By far, one of the most practiced, and successful, of all elk hunting tactics revolves around a spot-and-stalk approach. In other words, locating elk at a long distance, then stalking to within effective bow range.
Eddie Claypool
Good optics are a prerequisite of such an approach. Save your greenbacks and purchase only high-end quality binoculars. If you’re a trophy hunter, consider investing in an excellent spotting scope — it can save you a lot of wasted time and effort spent hiking toward inferior quality animals. Also, in the field of optics, don’t overlook the blessings of a good laser rangefinder.
Good spot-and-stalk elk country consists of a mix of open areas and heavy vegetation. Ideally, there will be high points where large expanses of open country can be glassed. Use early-morning and late-evening thermal winds to your advantage when approaching animals. If possible, sneaking to an ambush point ahead of the animal’s line of travel is another very effective tactic. Spotting and stalking your quarry epitomizes the true spirit of bowhunting!
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Eddie Claypool provides weekly tips on bowhunting, with an emphasis on whitetails. Over the past dozen years, Claypool has harvested 23 Pope & Young recordbook whitetails. Six of the deer were taken on public ground, with the rest coming from private ground that he accessed through knocking on doors. He has not been guided on a hunt, or hunted on managed properties. He also has hunted many other species of game including elk and mule deer.