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Rag Horn

How do I "Pattern" Elk

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What do I do next? Here is what I want to accomplish and what I have done. I have an exact instance in mind when asking this question but I am looking for “in general” advice. I know weather, time of year, hunting pressure, the rut, the moon, and the price of rice in China all change elk movement patterns so I am looking for a conceptual answer not a hard fast rule.

 

I know it is June but this same scenario will apply any time of the year.

 

 

I want to try to pattern a group of bulls that I have trail cam pics of. I have been to the area at different times of the day and have seen evidence of elk but never laid an eye on a live elk.

 

I have successfully gotten trail camera pictures of a group of bulls. They regularly cross paths with my trail camera between midnight and 1 am. The problem is I cannot hunt those hours of the day. I need to know where these elk are during shooting light. All I know for sure is they cross my camera spot at that time of day. I don’t know where they come from or where they go after they pass by. How do I go about figuring this out?

 

I think I would like to place a couple of cameras in the surrounding area to try to catch them somewhere else and then make a timeline and direction of travel. Any suggestions on placement and distance between cameras; or other Elk scouting techniques that would serve me well to solve my problem.

 

Notes : water availability is not an issue – there are not any drastic elevation changes in the area – game trails criss cross the area – feed seems to be evenly distributed throughout the immediate area.

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Enjoy the pics of the bulls and keep your eyes on the cows. Assuming this is an early hunt.

no it is the late rifle bull tag... so i know stuff will change but assume this is the scenario happens to me in late November.

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What unit?

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Those bulls will probably pack up and head over that Res line by the end of the September hunt. Assuming you're talking about 3a/3c. That's just personal experience from last years. Talking with locals is your best bet. I know we have some advance members on this site from there. Maybe they could point you in the right direction?

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Don't waste your time scouting for the late rifle hunts till about 3 weeks before your hunt. Scouting before november is just a waste of time and money

pretty much. Just my opinion.

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Don't waste your time scouting for the late rifle hunts till about 3 weeks before your hunt. Scouting before november is just a waste of time and money

pretty much. Just my opinion.

Fair enough and probably accurate and very good info. I still have to ask what would I do if I am 2 weeks away from my hunt and I am in this senerio?

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Find the nastiest country you can glass and annihilate it with your scouting time. In a nutshell.

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Scout the unit learn where all the roads , tanks , glassing points are ,seeing elk is a bonus

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Don't waste your time scouting for the late rifle hunts till about 3 weeks before your hunt. Scouting before november is just a waste of time and money

pretty much. Just my opinion.

Fair enough and probably accurate and very good info. I still have to ask what would I do if I am 2 weeks away from my hunt and I am in this senerio?
Move your cameras about 200 yds. a day until you find out where they are going.
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