Early-season elk hunting has its own unique opportunities and challenges but can be one of the most rewarding hunts of the year.
Lots of hunters focus on chasing bugling bulls during the rut, which is an awesome experience. But hunting before the peak season can provide a less pressured environment and the chance to target elk before they move into more secluded areas. Here are a few tips for finding early-season success in the elk woods this fall.
Laying the Groundwork
Scouting is crucial. Start with e-scouting using tools like OnX to analyze elevation, timber coverage, recent burns, and access points. Keep an eye out for areas that offer a mix of dense timber and open spaces. These are ideal habitats where you can locate elk by glassing them up.
Once you’ve found an area you like, focus on finding dark timber on north-facing slopes. Elk often bed in these areas during the day. Fresh burns are also great spots to check out, as the new vegetation growth is great browse for elk.
Early-Season Tactics: Hunting Wallows
One favorite early-season strategy is hunting near wallows. Wallows are muddy, wet spots where bulls coat themselves in mud and urine. It’s sort of a pre-rut ritual meant to attract cows. These areas become active a few weeks before cows come into estrus, making late August and early September a prime time for wallow hunting.
Hunting a wallow lets you to control the setup, yardage, and shot opportunity. The best times to hunt these areas is in the early morning and late evening when bulls are most active. Make sure to get set up with a favorable wind. Use the terrain to your advantage and position yourself so the bull has to approach close enough for a shot. Sometimes it even helps to incorporate a little raking into your sit. Raking is basically mimicking the sound of a bull scraping his antlers against trees. During certain times in the early season, it can be incredibly effective in luring a bull into range.
Calling Strategies: Keep it Simple
Speaking of raking, when it comes to calling, keep your approach simple. Light location bugles followed by raking can often provoke a response from a nearby bull without giving away your position.
Knowing when and how to call is more important than the specific sounds you make. During the early season, reading elk behavior is key. Aggressive calling might work on a dominant bull, while a more reserved approach may be necessary for a bull that’s less responsive. You’ve got to understand the bull if you want to coax him into feeling compelled to investigate.
Field Dressing and Meat Care
Field dressing shouldn’t be overlooked when planning an early-season elk hunt. Often temps can be high, meaning getting the meat cooled quickly is paramount. Many elk hunters prefer the gutless method when they harvest an elk. It allows you to get the skin off quickly and remove the quarters without opening the body cavity. It can help cool the meat faster, reducing the risk of spoilage.
Make sure you also prepare your work area by clearing debris and organizing your tools. Elk are big animals and its easy to get meat dirty or lose knives as you get to work. Once the elk is down, get the hide off as quickly as possible and start breaking down the animal, working methodically from one side to the other. If temps are high, consider cutting muscle groups around the bone to allow the meat to cool more effectively. There’s a lot of heat stored in those hip joints especially.
Patience and Preparation Pay Off
If you’re going to be successful in the early season, you’ll need to plan carefully, while being patient and willing to adapt. For those willing to put in the work, this can be the best time to take that giant.
By focusing on thorough scouting, strategic wallow hunting, simple but effective calling, and careful field dressing and meat care, you can maximize your chances of success. The early season is here. It’s time to get after it!
Happy hunting!
