Deep timber elk

[Koda_]

Last couple of years have found me working deep heavy timber typically in creek draws to get into the elk. Avg shot about 40yds or less with a few slightly farther "thread the needle" shots. This change in tactics from my usual spot and stalk or still hunt has proved challenging. Ive found I can get into the elk but most often not before they hear me coming.
My hunting partner and I are discussing more tactics for deep timber, One we tried was basically a one man drive... he set up about 2 hours earlier on a waypoint I found a couple days before where I had flushed several elk and sign was fresh and everywhere in there... they had excellent shelter and foraging here. Gave him time to hike in and hide with a good view and shot, we waited for a few hours to let his presence settle into total silence and began my stalk downhill and traversing the elevation to eventually his position and hope to bump some elk to him. It worked... "mostly".... I was still hunting slow in hopes to get my own shot, as I neared the waypoint I heard them flush ahead of me just out of sight, maybe 50ish yards. What was interesting is they flushed uphill where we estimated they would flush downhill. My partner was there and heard them too both of us within 50yds of them, if they would have ran downhill they would have gone by him. Its as if they were foraging but knew he was there and knew which way to go when something new appeared. In hindsight now Im thinking I should have approached straight downhill to the waypoint but overall we felt good about the plan for the difficulty of a one man drive always leaves an escape. Another thought is we both could have set up about 50ish yds apart and just sat there all day, effectively increasing our line of sight in the heavy timber where they forage.

What are some elk tactics to use in deep timber?

 

[Bravo 4]

I was told by an old elk hunter several years back that when spooked elk tend to go up and over when they have the opportunity, but when hit (shot) will run down hill. Most times I've bumped or seen elk bumped this has been true. The times I've seen them hit with a bullet and run he has been correct on as well. Now a disclaimer; I am not a super experienced elk hunter, and would like to hear what the "regulars" have to say about this.

 

[Timber338]

I've hunted elk in heavy timber for over 20 years, and you're exactly right that it's pretty darn hard to stalk into elk in heavy timber. They nearly always hear you crawling through the timber before you can get close enough for a shot. My most successful tactic is to cover ground until I find fresh sign... and I'm talking *fresh* green/slimy poo, smell the pee... and then set up with the wind in your favor and wait. Also be careful of your setup for when the wind shifts as the sun goes down.

Even when you know the country and have honey holes to set up over, the elk may be patterning a different part of the mountain. I can usually be more effective hiking until I find that fresh sign and then being patient. I can usually kill an elk in 1-2 days hunting like this. I have friends who hunt in the same area, and are either too patient over areas they think should hold elk from killing them previously there, and they don't find the fresh sign and nothing comes out. Or they're too aggressive and even if they find the fresh sign, they don't wait long enough and try and hike into the bedded herd and bump them. Sometimes if the conditions are right, the elk will start moving in the early afternoon, but on public land these days it seems like the high pressured elk don't move until sundown ... so being patient means waiting all the way until the last few minutes of shooting light.

The other tactic that has worked very well that dark timber provides, is to learn the country well enough to find natural choke points. For example, I've got a place that I am now hunting with my wife and young kids that we can sit over and shoot something within 1-2 days... the deadfall in this spot is so thick, that one huge creek drainage is literally impossible to cross for several hundred yards downhill. Then boulder fields choke off from the high side. The spot I sit is a little bench that looks down at the only area to cross. I found this place by reading the sign, and shooting elk and bears consistently, and then I finally realized why there's always sign and always animals moving through... If I had opened my eyes earlier to the terrain, I would have figured it out sooner.

At least where I hunt on public OTC land in Colorado, most of the elk that I kill are in the insanely dense dark timber, and the reason they're there is most hunters either don't go in there (less pressure), or the hunters that do move through, move through too quickly. I would say the average shot distance is about 35 yards, I've killed an elk as close as 10 yards, and a buddy of mine killed a bull back in 2009 by no joke holding his rifle with extended arms (not looking through the scope) as the elk walked past and had the barrel within a few inches of the hide.

 

[Reelamin]

We have timber like that and we have much much thicker timber. That is pretty dang open and would be a pleasure compared to our thick or "black" timber. In country like that I would very very slowly hunt it against the drainage direction noting any elk sign or travel patterns. Just that photo distance if I was hunting it would take me a good 20 minutes to cover. Obviously note any water and what you are seeing as a general rule. I stop very often and kneel down as it allows much better viewing than standing. I will also use my binos a lot as you can see much farther into the trees than you can with eyes only. I will change directions 180 degrees to keep the wind right and prefer to move in on elk from above them if I can. Too dang high of scope magnification has cost me more elk/animals than too little. If this was my norm I would be using something 2-7, 3-9 maximum...probably a 1-5 or so. We can come out of timber like this to a burn, canyon, etc. and want to make a 5-2500 yard shot. Most of my elk rifles have a 4.5-14, 3-15 on them. My kid just bought a 4-24 for his new elk rifle. I have a bet it comes off after the first season if not before.

 

[Caveman0101]

Early in my elk hunting life I almost exclusively hunted in dark timber, it took some time to figure it out, but once I did, I filled my tag nine years in a row in Idaho and CO. Only problem was I could never pick the animal I wanted to take, I'd basically confirm the one I had the best shot at was legal then the hunt was over. In Idaho, I got spikes several times when there were better bulls in the herd, but you can only shoot what you can see, and in timber that's usually parts and pieces before the shot rings out. The last bull I killed in timber all I saw was the right side of a 5x5 rack and some of his neck, which was plenty and he never even got off the ground. Nowadays I'm much pickier and tend to only shoot specific animals after watching and accessing from afar. The wind is the most important thing when in close, I've been in amongst herds lots of times and in fact, you will usually find yourself that way when you actually spot the first one. I always cow-called low and softly as I walk through the timber and very seldom did they spook from the sound of footsteps. If you've ever heard elk moving through timber you know how much noise a herd makes. Once you know an area and know about where they like to bed you can stay above them and it makes it easier to spot parts and pieces of elk. Ears moving, parts of horns in the sun, this is usually what your eyes will pick up first. Move slowly, mind the wind, every few steps glass every whole through the limbs, and cow call often and you will find yourself in the elk. O' Yeah a background in archery hunting helps also.

 

[sp6x6]

All the tactics above.I walk quietly and carry a big stick.Ive shot bedded bulls 6x6,with both bow and rifle,but also blown out about 1000.Glass alot use the wind,read the tracks for there movement,watch when the **** and poo,then usually bed up.They get on bumps or ridges alot.In places like ID where the roads are high,they hide in very bottom of drainages,where no one wants walk and the thickest stuff.I missed chance on many bulls trying to judge them in timber,some where 330 type,hurts.

 

[Koda_]

wow, some really good replies... I was worried my very first post here would go un-noticed. The general consensus so far is im on the right track and doing things similar to what Im reading here. I'll try to reply to comments more specifically as I can.
a bit more background, Im no stranger to brush and deep dark timber, Im in Oregon and have hunted both east and west/coastal terrain but have been hunting eastern Oregon for elk for a few years now, the last few years has seen more hunting pressure driving herds deeper into draws and creek bottoms and Im getting into the elk there when Im not in the open timber where I run into other hunters. I have no problem diving into the deep dark timber for game if that what it takes, its just a different game strategy than traditional still hunting open country.

 

[Koda_]

I was told by an old elk hunter several years back that when spooked elk tend to go up and over when they have the opportunity, but when hit (shot) will run down hill. Most times I've bumped or seen elk bumped this has been true. The times I've seen them hit with a bullet and run he has been correct on as well. Now a disclaimer; I am not a super experienced elk hunter, and would like to hear what the "regulars" have to say about this.

I will keep this in mind. Ive never paid attention to if they head up or down but my understanding has always been game will head downhill whenever possible but maybe thats too generalized.

 

[Reelamin]

wow, some really good replies... I was worried my very first post here would go un-noticed. The general consensus so far is im on the right track and doing things similar to what Im reading here. I'll try to reply to comments more specifically as I can.
a bit more background, Im no stranger to brush and deep dark timber, Im in Oregon and have hunted both east and west/coastal terrain but have been hunting eastern Oregon for elk for a few years now, the last few years has seen more hunting pressure driving herds deeper into draws and creek bottoms and Im getting into the elk there when Im not in the open timber where I run into other hunters. I have no problem diving into the deep dark timber for game if that what it takes, its just a different game strategy than traditional still hunting open country.

Uh yeah, if you have hunted Roosevelts on the coast you know black timber and wait a minute vines. LOL...you have my respect instantly.

 

[sp6x6]

Chased plenty elk up and over,same probaly down.Its area and pressure related.Shot two bulls that went up when hard hit with 340 wby,one 1/2 hole threw neck,forgot,shot that one in its bed too.

 

[Koda_]

My most successful tactic is to cover ground until I find fresh sign... and I'm talking *fresh* green/slimy poo, smell the pee... and then set up with the wind in your favor and wait. Also be careful of your setup for when the wind shifts as the sun goes down.

My number one sign I look for to focus on is fresh poo, lots of it all around and I mean really fresh. This is what I found in the spot I described in my post, I saw two I flushed (cows) and then later that day flushed a larger group I never saw. This is where we went back for our attempt at a one man drive I described in my opening post.

One thought I had was setting up a blind, but due to the distance this area is from home its not practical. Im finding it difficult to simply hide in the brush for hours on end, at some point I gotta pee and eat and that kills the silence Ive claimed sitting motionless for a few hours. My hunting partner and I are discussing this. As far as the wind, most of these deep dark timber spots are small creek draws not major canyons so I havent figured out the wind patterns yet other than slightly uphill as the day warms up. The weather has been good on us the last 2 seasons here...

 

[Koda_]

Uh yeah, if you have hunted Roosevelts on the coast you know black timber and wait a minute vines. LOL...you have my respect instantly.

Most of my experience has been with taking Roosevelts than Rockys but the last few years we have been hunting lottery tags in eastern Oregon as we hate the brush hunting on the coast... lol. The trade off with lottery tags in Oregon is you only get an any bull tag about once every 5-6 years where the coast is any bull OTC general season tag. We only had a spike tag this year, frustrating as I would have easily taken a 4x5 bull I ran into 3 different times this season. He had a small harem but not spikes so I knew to head into the creek draws for other herds and found them but its just so hard getting in close in deep timber.

 

[Koda_]

Early in my elk hunting life I almost exclusively hunted in dark timber, it took some time to figure it out, but once I did, I filled my tag nine years in a row in Idaho and CO.

this is what I'm trying to figure out, anytime I'm not having luck still hunting easy open timber or high country I find the elk in the deep dark timber draws.

I always cow-called low and softly as I walk through the timber and very seldom did they spook from the sound of footsteps. If you've ever heard elk moving through timber you know how much noise a herd makes. Once you know an area and know about where they like to bed you can stay above them and it makes it easier to spot parts and pieces of elk. Ears moving, parts of horns in the sun, this is usually what your eyes will pick up first. Move slowly, mind the wind, every few steps glass every whole through the limbs, and cow call often and you will find yourself in the elk. O' Yeah a background in archery hunting helps also.

Im going to try cow calling next year in these spots, good tip. I'll try to work from above them and learn where they bed, ive been glassing even in deep timber and found this works but so far have only spotted elusive deer that way but it suprisingly works how well you can see farther and in detail in deep timber by glassing. Im a rifle hunter only, but have no problem adjusting to new tactics as needed.

 

[sp6x6]

Is your season at all close to rut?We have few bugles here first of rifle,ID,has dates for rifle with tail end rut