One of the great things about hunting is that the hunt can be expanded to
include scouting trips prior to the actual hunt. Since the archery elk
hunt is by far my favorite hunt, I usually get out and do some scouting
even before the hunt draw results are out and that’s why I was out camping
in unit 5B-S in early July. Unfortunately I did not get drawn ths year
but it gave me a good excuse to do some camping anyway.
Several years ago, Arizona Game & Fish published the results of some
research they did on the migrating patterns of elk herds on the Mogollon
Plateau. It turns out that most herds do not move very far and many do
not move at all. This allows us to do some scouting a couple months before
the hunt with reasonable assurance that the elk we find will still be there
on opening day.
I do several things before I even get out the door. One is to locate places
of interest on the map in the unit I expect to hunt. I use my National
Geographic TOPO!© software to locate and mark these spots and then save them
to a waypoint file. Then I download the waypoint file from the computer
into my Magellan GPS so that I can go directly to them when I’m in the field.
These include tanks, springs, benches, saddles, natural funnels and potential
camp sites. This can also be done using the standard NAD27 topo maps that
can be purchased at Wide World of Maps. Simply mark the places on the map,
draw the UTM grid across the map with a colored pen (some maps already have
it) and then figure out the coordinates using the grid. These can then be
entered as waypoints in your handheld GPS. Be sure to set the GPS datum
reference to NAD27 if you’re using the actual topo maps as this is a different
reference than WGS84 which is more commonly used as the default datum in most
GPSs. The difference can be over a hundred feet. Also I prefer the UTM
coordinate system instead of LAT LON as you can get better resolution when
reading the map and it reads out directly in meters.
The second thing to do is to go to the appropriate Forest Service web site and
check on any fire restrictions. I like having a campfire and want to know if
it’s ok or not before I get out there.
Another thing I do before going is to fill out my checklist of stuff to bring.
When you get to be my age if you don’t use a checklist stuff gets left behind.
Here are some things I include in the list for scouting trips:
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My bow with some blunts, Zwickey points and a couple broadheads. I usually
carry it with me unless I’m on a very long hike and it’s good practice to
take shots at stumps, pine cones, etc to hone your shooting skills. And you
never know when you might come across a nasty coyote that could be
dispatched.
 
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A laser range finder. One of the skills most necessary for a bowhunter is
the ability to judge range. I carry the range finder with me and practice
range estimation as I hike.
 
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Extra water bottles. When I go hiking to check out those interesting spots
I’m usually gone for several hours and sometimes all day. During this time
of year it’s important to have at least two liters of water for a half day
and four if you’re going to be out for more than 8 hours. It also doesn’t
hurt to throw some of those water disinfecting pills in your fanny pack just
in case, although I’d have to be dying of thirst before I would drink out of
a stock tank even if it was purified.
 
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Since I seem to be doing all the scouting by myself I bring along a HiLift
jack, air compressor, HAM radio and miscellaneous tools just in case the
trusty 4Runner has a problem.
Now it’s time to gas up the beast and head to the cool country. Once camp is
set up and wood for the fire is cut, it’s time for the first look. Depending
on how much time is available that first day I’ll check out as many of the
landmarks I’ve recorded near camp as I can, usually in a circular path looking
for tracks, trails, fresh droppings, beds and sheds. I always like to arrive
at a tank near camp before dark and sit that tank until after dark to see what
comes in. My experience has been that elk will water most frequently after
sundown.
Things to look for :
Tanks And Springs – See if they contain water. Are there new prints
around? Are the prints coming from one particular trail? If so it is sometimes
best to set up a blind along the trail prior to the tank. I’ve seen elk come to
100 yards from the tank and wait there watching the tank before coming in.
Are turkeys using it? This could be useful info for your next turkey hunt.
Are there tree stands or blinds built at the tank? If they are freshly built,
others may intend on hunting there. Are there trails coming in to the tank?
Are there salt licks near the tank? Ranchers sometimes put salt near tanks
for the cattle and that brings in elk as well. Have ATVs been there? If so
you might be wasting your time there. I’m not a big fan of ATVs.
Benches – Benches are relatively flat areas on the sides of hills.
These are often used as bedding areas for elk and deer, especially if they are
on the north side of the hill. Elk prefer cool places with some visibility to
bed down in during the middle of the day and it’s almost always on the north or
east side of a hill. They will typically bed facing downhill so it’s best to
approach from above.
Saddles – Same as benches but these are also used for corridors from
one side of hills connected by the saddle to the other. Look for well used
trails and if you find one you might want to set up a blind there. If it is
near a tank it may be used in the evening.
Fence crossings – If you come upon a barbed-wire fence don’t cross it
immediately but walk along it for a few hundred yards or so to look for places
where the top strand is broken, a tree has fallen over it or it is otherwise
damaged. Elk will use these spots to cross and they are great places to set
up a stand. It will be obvious if they are using it. If you find a fence with
numerous broken spots it doesn’t hurt to fix some of them to concentrate the elk
crossings to just a few other places. I don’t think there is a law against
fixing fences.
Cattle – My experience has been that if you find cattle in an area you
won’t find elk there until the cattle have left. A lot like ATVs.
Rubs and Wallows – These are used during the rut but elk often return
to use the same places. Rubs are typically small saplings up to 4” in diameter
that the bulls use to remove the velvet from their antlers just before the rut
in late August and early September. Wallows are shallow depressions in the hard
ground that contain mud and water. The bulls like to roll around in these and
add their urine to the mix. Both of these are good signs that bulls will be
in the area. I have often found wallows in the middle of old forest roads.
Elk – Obviously, the best sign to find is the elk themselves. I have
always found elk on scouting trips somewhere. Resist the urge to cow-call or
bugle as this will probably only serve to educate the elk. It is fun to practice
still-hunting to see how closely you can sneak up to them. Once while scouting
alone in 5B-N I saw a large brown mass bedded beneath a juniper and decided to
see how closely I could get to the elk without being discovered. I slowly snuck
to the side so that I was downwind and then began my “stalk”. When I was only 20
yards away (and carrying only an unloaded bow), the large mass stood up on it’s
hind legs, looked at me and “woooofed” and then took off up the mountain. I wasn’t
expecting a bear. Be sure to pack clean underwear on the trip as well!
If you are scouting in PJ (pinion/juniper) country it pays to periodically squat
down to look beneath the foliage of the trees for bedded elk as you walk. You
will be able to see much farther ahead that way and I’ve found them in some of the flattest, driest PJ country imaginable. It’s what we call the Serengeti.
I’m sure anyone with elk hunting experience can add much to this list but
hopefully I’ve provided some hints that will help. If you were fortunate enough
to have been drawn for a tag I wish you the best of luck!