Big Sky Outdoor News & Adventure

BY JACK BALLARD

Of the elk I have taken, the majority have been killed in the timber. In the region that I typically hunt, elk may be caught in the open on the first morning of the season, but beyond that, hunters who are consistently
successful turn from the parks to the pines.
Unfortunately, the typical elk hunter loves to walk or ride trails, doesn’t mind shivering on ridgetops and at the edge of clearings, carries a Magnum that will shoot a mile, but won’t set foot in the stands of timber and deadfall that consistently conceal elk. Timber hunting takes patience and persistence. It’s fraught with many moments of disappointment, making it unpalatable to the masses. However, for those who start and stick with it, timber hunting fills freezers when other methods fail.
No matter what the timbered environment, several “basics” of
timber-hunting should be kept in mind. First of all, proper clothing is essential. Layers of wool or other quiet fabrics are my typical pattern of dress. If I need to remove one layer, I have another layer of quiet fabric underneath.
Surprisingly enough, elk are often quite tolerant of noise. A twig breaking under foot alerts elk, but not always spooks them. The forest, especially on windy days, is alive with sound. Trees scrape together, boughs rustle, squirrels chatter and larger animals break twigs and crunch needles as they walk. These noises, however, are a natural part of an elk’s environment. Human sounds, such as rustling clothes, creaking rifle slings and metallic noises are a different story. An elk alerted by these sounds seldom hangs around to determine the source.
A second “basic” of timber hunting concerns the wind. In my estimation, the acuity of an elk’s nostrils is surpassed only by the likes of bears and coyotes. Paying strict attention to wind direction is thus critical. The old “lick the finger and hold it up” trick may work, but it makes for frigid fingers when the mercury resides in the basement of the thermometer. Observing the wind’s affect on the flame of a lighter or a puff of talcum powder are simpler, more effective techniques.
Choosing a shooting outfit for timber hunting is a third “basic” that depends on one’s typical pattern of hunting and resources. In my estimation, the ideal rifle is a fast-handling lever action with punch aplenty, such as my favorite .444 Marlin. My rifle has neither sling nor scope, though I harbor no ill-will toward the latter. If I did use a scope, it would be a 2×7 or 1×4 variable. A scope with low magnification allows the hunter to shoot quickly at close ranges without having to “hunt” for the animal through the scope.
One accessory I do not use in the timber is a rifle sling. A rifle slung on the shoulder of a timber hunter may as well be left in camp. Relatively speaking, it takes a great deal of time and motion to wrestle a shoulder-slung gun into shooting position Even if the gun is not carried on the shoulder, dangling slings still have the nasty habits of swaying, creaking and catching underbrush at inopportune moments If a sling is needed to carry the rifle to the timbered hunting grounds, make sure it is one that can be removed before entering the thicket.
While the “basics” apply to all timber hunting, particular strategies should be adapted to differing environments. In my way of thinking, there are three distinct timbered habitats: pockets and patches, north slopes and timbered drainages.
1) Pockets and patches – It would surprise most hunters if they really knew how little timber it takes to conceal elk, something I learned years ago as a dim-witted, but eager, adolescent. Riding up the trail in the murky light of dawn, my cousin spotted a small bunch of elk at the edge of a patch of timber about 250 yards distant
The haste of youth flung me from my saddle in less time than it normally takes me to check my watch. At the rifle’s report, that little bit of timber expelled at least thirty head of elk. The cow I targeted raced back into the timber and out the other side Quite sure I had missed, I set out to confirm my error. A skiff of snow revealed where the cow had been standing and plainly indicated her course of exit. Head down, I followed the tracks into the half-acre patch of timber.
A snap jerked my head upright. A large, mahogany antlered bull and I eyed each other in unbelief at some 30 yards. The bull’s wits returned much more quickly than mine, but the incident is unforgotten. Try as I might, I cannot pass a patch of timber without wondering what’s hiding inside.
There are a couple productive strategies for hunting patches and pockets, depending on the number of hunters in one’s party. If hunting singly, stillhunting is usually the best bet. However, if several hunters are available, a mini-drive is often productive and exciting.
2) North slopes- In much prime elk habitat, open ridges, benches and south-facing slopes give way to thickets of evergreens on the sun-starved north slopes. These slopes can cover several acres or several square-miles and are probably my favorite areas to hunt.
Elk utilize north slopes in several ways. If enough forage and water are available on the slope itself, elk may hole up and stay until season’s end. In other cases, elk bed on north slopes during the day, but come out in more open areas to feed during the night.
If elk are using the slope to bed, but are leaving to feed at night, a waiting-stillhunting-waiting strategy can be employed with good results. To do this, the hunter arrives at timber’s edge before daylight and waits to intercept animals as they move back to bedding areas on the north slope. About an hour after sun-up, the hunter switches to stillhunting, slipping soundlessly through the timbered slope in search of bedded elk and continues stillhunting through the day. About 90 minutes before sunset, the hunter returns to timber’s edge and once again waits to ambush animals en route to feeding.
3) Timbered drainages – In some locations, entire drainages are covered with timber In these areas, elk may spend most of their lives in the forest, moving to open areas only for wintering. These drainages are often good places to find trophy bulls because they are hard to hunt and allow bulls to live to full maturity.
In my estimation, the most consistently successful method of hunting timbered drainages is tracking. This means, of course, hunting as late in the year as possible, when the ground is mostly likely to be snow-covered. I typically look for a single, large, elk track (fresh, of course) or several large tracks traveling together. This often indicates a single bull or a bachelor group. Once found, I follow these tracks at a reasonably brisk pace until they begin to meander, indicating that the animals are preparing to bed. I then slow to a snail’s pace and become doubly alert in hope of spotting the bedded elk.
No matter which timbered environment you choose to hunt, penetrating the security of the forest is often the best way to find a bull. And for myself, stalking the elk thicket offers the challenge and excitement that puts the pulse into hunting.