables to be considered. During the spring and early summer, the elk will begin the migration back to their summer haunts. It is during this time that the cows will begin to calve, and they normally have an area in mind when this occurs. Cows will return year after year to these calving areas, and unless something should change in the 3 variables they will not venture to far from these areas. Late summer and fall, there are many recreational users enjoying the public lands. These may be campers, hikers, fishermen, and off road enthusiast. Wild animals will only tolerate so much pressure by humans in any area before finding a more secluded location.
Wild land fires have been the curse of many a hunter who has arrived in their hunting area to find the area has been burned. Drought has been an ongoing part of the summer for many western states. During these times water sources can dry up quickly.
The variables can be monitored. Watch the weather reports for the GMU and surrounding area you wish to hunt. Also monitor the fire reports during the summer and early fall. Ask the National Forest Service personnel in your area about summer usage, and impacts to wildlife.
While it is cold out and the snow is too deep for scouting, call the DNR biologist in the area. Ask about winter conditions, herd health, population, and winter kill.
It is never too early to start scouting and planning for this coming seasons hunt.
This article cannot be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the author.
