Spot and Stalk Practice for a Beginner - What's the etiquette?

[3855WIN]

I want to try to hunt elk, but never have. It seems to me step #1 should be learning how to find elk. It also seems to me that I would be wasting significant amounts of money buying elk tags before I demonstrate any ability to find an elk.

So I'd like to do some backpacking to spot and stalk elk before I start applying for tags. It seems like I should do so around the time of the rut when you can hear bugles, practice calling, etc., but that of course will be in season.

My questions for the forum are (i) are there any legal restrictions or prohibitions on hiking around elk country during the season without an elk tag if you're unarmed and (ii) is it a breach of etiquette to hike into elk country and try to find and call elk when I'm not hunting?

I appreciate any tips and thanks in advance.

What state are you a resident of and what big game experience do you have?

 

[Redside]

If you were to find elk and have a potential shot opportunity but you were just "practicing", you'll be kicking yourself later. Get a tag and go hunting. The best part is your thinking about this in May and not in Sept. You have a lot of time to get out and scout to find likely areas to hunt this fall. Practice with your rifle/bow. soak up as much info and you can on elk hunting and get after it.

 

[brymoore]

Go for it, nothing you propose is illegal on most National Forest. Public ground is for multiple uses.

 

[Pucky Freak]

The great thing about public land is it’s open to the public for a variety of activities. Go ahead and hike/call if you so desire, with a couple things in mind:
-interfering with someone else’s hunt is illegal and a punishable offense in many states.
-maybe consider going between archery season and gun season if there’s a gap between the two in your area.

Personally, I find hiking with a weapon is about x3 times as fun as without one. There are a sick amount of people with beginner’s luck.

 

[1_pointer]

Go for it, nothing you propose is illegal on most National Forest. Public ground is for multiple uses.

This. I'd not worrying about trying to call some as well. The fact that you're asking leads me to believe you'd be conscientious about it if you knew someone else was hunting that area. IMO, what you'd be doing would fall well below the hurdles for a hunter harassment ticket. But, I'd also suggest getting a tag and going, even if a cow tag.

 

[Gila]

In most areas the archery, first rifle seasons are during the rut....you shouldn't be out there unless you have a tag and the weapon for that tag. In most states you could have some problems if you don't. It isn't very wise to go into the mountains without a sidearm. On the ethical side: how would you feel if some non-hunter buggered out the elk herd you intended to hunt? After you back-packed in 3 miles. A call by a bowhunter to the game warden that some lunatic was out there interferring with his hunt could ruin your day.

 

[Gr8bawana]

When my son was about 5 or 6 years old we always went summer camping in an area where elk were around most of the time. We used to practice sneaking up on them. A few times my son and I were able to get within 15-20 yards of them before they became alerted.
As some have said, I probably wouldn't practice during hunting season.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Go for it, nothing you propose is illegal on most National Forest. Public ground is for multiple uses.

This. The only thing I would be concerned about is don’t directly compete with other hunters you might observe in the area.

No one ever has concerned themselves with refraining from educating the bulls I am chasing. That’s what most hunters do anyway.

You will find calling elk is the least important part of elk hunting. Finding them is the biggest hurdle. My opinion is if you are going to scout, do it in an area you can utilize that information when you do decide to buy a tag.

Go to an area you can get a tag for next year and start looking for elk. Better yet check out multiple areas.
Take a camera with you and get a good picture of the big bull you call in because if you have a tag in your pocket it will probably be years before you get another in your face encounter.

 

[1_pointer]

This. The only thing I would be concerned about is don’t directly compete with other hunters you might observe in the area.

No one ever has concerned themselves with refraining from educating the bulls I am chasing. That’s what most hunters do anyway.

You will find calling elk is the least important part of elk hunting. Finding them is the biggest hurdle. My opinion is if you are going to scout, do it in an area you can utilize that information when you do decide to buy a tag.

Go to an area you can get a tag for next year and start looking for elk. Better yet check out multiple areas.
Take a camera with you and get a good picture of the big bull you call in because if you have a tag in your pocket it will probably be years before you get another in your face encounter.

Wholly agree!

In most areas the archery, first rifle seasons are during the rut....you shouldn't be out there unless you have a tag and the weapon for that tag. In most states you could have some problems if you don't. It isn't very wise to go into the mountains without a sidearm. On the ethical side: how would you feel if some non-hunter buggered out the elk herd you intended to hunt? After you back-packed in 3 miles. A call by a bowhunter to the game warden that some lunatic was out there interferring with his hunt could ruin your day.

Wholly disagree!

 

[Gila]

Wholly agree!

Wholly disagree!

Some of you guys keep saying it is "your right" to do this and "your right" to do that when you haven't a clue. One thing is for certain, it is the STATE'S rights to regulate hunting and access on public lands. New Mexico has minimal opportunity for non-residents because too many outlanders come here and screw things up for everyone else!

 

[brockel]

Just practice during your hunt by staying quiet, out of sight and always having the wind in your face

 

[brymoore]

Some of you guys keep saying it is "your right" to do this and "your right" to do that when you haven't a clue. One thing is for certain, it is the STATE'S rights to regulate hunting and access on public lands. New Mexico has minimal opportunity for non-residents because too many outlanders come here and screw things up for everyone else!

Wrong. States don’t regulate access to NATIONAL Forest. I see people out and about while hunting/fishing all the time. I don’t feel I have some state given right to be the only guy in the woods because I have a game tag.

 

[1_pointer]

Some of you guys keep saying it is "your right" to do this and "your right" to do that when you haven't a clue. One thing is for certain, it is the STATE'S rights to regulate hunting and access on public lands. New Mexico has minimal opportunity for non-residents because too many outlanders come here and screw things up for everyone else!

I have way more of a "clue" than you know. States don't control whether I go to public lands during hunting season. NR opportunity in NM has very little to do with folks not hunting while being on public lands during hunting season.

PS- Still my right to be on public lands without a tag during hunting season.

 

[Gila]

I have way more of a "clue" than you know. States don't control whether I go to public lands during hunting season. NR opportunity in NM has very little to do with folks not hunting while being on public lands during hunting season.

PS- Still my right to be on public lands without a tag during hunting season.

If state wildlife managers decide that they want the least amount of human activity in an area during the rut and calving seasons then they can, have and will restrict access to public lands.

 

[JLS]

If state wildlife managers decide that they want the least amount of human activity in an area during the rut and calving seasons then they can, have and will restrict access to public lands.

Please show me an example of access to federal public lands being limited to exclude non hunters during a hunting season.

Calving season is a non sequitur because that is a unilateral closure and is implemented by the managing administrative agency.

 

[JLS]

In most areas the archery, first rifle seasons are during the rut....you shouldn't be out there unless you have a tag and the weapon for that tag. In most states you could have some problems if you don't. It isn't very wise to go into the mountains without a sidearm. On the ethical side: how would you feel if some non-hunter buggered out the elk herd you intended to hunt? After you back-packed in 3 miles. A call by a bowhunter to the game warden that some lunatic was out there interferring with his hunt could ruin your day.

What kind of problems would one have for being in the woods without a weapon and/or a tag?

I frequently go in the woods without a sidearm.

It’s public land. I’ve had hunts buggered up by other people. Sometimes hunters, sometimes non hunters. That’s life. It’s their public land too, and unless someone was making the deliberate attempt to interfere with or disrupt someone’s hunt, there is nothing the game warden is going to or can do.

 

[406dn]

If hunters wanted to really give hunting a BLACK eye, they should push to exclude non hunters from public land during hunting seasons! That's a winning move for sure.

I've both inadvertently messed up other hunters' situations and have certainly had mine messed up by others. It goes with the territory. I apologize when I muck up some one's hunt and accept any apology offered if some one mucks up my hunt.

I can fully understand why some one would want to learn the ropes a bit before buying a non resident elk tag.

 

[thusby]

You can get really good at elk calling by watching a few youtube videos and practicing in your yard. Record yourself every once in a while and watch it back to see if it sounds right.
If you have that much time on your hands, you should call some outfitters and try to get a gig helping them out and learning.

 

[2rocky]

The thing about hunting is that it is the original "learn by doing" activity. Practice basically starts with small game and birds close to home. Heck you could go out and shoot jackrabbits in the desert during the summer, or call coyotes, or hunt wild feral pigs before you go after deer and elk. You can hunt grouse September 1 in Wyoming. There has been many times I've gotten a chance to interact, or stalk elk while hunting something else. Elk in August aren't being hunted and they are a little easier to find. August Scouting is about as close to elk hunting "practice" as I can think of.

While you have the Right to be in Elk Country on public land, it is a matter of respect to other hunters to not potentially adversely affect their hunt by calling or stalking elk during their season. I may likely be scouting a hunt unit during an earlier season. You can bet I'll be glassing from afar and being as low impact as possible. Sometimes just being in the woods and have your presence be a small ripple rather than a splash is the best hunting skill of all....

I still stand by my earlier metaphor though.

 

[Gila]

I bought a new bugle last spring with 3 three different reeds. When I try to use the old bull reed, sometimes I break a note that makes the horses run away, the dogs whine and even the ravens fly away. The wife says: "Somehow I just don't think so!" I sound best with the spike reed which is a bit higher pitched. I think the higher pitched reed carries farther anyway.

Last year I drew a tag in a unit that no one had ever hunted before. There were only 10 tags given out for one hunt for 5 days in the middle of October. I had scouted during August and put up some trail cams over water so I knew where the elk were. The archery season for deer was open during September and there were MANY bowhunters out there...the elk went completely nocturnal during the rut. I never heard a bugle at all and I was out there about 4 times during the last half of September. The deer hunters set up blinds right on the water tanks and every wallow. Most of the elk were blown out of the valley and went to private land during the rut. I say leave the bowhunters alone to hunt their elk.....