The Best Time to Scout
Well, it’s mid-July, and September will be here before we know it. If you want to significantly increase your chances of killing a bull this fall, scouting is crucial, and there is no better time than right now to be out there. No, the bulls haven’t finished growing, but they are getting close and are big enough to gauge how large they will be. By now, besides the highest basins, the snow is gone, everything is green, and elk should be busy doing elk things.
For cows, this revolves around raising their young and teaching them the ways of the world while keeping them out of the bellies of wandering bears and other predators. Younger, rag-horn-type bulls will be with these cow groups, in their bachelor groups, or with the larger bulls. Most of the bigger bulls will be alone or in small groups, trying to restore precious body weight lost during the previous fall breeding season and the winter that followed.
These bulls are adaptable creatures, capable of thriving in various environments. While they can be found anywhere, they tend to stay away from the main elk population and human interference. They're not far from the cow herds but keep a distance to avoid frequent disturbances. Interestingly, they're not particularly fond of the females during this time, but that's about to change, so they're usually found in the same vicinity.
When to Scout
In my opinion, the best time to scout for the September archery season is twofold. If you want to locate a specific bull or group of elk to hunt on opening morning, I will push my scouting to late August, just before the hunt takes place. If that were my plan, I would likely tie that scouting expedition onto the front end of the hunt, mainly if I lived far away from my hunting area.
However, if you want to learn about the area, find elk, and determine where they might be during the rut, there is no better time than now. Why is the best time now? You can physically enter their living area, knowing they will settle back down and into their routine soon, well before the season starts. Let's jump into how to attack your preseason trip.
E-Scouting
While this isn’t the focus of this article, it's crucial to touch on the importance of e-scouting. If you haven’t been to the area you intend to hunt previously, e-scouting can provide valuable insights. It's a great way to learn about access routes, glassing points, water sources, trailheads, and open roads, among other things.
E-scouting tools like Google Earth, OnX, Basemap, and other mapping software can be incredibly useful. These platforms offer satellite imagery, topographic maps, and land ownership details, allowing you to understand the terrain comprehensively. You can save valuable time during your on-the-ground scouting by identifying potential feeding areas, bedding spots, and travel corridors from your computer.
Basically, come up with a few things you want to check out and verify with your boots-on-the-ground scouting. I recommend not making this list too extensive, as you will have plenty to do in a few days of scouting. Still, having some areas to look at and an idea of what you will be looking for is helpful when you finally see the place in person.
Get Back, Get Wide
One of the best things you can do when scouting for elk is glass. Elk are big and stick out like a sore thumb. This time of year, they typically aren’t often bothered and will feed both morning and evening hours in the open where they are visible. July is hot, though, so the windows may be so small that they feed, so you must be out glassing at first and last light. Yes, set your alarm an hour earlier than planned and plan to be up late; it's only for a couple of days. I promise you will live, and the lack of sleep will pay off.
Getting right in on the area you think will hold the elk right off can be tempting. I won't say this is a bad idea, but it's best to get a more expansive view if you haven't been to the area. You don’t need to be close to elk to see them with good optics. Get to an area where you can see a large tract of land with plenty of openings. Preferably, this will be a high point, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Sometimes, this can even be done from a road or trail. Glass everything and take note of where you spot elk. Once you have spotted some elk, you can spend your next glassing window closer to the animals to understand better what is in the area.
Although I mentioned earlier that you can access areas and maybe even spook a few elk without causing harm to the fall season, picking glassing locations where you aren’t disturbing the animals is always a good idea. Use this time to observe and learn how the elk use the area while moving naturally. If you do happen to scare some animals, note how they use the same terrain when spooked and exit the area.
Timber Cruiser
If you have the ambition to follow this next piece of advice, it can make a huge difference in your chances of success. Although many of the elk will be out in the wide-open basins or sage hillsides this time of year, they will spend most of their time in the timber or hidden pockets during the busy hunting season. This isn’t always true, especially if you are hunting limited entry or low hunter-density areas, but if it is hard-hunted ground, it will likely be the case.
Find the timber or security cover in the areas near where you have seen or suspected elk. Spend some time hiking and covering these areas. Get into the thick stuff and the more broken timber areas with small openings. If elk rut there, signs from those activities should be evident.
If elk have rutted these areas for years, trust me, you will see the remains of those activities. You may be seeing the elk on your scouting trip in an area, but they could completely vacate the location for the rutting festivities. If you find signs of many years of rutting activity, they, or at least some elk, will likely rut there again.
You don’t have to walk every inch of the area. Making a good loop through the timber and getting out is best. Hike some different elevation bands and different facing slopes. If you try to get into the heart of the area, it shouldn’t take long to find what you are looking for.
If you don’t find the sign, pick another area and repeat. These areas don’t necessarily have to be far apart, either. Marking these areas, you can return to is some of the best knowledge of an area. Even if the elk aren’t visible or vocal during your hunt, you know they spend time in these areas, and you can work and call that terrain.
Look for old rubs on trees, tracks, and droppings when moving through timber. Check for signs of bedding areas and trails. Elk often follow the same paths year after year, so identifying these trails can be incredibly beneficial. Pay attention to water sources or old wallows as well since elk need to drink regularly, especially during the warmer months.
Get the Lay of the Land
While in the area, take the time to drive all the roads. Find the trailheads; if you plan on a base camp, look for some camping spots. Maybe there is a big river crossing you must ford to hunt a particular canyon. If this is the case, find a crossing spot. It’s better to figure out all the necessary details while you are there scouting instead of wasting precious hunting time. Mark key locations like trailheads, glassing points, and potential camp spots on your map. This preparation will save you valuable time during the hunt and help you navigate the area more efficiently.
Preparation Leads to Success
Elk hunting is a challenging endeavor, so doing things ahead of time to maximize your success is always a good plan. Plenty of things will come up during a hunt that you can’t plan for, such as bad weather, hunting pressure, wildfires, wolves moving into the area, and more.
If you have planned, scouted the area, found some elk, and learned crucial access points, that’s one less thing you need to worry about. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket and try to have a few different spots scouted out within a reasonable distance. That way, if you try one place and it’s void of animals, you have another spot ready in the queue. Don’t bail on a spot too soon if you have scouted well. Try it for a couple of days, and if it’s not panning out, move on to another pre-scouted location. Remember that the first spot had historical rutting signs, so it’s always a good idea to check back later.
Of course, nothing is foolproof, but I know the times I have scouted effectively have led to some of my best seasons. It might be a function of scouting itself or gives me the confidence to keep at it. Either way, I love the peace of mind a well-thought-out plan provides.
Zach Bowhay is known as a hunter and writer who has successfully hunted many species all across the western states and beyond. Specifically he is highly regarded in the western hunting community as an expert in DIY elk hunting on public lands. For 15 years he has been a well-published writer, sharing his love of the outdoors and expertise in both gear and tactics through his writing as well as video and photos. When not spending time with his wife and three kids he can be found roaming the mountains of the west in the pursuit of adventure.
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